Award-winning comedian and writer Brandon Ash-Mohammed is the first-ever gay black Canadian comedian to release a comedy album. The album titled Capricornication was released earlier this month. Recorded via the Toronto-based label Howl & Roar Records, the album anchors on Brandon’s life with crazy yet hilarious stories about his family, relationships, and childhood as well as his unique observations about the world. We had the pleasure of speaking to him about the album and his flourishing career.
Hi Brandon, thank you for granting the interview. Congratulations on your career to date. Firstly, how did you get into comedy?
I got into comedy after high school! I went to the Humber College comedy program here in Toronto after deciding I wasn’t good enough for acting school and too musically illiterate for musical theatre school. It was the best yet the worst decision of my life!
You’re set to be the first-ever gay black Canadian comedian to release a comedy album. The album ‘Capricornication’ is out this month. How did the idea for the project come about?
I wasn’t like I was all, “Oh shoot! There’s no gay black Canadians with a comedy album! I’m gonna do one!” I had been toying with the idea of doing an album for a while but never took it seriously until my friend Meg Mackay approached me asking If I’d be interested in recording our albums together at the same time! I took her up on it. We’ve shared all our first big comedy moments together, so I figured it was fitting. Buy her album Probably A Witch! It’s amazing and on all platforms!
Capricornication centres around your life, family, your multi-racial background, relationships, and childhood as well as his unique observations about the world. We look forward to hearing your take on this. What can the audience expect?
I think they can expect to hear a voice that they haven’t heard before! I feel like I have my own way of doing comedy. I also have a perspective I don’t think anyone’s ever heard before! How many famous comedians are gay multi-racial black Caribbean boys with a Muslim last name? There are none! I guess I’m breaking new ground.
Please tell us more about what it was like to work with Howl & Roar Records on your debut album
Oh my god! They are the best! They have been so supportive! I could not have gotten this all done without them. I decided to donate all the money I make from the first month to organizations supporting LGBTQ2S+ black & indigenous people in Canada (BLM Toronto, Soy Toronto, & 2-Spirits). They decided to match all of the donations! We’ve made about $2600 so far!
You created The Ethnic Rainbow, Canada’s first and only comedy show for LGBTQ comedians of colour. Please share with us how and why it was important for you to start this platform?
I was the only gay black person doing stand-up in Canada for a long time! I think I still am? There only used to be two queer people of color doing stand-up in all of Canada. I think a lot of people think when you’re gay and black that you’re having two experiences at once. You’re actually having three. Gay black people have their own culture that is vastly different from that of the black majority and gay majority. I never felt fully welcome in spaces that were queer because they were all white and I felt the same way when I’d do POC shows because they were all straight. I created this show so people like me could have a space for us by us! It’s changed my life and it keeps growing! It’s on hiatus right now due to COVID…but it’ll be back soon enough.
You’re a seasoned performer with a lot of awards and recognitions under your belt. Is there a particular accolade you’re particularly proud of and marks a significant milestone in your career?
I would say winning an I Heart Joke Award for Breakout Comic Of The Year. The I Heart Joke Awards are a Toronto specific comedy award show. A lot of people hate on them! But It meant a lot for me to win one because at one point I had felt exiled by the comedy scene here. It was to the point I didn’t perform for several years. So, to come back and then win an award after achieving a bunch of major career milestones meant a lot to me. It signified to me that things were changing for the better and that someone like me could be appreciated in comedy.
How much of an impact has the pandemic had on your writing and the comedy circuit?
For me, it’s improved everything quite a bit! Doing shows every night and traveling burns you out. I had been doing comedy non-stop for almost four years at this point. It has been great to have a break and revive myself. I feel more inspired and in tune with myself than I’ve ever been. I feel like this is all really giving me an opportunity to try other stuff and grown as an artist.
What other projects should we look forward to seeing you in?
I want to start developing something about black history! I feel like the focus is always on African American history but there’s so many stories to be told about black people from all around the world. With what’s happening right now I feel like it’s really the time for something like this to be brought to the forefront. I feel like if people knew the full history of black people it might give them a better understanding of racism, how it works, and how we can stop it.
Where will our readers find out more about you?
You can find me on Instagram & Twitter @BAMcomedy1 or at my website Brandon.lol
Here is the link to buy the album: https://howlandroarrecords.com/brandon-ash-mohammed/
Photo credit: Sylvia Pereira.
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