SU Fine Arts alumnus releases album

Lyrists, artist and past unofficial leader of Southern’s artistic circle, Antoine Mitchell independently released his album “Gye Nyame Warrior” recently.
Know throughout Southern as “GHOST,” which means God Holds Our Souls Together, the Baton Rouge cnative graduated with a BA in Fine Arts in the Spring of 2007, has gained a following through his visually gripping paintings and conscious poetry from which he was a regular at the Mocha Room Poetry night.
He has also gained notoriety for starting the yearly “Profile of a Black Women” tribute, which was done to uplift black women around Southern.
“It makes me feel blessed to know that I am doing positive and it’s all thanks to my creator as well as my ancestors,” said Mitchell.
His album, named after the African-Akan language meaning “I fear nothing but God,” is an album that he hopes will educate the masses, Mitchell said. According to Mitchell he, wanted his music to get away from the self-genocidal lyrics of commercial rap artists.
“With this album I want my people to get three important things,” said Mitchell. “I want black men to know they are kings, black women to know they are queens, and for black people to pick up a book and read.”
Though artist like Lil Boosie, Webbie, and Foxx are gaining national airways and are putting the city of Baton “Jig City” Rouge on the map through their hit single “Wipe me down”, he wants people to know that there are socially conscious as well as afro-centric people like him in the area.
Artwork for the album, which was drawn solely by Mitchell, said musically, his inspiration ranges from reggae legend Bob Marley and rapper Common to the legendary Lost Poets.
Although his motivation for success came from many teachers like Southern University’s fine art professor Robert Cox and students at Southern, his biggest support comes from his mother Jenevia Mitchell and his wife Erica Williams who is also a graduate student at Southern.
Social activism and doing positive things for the community has always been a huge part of Mitchell’s life from speaking and marching for victims of Hurricane Katrina or having art exhibits for children at the Scotlandville library.
Currently his main issue is the Jena 6 controversy, which refers to a group of six African-American teenagers who are charged with attempted second-degree murder after a fight with white teenagers in Jena.
“I see myself in the future being a community figure who use’s my talents to educate the masses,” said Mitchell.
“Gye Nyame Warrior” is currently available for purchase on his website www.revartlution.com.