CARIDAD
DE LA LUZ
LA BRUJA
Interviewed by: Angela
Angela:
I understand that you are such a busy girl. If people talk about
being multi-talented your name HAS to come up in the conversation.
You are a POET, a WRITER, an ACTIVIST, a HIP HOP ARTIST, a MODEL
and an ACTRESS. Is there anything that you can’t do?
La
Bruja: Hmmm. I will try anything once. *Laughing*
Angela:
As a POET you have appeared on HBO’s DEF POETRY JAM. How
did you go about getting invited to perform on there?
La
Bruja: I went with a tape of myself and a resume and a headshot
and parked my little beat up car on Broadway and 50 something
where the office was. I went up there and took it myself and was
like look. It was the Phat Farm/ Def Poetry Jam office at that
time. I had seen the whole first season and was like “THIS
IS ALL ME RIGHT HERE!”
La
Bruja and Angela: *Laughing*
La
Bruja: So I went in. Parked my car. Got a $60 ticket. I went in
there and was like “Look you tell Russell that I got a Phat
Farm jacket on and I am repping. Listen to my stuff. I am the
real thing, taki taki ta.” They were like “Yeah you
will hear by Friday at 5 o clock. If you haven’t heard from
us by Friday at 5 o clock you didn’t make the cut. Then
it was like Friday at 4:25.
Angela:
You were counting down the minutes~!
La
Bruja: It was hurting me for 35 mins. I was like “ohhhh,
the pain”.
La
Bruja and Angela: *Laughter*
La
Bruja: Then I got the great call saying “Do you think that
your kids would like to see you on TV? I was like “Uhhhh
Yea!”
La
Bruja and Angela: *Laughter*
La
Bruja: They were like “Cause they are gonna. You are gonna
be on” and I was sooooo happy.
Angela:
Wow! Did you scream?
La
Bruja: Yes I screamed. Just Thanking and Oh my God. I was losing
it. I am shameless. When I lose it I am shameless. I am the same
way when I meet people that I am a fan of. I am a freak. *Screaming*
I am like “Oh my God what if one day people do that to me?
I don’t even think about that. I would be quite forgiving
should I ever get that response.
Angela:
As a WRITER and an ACTRESS you have written and stared in a highly
successful one-woman comedy show called Boogie Rican Blvd. Can
you tell us a little more about the show?
La
Bruja: Oh my God yeah! Boogie Rican Blvd is like a REAL imaginary
place that I have created. It is based on the real that I see
on the daily. I created this Blvd in front of a Bodega and I have
a lot of different characters. I have Don Jose who is the Bodegero.
He is the old man, the patriarch of the show. Pito, the wannabe
rapper that does his show outside of the Bodega. His daughter
Cuca, who is a teenager and a poet. She fell in love with Pito
and got pregnant the first time they did it and he doesn’t
want to have anything to do with her. The whole fact is that she
is Don Jose’s daughter and he has another daughter named
Lola. She is a drug addict.
Angela:
Wow, and you play all those people?
La
Bruja: Yea and then I play Maribella who is the youngest and is
a virgin. She doesn’t want to make the same types of mistakes
that her sisters have made. She is wild and crazy but she is still
innocent. I am incorporating the Abuelita character who is the
wife. She wasn’t a part of it before but I have to bring
her into the mix and I created a little boy too named Papo who
is Lola’s son that is being raised by Don Jose. Malta, she
is from Long Island and she is in love with the Bodegero’s
assistant. So she is in the whole mix too and Lola got 5 dollars
out of her one time so she is still looking for Lola to reclaim.
La
Bruja and Angela: *Laughter*
La
Bruja: So it’s just basically like a day in the life on
this Blvd. It’s funny and sad. It’s just really REAL.
I base it on Boogie Ricans because I am a Boogie Rican. Puerto
Rican from the Boogie Down born and raised, still here. So what
I like to show with my performance and with my characters is that
I might be Puerto Rican but you probably have someone in your
family that is just like this no matter where you are from. Even
if you are Chinese you probably have a grandfather that is kind
of like that. The accent might be different but the heart is still
the same. So I like to bring that message with my show.
Angela:
Nice. You also write regularly and are the voice of ROXY in Mun2’s
animated comedy series “LUGAR HEIGHTS”.
La
Bruja: *Laughing* Yea. Have you seen the show?
Angela:
You know what? Sadly I am not able to get Mun2 in my area. They
don’t have it out here yet. What is “LUGAR HEIGHTS”
about?
La
Bruja: It’s like a Latino SouthPark.
Angela:
Oh ok.
La
Bruja: It’s really funny. It’s like a little older.
