Live performances by FUPU, Abdu Ali, & Bae Bae. Hosted by drumBOOTY

Fuck U Pay Us
FUPU is the white male patriarchy’s reckoning. It’s dressed in an all-Black, femme punk band, but it’s the war for reparations incarnate. FUPU does not represent the same ol’ coy request for equality, it’s a declarative statement: we have BEEN understanding and humble to the point of detriment, so new rules-FUCK U PAY US and SUCK MY NAPPY BLACK PUSSY.

FUPU is an acronym for the aforementioned demand for compensation and it consists of vocals, guitar, bass, and drums. It formed first in the imagination of THE UHURUVERSE (vocals/guitar) who loves punk music but never heard it expressed through a Black Woman. In fact, The Uhuruverse first picked up the guitar to start playing with FUPU—before that, she had dreams of becoming what she calls “Prince Hendrix”, a legendary hybrid which needs no introduction.

FUPU has now been featured on AFROPUNK.com, VOGUE Italia, Dazed & Confused Magazine, LA Weekly, and LA Times for their radical and overdue message of “reparations or bust.” And it’s very nice that you like the band, but: FUCK U, PAY US!

Abdu Ali
Abdu Ali is an independent music artist, writer, and multimedia arts curator based in Baltimore. Ali has released five musical projects, all notable for his idiosyncratic blend of punk, futurism, jazz, Baltimore Club Music, and rap music, with lyrics yielding poetic uprise. Through his work as a rapper, curator, writings, and outspokenness via social media/interviews Ali, has been elected as a radical underground Baltimore music and cultural figure. Ali, was also the founder of Kahlon, an iconic underground party that radicalized the artistic climate and made space for marginalized musicians in Baltimore. Unapologetically black, gay, and queer, Abdu Ali’s work is bold, raw, and most importantly life-affirming.

Abdu has done several tours across the U.S. and Europe, and through his energetic visceral performances, spiritualizing audiences, he has been anointed as a cosmic, punk, and soulful tempest on stage. He has shared stages with notable music acts like the Sun Ra Arkestra, Mykki Blanco, Busdriver, Dan Deacon, Lower Dens, Blaqstarr, FKA TWIGS, and has been covered internationally by Complex, AfroPunk, Saint Heron, Noisey, The Fader, Mask Magazine, Subbacultcha, Les InRocks, Tracks Arte TV, and many more. Abdu Ali is working on an EP and a debut album, developing his new media co-op drumBOOTY, and now his performances are accompanied by drummer Josh Stokes.

Bae Bae
Kumi James is a filmmaker and DJ born and raised in South Los Angeles. She has created a platform for black femme creatives called NEGRESS (@negressmag) which focuses on black femme artistic practices and serves to recognize the labor that black femmes contribute to ensure black survival and to humanity at-large. In recent years, Kumi’s projects have included creating an intentional bi-monthly black healing space called Mo Betta Blues, djing (as BAE BAE), and promoting a party centering black queer, trans and gender nonconforming folks called Love is the Plug.