As a Black American, the chapter of The Outlaw Ocean that impacted me most was “Sea Slavery.” I felt I could relate to this portion of the book to the oppression I as well as other African Americans have experienced. It made me recall when I used to work a 9-to-5 job in the health field and how shackled it made me feel. I rarely ever had the time to create. The stories of these crew members, and those featured throughout Ian’s book, really put things into perspective for me. I can only imagine what it would feel like to be demanded to work and told what to do, day-in and day-out. But I’ve realized through this reporting that the rules on land don’t apply at sea. 

Music and art in general have the power to be incredibly influential. If enough people bring awareness to something then people will listen or at least become curious about it, which is what I strived to do with my contributions to The Outlaw Ocean Music Project. Some tones are more adventurous, while others are mellow and dark. I wanted to capture what it felt like being at sea, while still maintaining my own style.

Sinitus Tempo