Minneapolis once again finds itself at the center of a national reckoning. But for rapper, producer and activist Tufawon, this moment was more than just another headline. This is a living reality.
AllHipHop spoke with the Minneapolis native, who has remained grounded and witnessed coalition-building between Black, Indigenous, Somali and immigrant communities while also releasing Gradient, a museum-commissioned EP rooted in Indigenous identity, resistance and futurism.
What follows is an unfiltered conversation with Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur about fear, hope, hypocrisy, mutual aid, infiltration tactics, and why Minneapolis may be laying out the blueprint for what’s next. Click here to view the full Q&A or watch the video below.
“Everything is chaotic, but the people give me hope”
AllHipHop: Are you okay now?
Tufawon: All things considered, I’m doing pretty well. I feel inspired by local people organizing. I’m going through waves of emotions because everything is so chaotic right now, but people’s movement gives me a lot of hope.
AllHipHop: As a black man, it feels like we’ve been set back decades. What do you think of this moment in history?
Tufawon: A lot of history is repeating itself. This government is clearly going backwards. This is blatant. This is public. But no matter how bad the situation was, people were organized to a level I’ve never seen before. My hope is greater than atrocity. Bigger than fascism. I believe they are afraid of this movement.
Fear, Transformation, and Second Amendment Hypocrisy
AllHipHop: When you watch people being killed like this, what keeps you going? Are you worried that things will continue to escalate?
Tufawang: I do. But I see a shift. Many white people on the fence are turning away from Trump. Some say they won’t vote Republican in the midterm elections.
The problem is ICE. Many of these agents, many of whom have no or minimal training, believe they are above the law. When white people are hurt too, the true ugliness of the agenda is exposed.
AllHipHop: The feeling of hypocrisy is inevitable.
Tufawang: That’s right. Kyle Rittenhouse showed up with a rifle and he was a hero. Now, a concealed carrier shows up and he’s suddenly the villain. Same people. Same logic. You can’t argue with this anymore. The hypocrisy is being exposed, and it puts them in a difficult position.
The man was seen being disarmed. He did not use his weapon. He was protecting a woman. He protects us all. That’s why it hits so hard.
“Segregation exists in Minneapolis, but things are changing”
AllHipHop: What are you seeing on the ground that people outside of Minnesota don’t fully understand?
Tufawon: Minneapolis is deeply segregated. The Somali community is under siege. Aboriginal communities are under siege. The North Side, a historically black neighborhood, was under siege.
But now, I see coalition building breaking down those barriers. We eat together. Cry together. Develop strategies together. Actual action has taken place.
There is also a profound irony in this. People were interned on our own land and sent to Fort Snelling, the concentration camp of my ancestors. That’s not abstract history. That’s true.
People keep saying this is just an immigration issue. It’s not. They are also terrorizing the black community. Everything is connected.
Mutual aid, rapid response, saving lives
AllHipHop: Explain mutual aid to those who may not understand.
Tufawon: Mutual aid is people directly supporting people. money. food. transportation. resource. Some people cannot leave their homes. Some don’t work.
The Pow Wow Grounds coffee shop has become a hub. They are now well-resourced and are diverting food to other organizations for distribution.
There is also an impact on income. I’m a rapper, but I’m also a teaching artist. I teach Aboriginal young people how to write songs from start to finish. The show was postponed. Restaurants are closed. Mutual aid can help people survive now.
AllHipHop: You also mentioned rapid response teams.
Tufawon: There are garrisons all over the city and suburbs. When ICE activity is detected, the signal chat lights up in real time. People whistled. The community comes together. We have deported ICE agents multiple times. It literally saves lives.
“Everyone has a role”
AllHipHop: You talked about heroes and martyrs.
Tufawon: Everyone in Minneapolis is a hero right now. But especially those who risk their lives every day. They could be shot. Regardless, they are doing it.
I hold white people accountable. Don’t stop when everything feels back to normal. Don’t disappear. There is no stopping.
AllHipHop: You’ve also said that even under Democrats, oppression continues.
Tufawang: That’s right. Once Trump is out of office, we cannot relax. Police brutality still exists in blue governments. There is a growing recognition that the people hold the power.
A class awakening is happening. Racism is used as a tool of class warfare. The poor and working class are competing against each other so that the rich can maintain control. Some ICE agents realized they were signing deals they couldn’t live with. Volume is high. That system doesn’t care about them either.
Penetration, security culture and strategy
AllHipHop: Someone talks about penetration. ICE dresses differently and blends in. Do the organizers know?
Tufawang: Of course. Many of us have trained at Standing Rock and are training again in 2020. We know infiltration is real. They impersonated utility workers. They have entered the Signal chat.
Safety culture is important. veterinary. Ask questions. Know who you’re working with. We are constantly training people to protect the movement.
Gradient: Hip Hop, Indigenous Identity, and the Future
AllHipHop: Let’s talk about gradients.
Tufawon: Gradient is a seven-song EP commissioned by the American Composers Forum as part of its Reimagining America project. It is associated with an exhibition at the Duluth Art Institute. Visitors listen to my music and experience the museum at the same time.
The project is about fighting colonialism and imperialism, but also about who we were before the colonizers and who we are becoming. There is a gradient among indigenous peoples. Our culture, our color, our history.
I create everything. tap. mulberry. Plays native flute and guitar. It leans toward hip-hop and it leans toward R&B. This is one of the projects I’m most proud of.
last words
AllHipHop: Any final thoughts?
Tufawon: Taking care of your family is revolutionary. Providing nanny services to those on the front lines is revolutionary. Raising money is revolutionary. Everyone has their own role.
I believe this. The love I see now is greater than their fascism. We will overcome it.
