Deep Digs: BACKXWASH presents Deviancy

She’s a modern-day witch - angry, rebellious, and ready to tear the heads off of her oppressors. Meet Backxwash (Ashanti Mutinta) - the self-identified angry trans rapper hailing from Zambia. Montreal & Ottawa-based, she is releasing her debut full-length album, Deviancy, on July 11th.

Overlaying addictively weird, unapologetic beats, her lyrics are powerful - and their subject matter is as electric as their delivery. Each song is charged and carries her story to its core - she will captivate and enrage you with comparisons between colonial missionary witch-hunts and the present-day persecution of queer people in Africa, personal recounts of street harassment, and fearless obliteration of oppressive social constructs.

As well as making some of her own beats, Backxwash collaborates with other queer producers such as Flying Fisher and Surgeryhead, who artfully flip samples ranging from Patti Smith to Britney Spears, to the trans-feminist punk band G.L.O.S.S. Boasting an expansive musical taste, Backxwash draws personal inspiration from Zulu chants, classic pop songs, and other fierce femme rappers such as Quay Dash and Rico Nasty. Get to know some of her favorite tracks below, and do not miss the album launch party for Deviancy on July 12th !

Interview

Who is Backxwash and where does she come from?

Backxwash is essentially the person that I strive to be - confident, Angry, ready to tear the heads off the oppressors. This project is me hoping to be a voice for anyone in my predicament, because being angry at the world is an acceptable emotion, and I feel like we should embrace that.

What is the origin of the name?

The name came up when I was thinking of something that could sound disgusting but still straight to the point and that is how I got at backxwash haha.

You have really unique production on your projects - and use some very cool and unexpected samples. Who do you collaborate with and where do you find inspiration for your beats?

I find it easier to collaborate with people that have the same politics and mindset when it comes to making music. Flying Fisher, super producer, just has this incredible method of turning samples into absolute gold. Like, Gus would sample the wind if they could, and it would really come out as something special. Just incredible. SurgeryHead is this person I met from twitter and they have this mischievous, spooky, dark, aggressive sound. It is something I cannot make on my own and it is just wonderful.

You’ve mentioned that the title of your new album, Deviancy, is in reference to the oppression faced by witches, gay, and trans people in your native country of Zambia. What were the implications of intersectionality for your identity back home and how do you tell that story on this album?

Well, essentially because of colonialism, if I ever went back and identified the way I am, I would be in so much trouble. To exist a queer witch is essentially the state’s nightmare. Which is ironic because things would have been different a very long time ago.

A lot has happened these past few months - you’ve released your first video, a few singles, and Deviancy comes out July 11th. What’s next?

I am thinking of doing an EP and just playing around with concepts. I hope the year goes well so that I could plan a tour.

Deep Digs

The best track released recently

Devil In A Moshpit is my favorite because it was the first time experimenting with my voice like that, first time doing a full queercore song and the production by fisher is incredible.

Weirdest track you’ve ever heard, but definitely want to sample

I have always thought Madonna Frozen was really eerie and weird and I would love to flip it in a very weird way as well. Something that keeps the tone but makes it different.

A song that you can always draw inspiration from

Zulu Chants and African Chants are always easy to pull inspiration from. “Don’t Come to the Woods” was the one that was most easy to make for me cause everything felt so right. An example: