FAKA — We Are Public
FAKA
The cultural movement established by Fela Gucci and Desire Marea is using a combination of mediums including sound, live performance, photography, video and literature to talk about their experience as black queer bodies. They released their debut EP Bottoms Revenge in 2016 and followed it up with another EP titled Amaqhawe. Gucci grew up in Katlehong, a township on the eastern side of Johannesburg, while his colleague Marea, spent most of his years in Amandawe, a rural town on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal. The two started collaborating after seeing the works of black queer artists like Le1f, DonChristian, Mykki Blanco, and House of Ladosha. “Being exposed to them affirmed our aspiration to create music and venture into performance art,” they explain in an email to Vogue. In their recent music video, “Uyang’khumbula,” Gucci and Marea were seen dancing in red PVC pants, silky light blue garments, and matching grey suits. The two said they are united by a desire to elevate themselves through dress.
