Off Topic With Goapele

It’s hard to describe Goapele’s musical style. Her music has been described as everything from neo-soul to a mix of jazz and funk. Whatever you call it -- ‘good music’ is probably the best way to qualify it and luckily for us, the 27-year-old songstress from Oakland is releasing her sophomore album on December 27th titled ‘Change It All.’ Raised by South African and Jewish parents, Goapele recently wrapped up a tour with Lyfe Jennings and Vivian Green. She took a break from her busy schedule to answer a few Off Topic questions for Black Voices.

Which overused costal slang word do you find more annoying? The Bay Area’s use of “hella” or Boston’s use of “wicked”

Wicked is more annoying. Hella will never go out of style. I even got people in Boston and all over the country when I was going to school there and they were making fun of me, and they would clown me and go “That’s hella good” and then they started saying it for real.

You were recently sighted with Prince in LA? Is a collabo with the purple one on the horizon?

I hope so. I talked to him about it and I think that something will happen. I love Prince as an artist and he has always done such innovated music and I have found it inspirational for me to stretch my limits and try to do the best I can at whatever point that is. So I appreciate his support and I look forward to doing music with him, however that might be and I think it will be when its time and not before that because its not the sort of thing that can be rushed.

Alpha male or meterosexual or neither? What do you prefer in a man?

Gosh, It’s so much more complex than that. But I’m not into macho just for being macho, I’m into being real and people being versatile and open. I have a whole bunch of types so it doesn’t fit into one thing.

‘King Kong’ – Race metaphor or example of straight up simian envy?

I haven’t seen this version yet but I don’t even want to comment on it. No comment!

With the holidays upon us, what is the one gift that you received as a kid that stands out in your mind?

Some jewelry that my step-grandfather made me. It was over the years but probably the last piece I got was when I was 21. He’s just an incredible metal craftsman. To be able to get some art work that was made by a loved one is probably one of the most special things that I got.

How do you classify your music?

Soul. Just because Soul can mean so many things. It means it’s soulful. There’s some kind of live music within it.

What’s on your iPod?

Kanye, Common, Damian Marley, Norah Jones, Raheem DeVaughn, Bjork, D’Angelo, Ghostface, all types of music.