Cazwell’s work, devotion, & advocacy to iconic trans performers like Amanda LePore, Peppermint & Kylie Sonique Love is beyond well established, but it is his latest project with actress/recording artist & advocate Trace Lysette and recording artist Chanel Jolé that could prove to be one of his most important projects yet. ‘Taser In My Telfar Bag’ is the brand-new (and culturally necessary) track from this dynamic trio. A nod to the black queer-owned (and massively popular) brand, the track kicks off with a sizzling zap of a taser, after which both Lysette and Jolé speak about directly about their experiences as trans women in America today, joined by the always slick and double entendre filled bars that Cazwell is known for.
The Human Rights Campaign, (the organization that tracks hate crimes and violence against the LGBTQ+ community), reported that in 2021 alone we are seeing 42 reported violent killings of Trans people. The HRC reported in the year 2020, 44 trans or gender non-conforming individuals were shot or killed in violent attacks, with the majority of them being Black or Latinx trans women. Three of the women attacked that year were Eden the Doll, Jaslene White Rose and Joslyn Flawless in Holywood, who were blindsided in an attack that received national attention.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWW5v1dPdIl/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
With the release of the single (and the video, which you can see in full here), Cazwell is hoping to inspire listeners to become advocates in their own right, and is asking them to donate to the Trans Defense Fund LA. Trans Defense LA is a mutual aid group created in response to the disproportionate violence that trans women face, but also supplies trans people with protective safety kits. Cazwell will also be rewarding donors with a free remix of ‘Taser In My Telfar Bag’ with proof of donation.
Both written and produced by Cazwell, a 2020 attack on three trans women in West Hollywood offered the New York City turned Los Angeles rapper immediate inspiration. Cazwell said “I saw someone on Twitter say they kept a taser in their Telfar bag, and it just kind of clicked. That along with the need to protect Trans women while shouting out an ally like Telfar made the song feel current and relevant.” He went on to say, “I wanted Trace and Chanel to tell their story about the need for protection for Trans women, their input led to the music video being shot on a Sunday afternoon after they mentioned they feel the most unsafe during the day.” Chanel went on to say, “Personally, I’ve been the victim of many hate crimes so this is more than just a song for me, this is a statement to all those weirdos who not only hurt Trans women but all women.”
Get ‘Taser In My Telfar Bag’ here
Contribute to the Trans Defense Fund LA here
Follow Cazwell on Instagram
Follow Trace Lysette on Instagram
Follow Chanel Jolé on Instagram