Hey y’all! and welcome back to Takemetotheheights.com! If you’re reading this, that means you read part 1, of our interview with the woman behind, Ghetto Heaven NYC, FVDGE NASTE, 1997.
We are truly thankful for the opportunity in getting to sit down and chat with FVDGE, as we explored even further what Ghetto Heaven NYC means to her and all the more she is manifesting behind this wellness brand.
Be sure to check out part 2, down below, with our interview with FVDGE NASTE, 1997!
FVDGE NASTE: To not show up as my full authentic self, but to also experience love and support from so many other people that, you know, I need that love and support too. So you know, we come into the class where at the end, I’m asking everybody, you know, How did it feel? What was your experience like? It was a full house. There’s a lot of people there. And so yeah, she’s like trying to hold back her tears as she’s explaining what her experience was like, and I was like, girl, go ahead and cry. I’ve been crying all day.
FN: So she’s crying, and she goes, she says I’ve been praying to God to give me peace of mind all the time she was like, this is the 1st time I felt like I could relax. When I’m home, it’s like I have the opportunity to relax, but I can’t relax. I just can’t do it. And she’s like just being here like I finally got the opportunity. And I just started crying, too, because I’m like.
FN: I know what that feels like when and that’s exactly, that’s the whole point like, that’s why I mentioned earlier, like damn, what if we had access to this stuff because we hold so much in all the time. We literally don’t know like, even when I’m done with a yoga practice, I thank spirit for having the knowledge
TMTTHS: Mhmm
FN: for how to do this practice so that I can reap, you know the benefits and get the peace from it, and just to know that, like I gave her a moment of peace, and she gave me a moment of humanity, and like really just show where she was at. I ain’t even have to say nothing, cause I was getting ready to be like, you know. Say some words of encouragement wisdom, whatever, popcorn like. It’s like all these different people from the classes chiming in. And they’re just like girl, let me tell you something. You need to put that schoolwork to the side, because, you know, she’s like, you know college can be overwhelming, can be stressful.
TMTTHS: Yeah.
FN:I do hear from others that it’s truly overwhelming. The workload is insane.
TMTTHS: Take take it from me. Yes.
FN: And it’s like inhumane. And so, yeah.
FN: It was just other people who were just chiming in. It’s like, Hey, I’ve been there, let me tell you. Relax, like, go to that party. Don’t be so hard on yourself.
TMTTHS: Yeah.
FN: Reach out for help. So it was just this moment where, like, she’s feeling this way, I’m also feeling kind of down, you know, happy that I’m here, and knowing that it’s a transition, I’m not always gonna feel this way, but just kind of present in that moment, not having to be the leader in that moment, and have all these other people feel comfortable to be like. Hey, Sis, let me put you on, and at the end they all, a couple of people just gave her a hug. Just let her know everything’s gonna be okay.
FN: This is what I live for. I live for shit like this. I don’t, you know. If I could be here all day, every day I would like. I
TMTTHS: Right.
FN: It’s just such a blessing. And that doesn’t often. That doesn’t always happen, because people may not feel as comfortable with certain sessions or yeah. Some people. Some people just want to feel, you know, rightfully so not want to share as much. But I think her saying what she said, it really just opened up that space, and it let everybody else feel kind of comfortable, willing to cry. That’s another thing, too. I feel like Black people don’t allow themselves to cry. And I’m like, I’m not gonna cringe at you, go ahead and cry like, it’s okay. I, I can hold space for you, like trust me, like I can do this.
TMTTHS: Yes.
FN: And even so that, like some people, don’t even know me and show up and trust me. you know, like that’s crazy, too, like I, I don’t know a lot of times I walk into the class, and I don’t know any of the people there. And so it’s just like for them to like and fully immerse themselves into that experience. Trust me, you know, when I go to other wellness spaces. I don’t trust the instructor a lot of times. I feel like
FN: well, what you about to bring us into some trauma, but how you gonna get us out, because I’m not finna leave here with an open wound.
TMTTHS: Right.
FN: And so even that just being aware of like making sure that if I do, do a structure where I’m asking you to tap into your traumas that I find a way to kind of, and not even create a solution. But find a way where you can leave out of here feeling good, if not, leave out of here feeling like you’re now aware of something of a mountain that you feel like you can’t climb.
FN: But leave feeling empowered, like you can climb that mountain, you got this. You may not be able to solve it today. But, like you know, you’re on your way.
TMTTHS: Mmmm, right, right.
FN: Leave Off with that energy, because I’ve been in so many spaces and places that have asked for us to dive into our traumas, but have left us on this note of like, it’s just, I think, really irresponsible. So even that.
TMTTHS: Mhmm.
FN: In those negative experiences I felt in wellness spaces, I kind of found a way to rework that into my space. That was like one of my favorite moments.
TMTTHS: Wow! I just felt like that was like a kind of like a duality type of moment, you know, like, you see yourself, you know, in this space of like, you’re sad, and you’re feeling down. But you know, for a fact like you see yourself as well as like, she got over that, and I can help this person and get into that space of like, Hey, like, we’re sad right now. But as a collective, we’re, gonna you know, figure it out in the sense of like sharing our experiences in the healthiest way possible, and not necessarily, like trauma dump.
