Ade Akinloba of Black Clash

 "I generally feel that black-led punk rock is still kept in a stereotypical box."

SS: Well, since you asked to be interviewed, I wondered if there is something you already have in mind that you want to talk about. You seem like you have things you need to get off your chest.


AA: Nothing in particular. Maybe the state of black punk but that might be controversial.


SS: Okay, talk about that.


AA: You sure?


SS: Sure, why not.


AA: Okay. I generally feel that black-led punk rock is still kept in a stereotypical box. With really heavy leanings towards R&B and hip-hop influences with very little punk rock other than the gung-ho spirit really. We have a lot of trailblazers in Ramones style punk and hardcore and metal and that's still not as well represented or referred to in my personal opinion. I do feel like a lot of bands get looked over for that reason and there's way too many to name.


SS: I have totally felt this way about the Afro-Punk festivals in the past, so I get that. I guess I just wonder if that's what people want to hear, you know?


AA: I guess I take it a little more personally since I am in a hardcore band myself that really doesn't take a lot of influence from hip-hop, R&B. I feel like that's what people are fed and then they don't know to ask for something else.


SS: So, the way I first heard about you is I was searching that Discord message board for St. Pete/Tampa punk shows. You know what I'm talking about?


AA: Yep. I remember that.


SS: Pretty sure Chris from Permanent Makeup started it. Anyway, it was a flier for a benefit show to support you after your mom died. Is that right? Who played the show and how did it feel to see the scene come together for you in that way?


AA: Mr. ENC, Wreath, and The Nervous Girls played. It was a really weird feeling but it was a good feeling. It was really nice to know that deep down the Florida music community will come together for someone just to make sure that they're doing all right. It speaks volumes.




SS: Yeah, I thought it was a really kind gesture for the community. I’m really sorry about your mom’s passing. But, that's how I found out about your band and when I saw your name, I knew you were Nigerian. Do you have anything to say about being both Nigerian and a punk rocker?


AA: Not really. It's pretty weird but being black in the punk scene already gets me a lot of unwanted attention. Me being specifically Nigerian doesn't really add on to the awkwardness.


SS:That's interesting though. A lot of people of color in punk and other predominantly white spaces talk about feeling invisible or left out. What kind of unwanted attention do you receive just based on being a black punk?


AA: Usually people over thanking me for being involved in the scene so heavily, drunk people constantly comparing me to Hendricks even though I don't play in that style at all, people immediately talking about any black band to try to relate to me after a show. Like, I normally don't get to interact with people who like really deep cuts of the music and stuff. They just kind of keep it to surface level stuff. The whole “I have a black friend” mentality kind of stuff.


SS: That's wack. How did Black Clash come together?


AA: I started the band about 15 years ago with my singer Michael who was going to be the drummer at the time. We were very unskilled and had no idea what we were doing. Ben came in later after we made friends in high school and we walked home together and I said I needed a singer for my band, and then we got Jacob who lasted for a while on drums and then after he got arrested we brought on Kenny.


SS: I noticed the lineup changed. Is Jacob still in jail?


AA: No, Jacob is not in jail, he's been out for like 6 years.


SS: Did you play a show right away when you started?


AA: We started writing songs immediately and I think we played a show in my backyard or something like a while after that.


SS: Did you feel immediately accepted in the Tampa punk scene? Who are some of the local bands you've played with over the years?


AA: Not at first but over time I think we've earned our stripes. Oh my god there are so many... Rath in the wise guys, Samsara, Pilot Jonezz, The Prople, The Damnsels, umm... Ocean's End, Human Error, Really Smelly Socks, Nervous Girls, Vomit Sawdust, and Jolly Fuckers. Just so many bands. To be honest we were always kind of the weird ones out and we didn't know a lot of these people for years so we weren't established in that scene despite me really liking the music.


SS: Yeah. I just saw Pilot Jonezz for the first time last fall. It was at an Afro-Futurist Festival in St. Pete. Did you go?


AA: I didn't go unfortunately.


SS: Are those the types of events you think you'd have an easier time being included in if you were more R&B or hip-hop influenced?


AA: Yes. Very much so.


SS: I mean, Dea & Saint also played and they are hip-hop influenced while Pilot Jonezz has those little R&B guitar licks even though I guess I would describe them more as indie overall. So, yeah, I see your point.


AA: It's easier to listen to and it's a lot groovier so it's just better for fans. My music is pretty alienating if you don't like the genre. Like it's not for people who don't like hard rock, heavy metal, punk rock or hardcore. Yeah, it's not the best for me career wise but I feel much more fulfilled doing that type of music and laying out my anger that way.



SS: Are you the main songwriter in Black Clash?


AA: Yes, I am.


SS: What are your songs about?


AA: A lot of it tends to be inequality issues. Like a lot of songs are about wages or religion versus the populace and stuff like that. A lot of really biting angry controversial stuff. Most of the songs come from things that actually happened to me and my feelings based on that. Like when I got ripped off by a former employer and they basically only paid me like 60 bucks or something and I wrote like two or three songs based on that alone.


SS: Ha! Yeah, that's infuriating. How do you feel about everything going on here politically in Florida?


AA: I feel like we've been screwed for a while and we're just getting more screwed right now.


SS: We've talked a little bit about how hard it is to tour right now. Has Black Clash ever gone on tour?


AA: We have not. We've gone out of state a couple of times but we're going to be touring this year and next year hopefully.


SS: Oh, congratulations. Where are you going?


AA: For this year we're trying to hit up Atlanta, Nashville and Ohio.


SS: I hope I get to see you at Lost in St. Pete. Have you played it before?


AA: Yes we have! We played it last year.


LISTEN TO BLACK CLASH: blackclash.bandcamp.com

LOST IN ST. PETE: April 28-30, 2023 www.lostinstpete.org








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