They are not little kids, they are like teenagers. They all live
in Lugar Heights and they are all mixed. One is Cuban, One is
Colombian, Puerto Rican, Roxy ( I am the Dominican girl). The
two brothers are Puerto Rican and one is gay. He has a clouded
puff for hair. Manos is Mexican, he always uses his hands. They
are all hilarious. Roxy, I have a bladder control problem and
I get easily excited and pee on myself.
Angela:
*Laughing* And it’s a teenage character?
La
Bruja: That’s a big uh oh.
Angela
and La Bruja: *Laughing*
La
Bruja: Yea she has issues. It’s because she has fake nails
and she’s so damaged that she just wets herself a couple
of times, I don’t know. *laughing* but you know I got kind
of late into it with them, they had already started the series
so if you get the dvd of it, like the later episodes it’s
not my voice and it’s not my writing. I would like to think
that some of the best episodes I am one of the writers on it.
I am really proud of myself.
Angela:
Now I have to go and get the dvd.
La
Bruja: You have to see it. There were like these aliens and they
popped a fan belt and had to land in Lugar Heights and then they
break it down to them that all aliens really speak Spanish. They
came to us with a message that “yea we are Latinos, we have
all the flavor and yet we are at the bottom of the melting pot
and we need to come together and mix it up and rise up”.
It’s revolutionary and comedic at the same time.
Angela:
Right. How long have you been writing them?
La
Bruja: Actually it was like one straight series of 6 for like
6 months. We are not writing it anymore. We were actually hoping
that it would get picked up and have the funding to continue.
I would love to have another season but nobody has stepped up
and I know that John Leguizamo was part of the beginning and the
makings of it but it’s on hold right now.
Angela:
So they are not showing anymore as of right now?
La
Bruja: They show it. I don’t have Mun2 either. I don’t
have cable. I don’t even watch TV.
Angela:
*Laughing* Me either.
La
Bruja: *Laughing* Too Busy. I wish it would get picked up because
I had so much fun! Oh god, it was the best! There was a rapper
called Big Toes in it and he wears like a fake gold chain with
a Big Toe incrusted on it.
Angela:
*Laughing* Ewwww.
La
Bruja: *Laughing* It was so much fun!
Angela:
I hear that you are currently working on a full-length screenplay
called “FAMERS” that will tell a story of love, aspirations,
and loss behind the creation of a graffiti wall. Is your story
based on a true to life experience that you have personally lived?
La
Bruja: Uhh. No. I am really close friends with one of the most
famous graffiti crews out in the Bronx. They do memorial walls
all over the world. They actually do the Big Pun wall every year.
They work out of the point which is a community development corporation
and I worked there as a community organizer so we became friends.
As a community organizer in that area I did witness it. It didn’t
happen to me because I am not a graffiti writer. I write in a
different way so they would tell me the stories.
Angela:
Right. So they were your inspiration.
La
Bruja: Yea, and it’s a memorial wall and as the memorial
wall is painted the story unfolds. It’s a really beautiful
story. It’s a hip hop story and it has all the elements
of hip hop in it and it doesn’t have any drugs in it. I
feel like a hip hop West Side Story. Like a hip hop Romeo and
Juliet. It’s hot.
Angela:
So it’s something that people now can relate to.
La
Bruja: Absolutely, Oh Absolutely. I cried writing it. When I got
to the ending scenes.
Angela:
Oh you are already finished writing it?
La
Bruja: Oh yea. I have been trying to shop it. I already casted
it. If I get the funding I will just do it independently.
Angela:
As a HIP HOP artist you are really making a mark in the industry.
I keep hearing your name everywhere. Everyday when I open my e-mails
I get e-mails with your name in them, people are always sending
me new information. It is not only your publicist either. I get
them from everywhere.
La
Bruja: Wow. Oh my god!
Angela:
How did you build such a big following?
La
Bruja: By doing it everyday with lots of love, sincerity and passion.
I never stop. I am a mother of 2 and I never stop. I never use
that as an excuse like “oh let me lay back because I have
babies now”. I just keep on going. Even though many people
turned their back on me at certain points they were like “oh
girl you ain’t gonna make it now”. It would give me
the fire and strength to keep going. Like now I am going to show
you that it’s not what you think. There is a lot more strength
in here. We are not just baby makers and that’s it. You
know because a lot of people have that misconception and it’s
not a surprise because of the way that society portrays us women
and Latina women especially, you know? All women. It was pretty
sad and it hurt me a lot that people would think that way and
I kind of felt like Lauren Hill and I was really inspired with
Lauren at the time because she was doing it too, even though I
was no Lauren in my heart I was still an artist. I knew what that
felt like. I am so happy that I made that decision. Somebody else
would be all involved in their career that they would be like,
I can’t have a baby now. That would be the worst mistake
ever. Not everybody is meant to be a parent either. I see that
a lot. When I go clothing shopping for the kids I see other mothers
talking to their kids like they are truckers. I tell my kids “you
hear that, aren’t you happy I am not that kind of mother?”
