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The Urban Shamans of Germantown.

Reported by Maceo · Philadelphia · 2 min

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On Maplewood Mall, the historic strip in Germantown, Philadelphia, a member of the Urban Shamans stands outside the Gria Cafe and explains what the place is and what the band has been doing since 2004.

The cafe first. “This place right here, which is the Gria Cafe, was home to many small businesses. This was a wellness facility.” Inside there are products for aroma health, hygiene, appetite, and herbs anybody can use; the kind of small Black-owned space that holds a neighbourhood up.

Then the band, which came out of community work rather than a rehearsal room. “It was an idea that we came up with during community work. We were working in a community in various capacities, developing programs for youth, community development,” and the question was what else could carry the message to people. He had just started drumming; his brother Levi was further along. They took the name because it fit the life they were living: “we were brothers who were in tune to our spiritual wellness.”

The method has not changed. “we took the message to the street we use the music as a tool to activate people to bring people together all people from all walks of lives.” Two minutes, filmed by Maceo in Germantown.

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0:00AYou got to start over. You got to start by press record. Okay. So we are here at the Gria on Maplewood Mall, a historical strip right here in Germantown, in the Germantown area of the city. This place right here, which is the Gria Cafe, was home to many small businesses. This was a wellness facility. So, you know, going inside, you can see that, um, just a lifestyle, she has a lot of good products in there, um, for your aroma health, your hygiene health, um, your appetite, and, uh, she has different miscible herbs in there that, um, anybody can, uh, use, and, um, you know, speaking about way back, uh, the Urban Shamans, Urban Shamans Band have been around since 2004.

0:00AIt was an idea that we came up with during community work. We were working in a community in various capacities, developing programs for youth, community development, and we said, you know, what other way that we can use, what ways we can use as a vehicle to reach the people. and right at that time I just started drumming and my brother, Levi, he was a little bit more seasoned in his skill. You know, we hit the streets. We took on the title of Urban Shamas because we thought that the lifestyle in which we were living suited the title. You know, we were brothers who were in tune to our spiritual wellness.

0:00ACulturally, you know and we were on a path still is on a path and you know we took the message to the street we use the music as a tool to activate people to bring people together all people from all walks of lives we’ve been invited and some very unique places you know and through through you know the the call you know

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