Black women in Detroit who rock

Hey, guys! Welcome back to Culture Canvas.

Detroit’s latest poet laureate jessica Care moore is set to release the self-titled debut album of her rock duo We are Scorpio with singer/songwriter Steffanie Christi’an on Friday.

The multi-hyphenate artist–an activist, musician, book publishing company founder and filmmaker–said We Are Scorpio will be available at record stores across the country, and she is in the process of setting up an account for online sales. 

To celebrate the album’s release, moore and Christi’an are hosting a “We Are Scorpio” listening party, with guest poet Brad Walrond, from 6-9 p.m. Friday at Spotlite.

Moore is also busy planning the 20th anniversary of Black Women Rock, an annual concert that pays homage to Betty Davis, Grace Jones, Tina Turner and other Black women rockers. The lineup for the Aug. 31 concert at The Filmore includes We Are Scorpio, singer Kimberly Nichole, singer/bassist Nik West, DJ Stacey Hotwaxx Hale and more. 

Moore chatted with me about the making of We Are Scorpio, the lack of representation of Black women in rock music and organizing this year’s Black Women Rock. 

Editor’s note: This transcript has been lightly edited for length and clarity 

BridgeDetroit: What was it like putting this album together? Why did you decide it would be best to collaborate with Steffanie? 

Moore: I don’t have the chops that Stephanie has. I’m definitely a lyricist and I love songwriting. I’ve always wanted to work with Wayne Gerard, a really great producer here in Detroit. I called them and I started voice memoing these song lyrics and sending them to Steffanie and sending them to Wayne. Wayne produced at least four of the songs on the record. 

Steffanie has been singing with me since I moved back home (to Detroit) in 2007 or 2008…and we just hadn’t recorded yet. It was kind of ridiculous that the person that sang with me the most, we did not have any records together, so we had to fix that. We had a window during COVID and we flew to Brooklyn to see Maurice Brown. He’s a great trumpet player that has a studio space. Me, Steffanie and Wayne then came to Detroit and met up with Divinity Roxx, who’s playing bass on the record. It was just the perfect timing and we did the record in a weekend.

BridgeDetroit: What were some of the themes and messages you wanted to address on this record? 

Moore: “Jim Crow” is an important song on the record. It reminds me of Rage Against the Machine if they were Black girls from Detroit. I was writing that piece about colorism, which is the issue for me right now with Kamala Harris. You don’t have to agree with somebody’s policies, but you cannot tell a person that they’re not Black. That woman has lived her entire life as a Black woman and has identified and connected herself to Black women sororities and Black colleges. Colorism is a big deal for me. I don’t like it and it’s divisive and silly.

“The Fire This Time” is a nod to James Baldwin. We’re dealing with some real things on this record. It’s a rock and roll album, but it’s a Black rock record. 

BridgeDetroit: What were some of your musical influences for the album? 

Moore: Jimi Hendrix, Pharoahe Monch, Betty Davis, Patti Smith, Jim Morrison, Rage Against the Machine, Living Colour, Fishbone. My mother was a hippie, so I was listening to all of this stuff. 

BridgeDetroit: Have you collaborated before with all of the artists in this year’s lineup for Black Women Rock? 

Moore: A lot of them have been doing the show with me for 20 years, so they’re my friends. I’ve never worked with Amyre (Leon) before. She’s a great artist and she’s a very important voice. This is the first time Grace Gibson is doing the show. She’s from New Orleans and she’s a beast. I bring the women that have been doing the show often like Kimberly and Steffanie and Joi. These are my sisters. It’s a labor of love and it’s not easy work.

BridgeDetroit: When you started this, did you ever think Black Women Rock would make it to 20 years? 

Moore: I’m not surprised it’s still needed. Even as a Detroit poet laureate, I’ve been in spaces where I’ve been silenced and other gatekeepers have closed doors for me. It’s important that we continue to push Black women into all spaces because they all belong to us. And it’s our music. We made it, so we’re reclaiming it. We’re celebrating it and we’re gonna have a damn good time. 

Have a great week! 

Cheers, 

Micah

---

313 Scene

• Distinctively Detroit Tours is working to reschedule its first hip-hop history tour. The tour will include sites integral to Detroit’s hip-hop scene like The Shelter, the Hip Hop Shop and the house of the late J Dilla in Conant Gardens.
•  Since reopening in June, Michigan Central has welcomed more than 100,000 visitors. In response to the demand, the former station is extending its Summer at The Station tours through Labor Day weekend. Summer at The Station runs from 5-9 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays through Aug. 31, plus expanded hours for Labor Day weekend on Sept. 1 and 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
• Detroit saxophonist, composer, and educator Marcus Elliot is working on his latest project, Sounds from the Park. Coming next summer, the event will culminate in a series of outdoor concerts at Detroit parks. The project is made possible with a $100,000 grant from The Joyce Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting artists of color in the Great Lakes region. 
• Traveling art exhibit, “Frontline Prophet: James Baldwin,” is on display at The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. The exhibition, created by Detroit artist Sabrina Nelson, offers an intimate exploration of the influential writer and activist James Baldwin in celebration of his centennial birthday. The show runs until Feb. 28. 

---

What’s Going on in the D?

• Rapper Missy Elliott is bringing her first headlining tour “Out of This World” to Little Caesars Arena on Thursday. Known for hits like “The Rain,” “Work It” and “Lose Control,” Elliott is also bringing along frequent collaborator Timbaland as well as Ciara and Busta Rhymes. Tickets start at $79.50.
• The music continues into the weekend with the Detroit Summer Soul Music Festival Friday-Sunday at Hart Plaza. Performers include Bobby V, Jon B and Sunshine Anderson. The event includes food and a fashion show on Saturday. Tickets start at $30.
• The Aretha Franklin Amphitheater is hosting two concerts this weekend! R&B legend Gladys Knight is performing Friday night, while Trey Songz and Muni Long will be at the venue Saturday night. Tickets start at $45 for the Gladys Knight show and $49.50 for Trey Songz.  
• Afro Nation returns to Detroit Saturday and Sunday at Bedrock’s Douglass site. The lineup includes Lil Wayne, Rema, PartyNextDoor, Kash Doll and several other afrobeats, R&B and hip-hop artists. Day passes are $70, while weekend passes are $99. 
• People for Palmer Park is hosting its “Light Up the Cabin” garden party 3-6 p.m. Saturday in the Palmer Woods neighborhood. Highlights included dishes inspired by the Black diaspora created by chef Phil Jones, performances from jazz guitarist A. Spencer Barefield, with saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist Rafael Statin and a silent auction. Guests will receive the precise location with their ticket purchase, which is $125. 

---