*laughing* I get brownie points just watching other bad mothers
being mean.
Angela:
*Laughing* You have recorded with FAT JOE, VIVIAN GREEN, JADAKISS,
DON DINERO, THE JUNGLE BROTHERS, BLACK ICE, B-REAL OF CYPRESS
HILL, TONY TOUCH, AFRIKAA BAMBAATA, THE X-ECUTIONERS and I am
sure that the list goes on and on. Who was the group that you
enjoyed working with the most out of all the ones that I just
listed?
La
Bruja: *Thinking* Honestly. I wasn’t directly in the studio
with a lot of those people. Like B-Real for instance, he was out
in LA and I was in the Bronx. I am not going to say that they
weren’t great. I just didn’t have the experience.
I did have the experience of being in the studio with The Jungle
Brothers.
Angela:
Oh ok. Well then which song was your favorite out of all those
that you did with those artists?
La
Bruja: *Screams*
Angela
and La Bruja: *Laughing*
La
Bruja: Mmm Mmm Mmm. Wow. I don’t know. Well I love Fuego
because that was the first one that I did with a big name. That
was the first big name in hip hop that I was able to collaborate
with and I had been listening to B-Real for years. When I heard
the beat and they told me who it was for I wrote that hook that
night. I was up and it came to me really fast. I was like Fuego?
It’s perfect because he blazes and he’s fire. Boom.
That’s the theme. I just ran with it and it just came out
and I was so happy when he decided to get on it and on his rhyme
he even calls himself a Brujo so I was like “Yea!”
I felt like “yea, you did it girl!” It was a great
honor.
Angela:
Is there anyone left that you haven’t recorded with you
would like to?
La
Bruja: I would love to record with Madonna, Prince, Alicia Keys,
Common, ummmmm.
Angela:
I want them to read it and call you.
La
Bruja and Angela: *Laughing*
La
Bruja: Awesome! Who else? Daddy Yankee, Tego, Notch.
Angela:
You have done some stuff with Notch, right?
La
Bruja: Yea but we haven’t gotten into the studio together
yet.
Angela:
Oh.
La
Bruja: It’s in the works, so it’s not like it’s
too far away but you know, until it’s done it’s still
a dream.
Angela:
Of course. What are your aspirations as an artist?
La
Bruja: Wow. To create social change through my art. I would like
to see women elevated and be taken a bit more seriously and treated
with more respect. I would like to see peace throughout the world.
I would like to see no more oil being used for energy and things
like that. Go right to solar power and stop killing the ozone.
I throw those messages in there because there are a lot of people
that aren’t conscious, they just want a good laugh. They
will come out and see it and then I will be like “ha ha!
Take this with you!” because if you hit them too heavy you
turn them off. When I first started I was doing that real hard.
I was just like complaining and protesting and it turns people
off sometimes. Even though a lot of people respect you for voicing
your opinions there is a whole other group of people that doesn’t.
So I have worked through the years to find a balance. I am really
happy that people are feeling it. I am so happy because I feel
like there is actually hope.
Angela:
Right. As a model you have done SEVERAL LEVI’S Jeans ads.
Being both smart and beautiful how do you take it when you hear
people say that ALL models are dumb and beautiful?
La
Bruja: Oh well, I am not a model. I am a role model.
Angela
and La Bruja: *Laughing*
La
Bruja: Wow. I am honored to be considered attractive but I am
really proud that they put my title as POET. So it’s not
just like a pretty face or whatever there is something more behind
that. So I am happy that Levi’s did that. It was really
awesome but with that campaign they were focusing on people that
were real people. There were other models, one was an archeologist,
one was a lifeguard, another guy was a radiologist. They chose
like different people in real life instead of models, so I thought
that it was great.
Angela:
Right. Now as an activist you have RAISED FUNDS for several causes.
I hear that you are performing at the Latin Rap Conference on
Tuesday and that it’s a benefit for the Hurricane victims.
Are you excited to be doing that for a good cause?
La
Bruja: YES! I am not only performing there I am the host!
Angela:
Ahhhhhh! I was just going to ask you if you had any say so in
making it a benefit?
La
Bruja: Yeah! I am the HOST! I will just basically try to make
everybody feel welcome and get on the same page and express themselves
freely and respectfully talk about the humanitarian effort. We
have become so desensitized and we put all these other things
before what the real issues are. You know. The money, the jewelry,
the cars, it’s like COME ON! I am so sick and tired of seeing
this industry regurgitate the same message over and over again.
