Making music and caring for community has always been a symbiotic relationship for Rafael Gonzalez, aka Tufawon (two for one), a Minneapolis-based rapper, singer and producer. He says that he’s had a knack for turning lived experiences into sound, and his latest song, No One Is Illegal, is no different. The song was shaped from what he saw on the streets during Operation Metro Surge and the heightened ICE activity, which he felt was his “responsibility” as an artist to create it.
Unicorn Riot produced the official music video for No One Is Illegal in collaboration with Tufawon, a Mdewakanton Dakota and Boricua artist. The production features original performance style footage combined with Unicorn Riot on the ground video of immigration enforcement activity, with community resistance and protests that inspired the song.
With the accompanying behind-the-artist interview, Tufawon explains the inspiration behind the song and music video. He reflects on the community response towards Operation Metro Surge and the role that artists and “artivism” can play within the movement, and how music can “galvanize” people and help move things forward.
Watch the music video and read more in the link below.
