Nearly 30 years of artistry and live performances accompany her wherever she goes. If it isn’t the cheerfulness of her voice, the spryness of her laughter and smile, or the steadiness of her beat when she grabs the mic, you will know by her presence when MsTmusze arrives.

Throughout Long Beach and L.A., the talented author, event host, poet, singer-songwriter and all-around wordsmith is both visible and vivacious. The California native, also known as MsT or Ms. Musze has over a dozen published works and has performed original songs and poetry at venues such as 5th Street Dicks, The Knitting Factory, and VIP Records. She has performed for audiences of The Prime Spot on WPMD, Urban Rising Entertainment on KDOC-TV, Indie Encounter on Pasadena’s Community Network 1 and 1023.FM KJLH.

From holding in-person writing workshops to hosting virtual trivia contests online, the Spreading Love-N-Spoken Words host always has her hands in something creative.

She has expanded her talents to technology, adding the title of mobile app QA/UX Consultant to her lengthy resume. Developed by Olamz LLC and co-launched in 2019, the Here and Now: African Diaspora Trivia App is differentiated by what inspired its creation:

“The thesis that Black people contribute life as we know it through all time, around the world, here and now,” stated MsT via email. “Our focus is on the proof of our thesis.”

In our SolShock.com interview with MsTmusze, learn more about her experience, her growing mobile app collaboration, and how she balances it all.

Meet MsTmusze. Happy Discoveries.

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SolShock: How do you describe MsTmusze, the artist?

MsT: I am a multi-disciplined artist who most actively pens and performs songs and poems. Beyond this I create digital music and visual art, draw in ink, paint in watercolor and compose photographic collages. Inklings of the above were seeded in my youth growing up in LA and blossomed in my experiences in Leimert Park. Now based in Long Beach, I am featured in the Oceana poetry community Black Is A Poem’s Black is Soft archive as well as one of many special guests who celebrated band leader Dave William’s 50th year.

SolShock: How did you get your name?

MsT: In the beginning I asked myself, what do you want people to experience with your work? The answer is in the name MsTmusze. MsT is a spelling of Misty associated with mist and water, an essential element. Musze is a spelling of muse associated with inspiration. The human need for inspiration is as essential as our need for water and all else we depend on to live. No matter how great or small, it is my hope that any interaction with my work is a positive contribution to the viewer or listener’s life.

SolShock: How would you describe the Here and Now: Aftrican Diaspora App?

MsT: A fun way for global players to “Show What You Know and Learn More” about the African Diaspora.

SolShock: Who is the team behind the app?

MsT: Sr. Software Architect and Project Lead Kevin Goode, Graphic Designer Jean Perrault, myself and a community of advisors.

SolShock: What learning opportunities have you had since embarking on the app development journey?

MsT: I completed a bulk of work on the app during periods of great change. I was in chemotherapy for stage 3 cancer, while I also experienced crimes that threatened my life and made me homeless. I was in this world experiencing the global Black Lives Matter protests and emergence of the covid-19 pandemic. In a recent chat, Kevin shared that he gave me tasks to complete for the app not fully understanding what I was going through or how to respond. Turns out, having the app to work on gave both of us great encouragement based on our people and experiences, so often triple and quadruple layered with challenges just like those any of us face in our own journeys. Learning time and time again that our thesis was and is right, even when our people have been and are faced with illness, homelessness, uncertainty, racism, brutality and murder is motivation to learn more and do all we can with the days we’ve been given.

SolShock: What have been some of the most rewarding or memorable experiences with users or in promoting the app?

MsT: Hosting contests for our players and sourcing prizes for those that win. Way more rewarding than having something in Apple and Google Play stores are the friendly competitions we host for people interacting with what we’ve created. We’ve had a player with a robust knowledge of Ethiopia, one in Canada who knew their geography and an avid sports person who knew their rival teams all come through with correct answers in subjects they were strong in. As intended, our contests give us the change to witness folks having fun showing what they know while learning more as they play through their rounds. Not one who generally enjoys shopping, finding prizes I think our winners will love brings me joy too!

SolShock: How do innovations in technology affect the use of your app? 

MsT: Like our team, our global players live in an age where we wonder what ChatGPT has in store. For now, we work to keep ahead of planned obsolescence of older devices and compete for screen time on the current and emerging ones we’re available on.

SolShock: How do you balance 9-5 work, family and creative time?

MsT: Showing up for the life I live requires consistent flexibility. I try to stay aware of when I haven’t gotten enough rest, time with loved ones, or fun so that I take action to reset the balance. Impromptu trips to San Francisco or New Orleans, calls and visits with friends and family plus resting between working 9-whatever time it takes to get whatever I’m working on done all happen in an ecosystem where I consistently adapt to stay balanced.

SolShock: What was your most recent happy discovery?

MsT: Betty and George. The names of the earliest ancestors I was able to research on my mother’s side of my family’s genealogy. They are descendants of free people who were enslaved and freed in the long line of people that lead to lil ole me. It makes me happy to know their names and a bit of their life story.

In April 2022, she was honored at the 30th Annual Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) Spoken Word Fest for her work with the celebrated Leimert Park Poets.

For upcoming events or to learn more, follow MsTmusze on Instagram.

More about MsTmusze:

A multi-disciplined artist who performs spoken word and song, MsT began as a self and peer taught writer who performed a cappella with Leimert Park musicians trained in jazz and African rhythms. Today, MsT continues to braid black literary traditions with free experimentation influenced by humanity. MsT’s work is featured in the video poetry archive: Black is Soft, Mujeres de Maíz chapbook Flor Y Canto, her self-produced cd Testing and the Spreading Love-N-Spoken Words album named for the time-honored open-mic she regularly performs at and co-hosts.
MsT partnered with Billie Jean King Library’s Family Learning Center to offer The Fighting Flowers creative writing workshop, which she developed. Her lyrics and cameo appear in the music video Cool released by Kershawn Ware. MsT sang with band leader and trumpeter Dave Williams in live jazz tributes to Sun Ra and Marlena Shaw. MsT curated A Father’s Love, A Daughter’s Eye father daughter photography exhibit, emceed the book launch of spec-fi novel Fatizen and was the multi-year volunteer coordinator for regional festivals Music Tastes Good, Long Beach Folk Revival and Long Beach Funk Fest.

Bio excerpt courtesy of MsTmusze.