Why is this what’s popular? When are we gonna get to some
reality here? What are we saying to the youth? Nothing. So it’s
just a great opportunity for us, the Latinos. We are kind of new
to this, not new to this but the community is really strong right
now so if we could empower ourselves it would all be better.
Angela:
Well we will be out there covering that event and taking pictures.
La
Bruja: Nice! Yayyyyyyy! That whole Katrina catastrophy. I mean
because I bash Bush all day and if that is not the clearest example
of how imcompetent and self serving, disconnected and just evil
this man is, I mean, I don’t know what could be more clear.
It’s an insult to my intelligence that we have this type
of person representing us. Leaving those hard working, taxpaying
people to drown. I knew it a long time ago but I am just surprised
that nobody else is seeing it or not more people. It is just ridiculous.
Angela:
Right. What do you hope to accomplish before the end of 2005?
La
Bruja: I hope my music hits some charts. I also hope to finish
filming Boogie Rican Blvd and getting it to dvd. I hope that I
finish my novel, “SQUEEKY CLEAN”.
Angela:
*Laughing* Oh wow. You are writing a novel too?
La
Bruja: Yea, because I want to get published. I haven’t been
published yet, like my poetry books. I have been talking to some
people and that told me that if you write a novel and show that
you can sell a novel they will gladly publish your poetry books.
They don’t believe that poetry will sell right now but wait
til they see, you know? It’s like, alright you want a novel,
fine! I am always writing. I hardly sleep.
Angela:
Wow. Me either.
La
Bruja: Yea, well you sleep when you die.
Angela:
Yea. What is your official website, Do you have one?
La
Bruja: I have 2. labrujamusic.com and labrujanyc.com
Angela:
Can people buy your cd there?
La
Bruja: No, but you can buy my BRUJALICIOUS cd on Urbanlatino.com.
It is coming to stores soon. Redline distribution is going to
start distributing it in about 2 weeks.
Angela:
Do you have anything that you would like to say to fans and other
up and comers?
La
Bruja: Do what you LOVE everyday! Don’t do it just for the
money because that’s not there and that’s not easy
for us to come by. If you do it, do it for the LOVE and do it
for the message. Do it because you live and dream it. If you don’t
then, I don’t know. Do something. Everybody should do something
positive and creative and think about the world that we live in
and the kind of world that we want to leave behind. Tomorrow is
not promised so we have to think about what we can do with our
today that will be meaningful in our lives and that is the message
that we should send.
Angela:
Right. How did you come up with the name LA BRUJA?
La
Bruja: *Thinking* So many people love that question.
Angela
and La Bruja: *Laughter*
La
Bruja: Well uh gosh. My parents got married on Halloween. It kind
of starts there. I am a very spiritual person. For a long time
I never talked about this I would always just leave it at that
or be like “yea my birthday is on Halloween” which
it’s not. The truth is that I have communicated several
times in my life with the dead.
Angela:
Wow.
La
Bruja: Yea.
Angela:
Because you tried to or because it just happened?
La
Bruja: No. It just happened.
Angela:
Oh wow.
La
Bruja: Yea. Through the years it has gotten a little stronger
and a little clearer what I hear. That’s really. I am a
Bruja on the low but I am a total Bruja of the light. My name
is Caridad De La Luz. That is really just what I am. I just want
to give light and I feel like when spirits have reached out it’s
because they just really need light to elevate to that higher
place. When people die we forget them. Think about how many dead
are forgotten. Sometimes the souls just stay in roam. They are
not sure, I think. So I pray or I light a candle for them and
pass my light and energy to their soul so that they can find peace.
Angela:
Wow. You are just an all around helper.
La
Bruja: I hope so!
Angela:
Would you like to give any shout outs?
La
Bruja: My sorority sisters, Omega Phi Beta. Tats Cru, the graffiti
crew I was telling you about. My Divologist.
Angela:
Your what?
La
Bruja: *Laughing* My Divologist. He teaches me how to be a Diva.
His name is Dimitri. He is my backup singer, vocal coach and makeup
artist. He is off the hook! Very talented.
Angela:
Wow. He does it all too huh?
La
Bruja: Yea. I like to be around people that can’t just do
one thing. Let’s multi task and make it happen because too
many numbers is chaos but if you have a tight team that can do
a lot of things efficiently, you have got it! My manager, Peter
Kang from Ill Tongue Management. Executioners. Everybody at the
point. The DS and Puerto Rico. Simply Rob and The Grito de Poetas.
Angela:
Cool! Well thank you very much for your time.
La
Bruja: No, thank you. Thank you sooooooooo much.
Angela:
You are welcome. I can’t wait to meet you when we go down
there. We wish you the best in all of your present and future
things.
La
Bruja: Thank You
Angela:
You’re welcome.
La
Bruja and Angela: Bye bye.
