What is freesoul? According to William Scott, it allows for an expression that is influenced by many different genres from gospel to rock.
And who is William Scott? He's an artist influenced by the likes of Prince, Donny Hathaway and Marvin Gaye. William Scott is the self-affirming result of a painful beginning and the hopeful future of the gay African-American community.
I had a few words with William Scott about his music, his movement and his advice for turning positive visions into reality.
When did your music career begin?
At age 6, I started singing for my grandmother in her living room. I've always loved music so I joined several music groups in school. I moved to New York City after I left college to pursue a career in music. At first, I was in the closet because that's what I thought I had to do. My personal beliefs and understandings hadn't evolved to see that there was an alternative to what everybody else was doing. Now, I'm happy with every aspect of myself- being a man; an African-American man and a homosexual.
I feel a lot of pain in your music, which then shifts to an affirming message. Is this pain yours or pain you absorb from others and your environment?
It's a collage of all of that. My own pain is definitely pain in my music. I've dealt with a lot of family pain. Just being a black family in America is painful. Seeing my family struggle to get to work; seeing my mother as a battered wife; seeing my brother as a black man trying to survive. There's aren't enough alternatives presented to us black people. We're still striving to meet the white standard.
There is also pain in my music directly from my struggle as a same-gender loving man coming to terms with his spirituality. We [gays] run the black churches yet we're still not welcome there. I'm trying to present an alternative to the pain in my music. I want to show the younger generations that despite hardship, I can be a strong black man who cares about himself and others. We need a lot more alternatives and role models. I needed to see strong black homosexual male figures growing up. If I had black role models such as this growing up, my journey would have been a lot less painful.
Tell me about the Scott Free Movement.
The Scott Free Movement is about uniting [African-American] people- making us more aware of our divides, then finally bringing those divides together to build a community. African-Americans need to unite again like we did in the 60s and 70s. I think people have gotten too comfortable with the present situation.
My music inspired the movement. There is a way to make massive change. When I discovered the inspiration for this album, I was also inspired to make physical changes to the community. While my music is more of a sub-conscious movement, The Scott Free Movement allows people to physically become involved in their community.
Are people tired of hearing fluffy positive messages?
There are many people who think positive messages are corny, but there's so much negativity in the world today I feel a need to present a self-affirming message through my music. People that try to do good and positive things should be appreciated. I think music and entertainment arts are integral in spreading a new positive poison that touches the masses.
What are the tools same-gender-loving people need to make their positive vision a reality?
- Be present in life and engage in something that's a hugely important catalyst for change.
- Be yourself and affirm who you truly are at every opportunity.
- Seek the truth despite your fears. In truth comes greatness and empowerment.
