Capital Hip Hop Soul: Afi Soul (@afi_soul1) Balances Singing & Mommy-ing

Afi Soul in 2008 in the Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest

In 2008, soul singer Afi Soul graced the stage of Capital Hip Hop Soul Festival in Washington DC's Marvin Gaye park, coming to our event with an already lengthy and successful career under her belt. Today, she is the proud mama of three girls-- an 11 year-old and a set of 8 year-old twins, with her first baby boy on the way. She talked with us about her career and her new baby on the way in an interview you can read below. Read the continuation of the interview on SoulTrain.com:

Liberated Muse.: Afi, congratulations on your new addition who is about to join the family. Being a mom and a busy indie artist can’t be easy. How have you balanced your work as an artist with being mom?

Afi Soul: Thank you! I tell you it isn’t easy. Sometimes I just have to make a choice on what is the  most important thing in front of me.  Sometimes I’ve had to pull outta gigs  because someone had a asthma attack or a fever. Bottom line is I do what I do because I love it but the most important thing is that I do it for my kids to have a better life, you know? To not struggle anymore. One time last Summer I was on  my way to Soul Sistahs Juke Joint in ATL and one of my babies has an attack. I had to pause! I was like ok my baby gotta be right before I leave. I got her straight and then missed the plane! I ended up having to just put out for another ticket to get there. I try my best to keep my word with where I agree to be. You know your word is all you have in this business.

Liberated Muse: Afi, you just released a new video from your 2008 release Lovely and this CD has seen some longevity that’s rare nowadays. Tell us about this single and video.

Afi Soul: Whew, yes, it’s still selling online people are still ordering it and getting the downloads, too. I’m blessed because it seems that every day I get online on one of my pages, someone else has discovered me and wants to know more!  The video is for the single “Sorry, Gotta Go”. It is basically a song about a woman reclaiming herself and her reality. You know, we as women, when we are truly loving somebody, we makes sacrifices. We hold it down, we change the diapers and bring home the bacon– you know I’m a veggie so it would be soy. (laughs) And, when he just takes it all for granted, never really stepping up, I get tired. Two years of this is too much.

The video was done with a lot of effort of a lot of folks who just believe  in me and wanted to see it happen. It wasn’t easy. We had to change crews in the middle of the shoot because it was stretching out, and imposing of people’s time. My sister, Malkia Lydia, who is an indie film/maker and producer and my god brother Obi Holly who is also an indie producer and actually used to work with BET’s “Rap City” did a lot to make it all come together. I used one of my friend’s house for the shoot, and another friend’s studio while my manager Lamar Lee-Kane brought us to his street block to shoot, too. There were definitely many resources to make it happen–it was a communal effort. Even my babies were in it.

Read the rest of the interview on SoulTrain.com