PARLER PARLAY — ROUND 2: DEMMYFUJI

ACE
Jun 10, 2024
4 min read

Updated: Mar 22

Today's game is a bit more interactive considering it's usually played independently and its beauty is heavily determined by the beholder.

Photography & Styling: Etheldreda Esomba

Joining the dugout is the one and only DJ Demmy Fuji, cerified mix master, CEO of SEVENSEVENSEVENPOUND and orginator of Afrotechnik "An exploration of Afrocentric sounds from all corners of the diaspora".

No stranger to my world, Demmy (or Dem-Dems as I coin him) holds place in my life as a good friend and an iron that sharpens my own. On this day we went for a quick stroll around his neighborhood as we reviewed grammar fundamentals and concluded our journey with his itteration of a tale of a lonely king.

NOUNS: THE NAME OF A PERSON, PLACE, THING OR IDEA

ACE: A noun is defined by a person, place or thing...Who's your favorite person?

DF: My favorite person...like ever?

ACE: Yeah

DF: Somebody I know? Or Someone I don't know?

ACE: It can be either one

DF: I have a lot of different people...I would say my favorite person is probably my little sister.

And my Mom.

And my Dad.

Those are my favorite people (they) make me feel a sense of purity when I'm around them.

ACE: What of someone --

DF: -- Someone I don't know?

ACE: Yeah

DF: I would maybe say somebody like Skepta. He's a really tight artist and he does a really really good job of relating to me as young Nigerian raised in a Western cultural environment.

So I like that.

ACE: Your favorite place?

DF: Honestly? Maybe London.

London's one of my favorite places I've ever been at least.

And if I had to choose somewhere else? I'd say any beach that's just calm and I can relax...

ACE: The beach?? Ok Cool

DF: -- Can we take one more picture? I have an idea

ACE: Yeah sure of course. Tell me some of your favorite things.

DF: MUSIC!!

ACE: Okay, well that's obvious.

DF: Some of my favorite things...Hmm I like Kangol hats! Also "DUH", but I feel like that's something I really like. Well, specifically those hats but I like hats in general.

I like...I like a lot of things...

I like being around people...

I like learning things...

I like history.

ACE: Cool.

DF: Yeah.

VERB: TELLS AN ACTION OR EXPRESSES A STATE OF BEING

ACE: That's a perfect lead into my next question...What's something you learned recently?

DF: I recently learned about how people, specifically black people, have been represented in the media since the invention of photography.

I learned about how there are different ways to perceive a gaze and the agency.

And who has the agency is really important 'cause sometimes you can take a photo and we can decode it as "Oh, this is something that is making black people look bad" but if the picture is taken by a Black person who's owning--who's having agency in that moment, then what we're decoding is probably not what they're putting out in the picture -

ACE: -Or trying to portray-

DF: Yeah. I've just been learning a lot about about how to just read photos and black entertainment representations. Shoutout to this lady named Dr.Bascomb if you care.

ACE: Okay, Dr. Bascomb? Shoutout to Dr. Bascomb.

ACE: You're a fan of music.

DF: Yes

ACE: You're a fan of soccer.

DF: I love football (X2)

ACE: What else keeps you moving?

DF: Family.

(I think) family keeps me very motivated

(I think) the thought of a brighter future keeps me very motivated

(I think) the idea of wanting more for myself and for my community.

(I think) having a sense of hopefulness for brighter days to come keeps me more motivated than anything else (I think)

ACE: These are like..perfect segues.

My next question is: If there's something you would change about the world what would it be?

DF: Hmmm if there was something I would change about the world, I would make everything on a (way) more communal scale.

I think sometimes we try to do things on too big of a scale whereas I feel like if everyone just focused on doing something really really good in their respective community(s) then more people would feel a sense of accomplishment rather than people feeling especially in a capitalistic society-

ACE: -helpless-

DF: Yeah like "Damn if I don't make it to this level then I haven't made it"

Where[as] it's like everyone around who supports you, you've made it to a level that is so monumental and you're impacting people on a communal and local level and that's just as important as I F you were to be y'now ... "Top Shot" whatever.

ADJECTIVE: DESCRIBES A NOUN OR A PRONOUN. IT TELLS WHAT KIND, HOW MANY, OR WHICH ONE.

ACE: One word to describe yourself.

DF: One word?

ACE: Mhhmm

DF: Exciting!

ACE: Okay period. And what's the best compliment you've ever received?

DF: That's a pretty good question...I don't know.

I don't think I take compliments very well.

ACE: *gasps in Leo* -Oh my God-

DF: But I would say some compliments that I like to get are compliments on the music I play, or my sense of style sometimes 'cause I have a lot of haters on that.

Maybe when people compliment me on my apartment and how that is building into what SEVENSEVENSEVENPOUND is.

I think I enjoy that compliment because I've worked really hard on it.

FIN.

Dems your crown truly has come, it's a pleasure to be in your court & thank you for joining me on this journey (pun intended).

Now that we've got the "Parler" out of the way, time for the "Parlay":

If you didn't get the hint, as Demmy has so brilliantly has displayed, we're playing MadLibs this time around. A word game so easy (and usually wholesome) both a 26 year old and a 6 can equally enjoy.

Attached below is a blank copy for you to download and share.

A pesimist once said, "All good things must come in an end ", but I say we keep the good times rolling. Send me over a copy of your story for the archives!