FN: Yes. Right!
TMTTHS: Leaning on one another to support one another in a loving and nurturing fashion, and I think that just spoke volumes in itself.
FN: Mmmmm.
TMTTHS: Honestly, honestly. I’m so glad we had this conversation.
FN: Yes, yes.
TMTTHS: This is like really doing something for my spirit like not even like trying to be ridiculous about it. But thank you for sharing one of your favorite moments.
TMTTHS: So we’ve talked about, you know, what Ghetto Heaven means to you, and your favorite moment. But I want to know if you could collaborate with someone or a group someone that, and I understand that Ghetto Heaven NYC is its own entity, it’s, its own brand, and they’re innovative in their respectful way.
TMTTHS: But I want to know if there’s like a particular person or group that you’ve been looking at that you’ve been kind of manifesting in the sense that you are saying like you know what? If not now, at some point.
FN: Yeah, yeah.
TMTTHS: Am a firm believer of manifesting.
FN: Yes! yeah. So, firstly, I definitely want to work with all the artists that we feature!
TMTTHS: Of course!
FN: Well, like do a sound bath at their concerts, or something like that. That would be amazing. Definitely want to work with Andre 3000 with that flute album. Definitely want to work with Lil’ Jon like anybody who’s tapping into that Earth gang. Love those people. But aside from that there’s an organization or brand called END, Every Nigga Deserves. They are so cool. They make me feel they make me feel so, just Black. They feel Black in wellness, like.
TMTTHS: Yes, yes!
FN: The fact that it’s called Every Nigga Deserves. And so every time they put out a tweet that’s like, you deserve to have fun, nigga, like at the end.
TMTTHS: Or you deserve to smile, nigga, like little things like that.
FN: Yes, yeah!
TMTTHS: Yeah.
FN: And so with that, I think one: I think it’s it may be interesting for them to navigate the wellness world right using this derogatory term. But then look to like, I think, just hold that space be authentic. Have this crazy amount of followers and
TMTTHS: Mhmm
FN: people run with that, and I just think that they bring wellness to Instagram and their social platforms in such a seamless way. That doesn’t feel, because I feel like, you know, and again, you need sometimes, you need those like very spiritual affirmations, that’s just gonna pull you out. You know what I mean. You need that sometimes. It’s nice to like sprinkle a little bit of culture in there, you know what I mean? Just make you feel more at home with it and make it more you. And so that is definitely a brand that I absolutely would love to collaborate with at some point.
TMTTHS: I’m gonna throw it to the universe. Yeah.
FN: Yes!
TMTTHS: No, honestly, because even the individual behind the brand, like he is not afraid to show up in his full self.
FN: Yeah.
TMTTHS: So, even in like the most vulnerable moments, he shares that with people, and I think that’s powerful, especially looking at him, you know, as him identifying as a Black man. Like that alone speaks volumes.
FN: Yeah! Yes!
TMTTHS: Yeah. So I’m throwing it up to the universe of God, that the two of will collaborate.
FN: Yes! Talk about it!
TMTTHS: No honestly.
TMTTHS: Cause I honestly, like not even not even trying to, you know, do whatever, but just looking at what you’re doing and the work that you’re doing at some point the two of you are gonna meet in some capacity.
FN: Absolutely. It’s so beautiful like even like some of my friends now, are like people who I’ve manifested working with. But we’re friends like it’s like we decided to just, or the universe allowed us to organically connect.
TMTTHS: Yes.
FN: So one of those people is Priscilla Adjuman. She runs Saddie Baddies, The Soft Life Podcast, also Ree Turner, from the Healthy Hos Podcast. Yeah, it’s I’m always overwhelmed when we’re like, Oh, yeah, let’s hang up for like a tea date. And I’m like still freaking out because I’m like it’s been years that I was like manifesting this with you, and even how she came into my life. She came into my life in a way where you know my very close friend had a transition due to suicide.
FN: And so I went on social media and told everybody about it because I was like, you know, I’m always grieving because my mom transitioned I don’t know. So I kind of need y’all to like check in on me and things like that, and they they did a superb job. Love my followers, my supporters. And she was one of those people who was just like checking on me every day, making sure I ate, and went on talking to me, and I really envisioned us wanting to collaborate like meeting each other brand for brand. But it was person to person and the same thing with Red Turner from the Healthy Hos, Podcast, same thing and it just it’s
FN: so I’m letting the universe, guide the way, I’m letting my intuition. It’s all, it’s all in divine time. It’s all gonna happen. I’m not worried. There’s no doubt in my mind. I’m focused on my inner self, and my personal goals, and I know that as I’m focused on myself, the universe is plotting and planning all around me, and it’s just a beautiful thing. So I’m so excited, you know when that happens, putting it out there. When that happens with END (Every Nigga Deserves).
TMTTHS: I listen, I because again I believe that I’m a visionary, and as a Queen of manifesting, because not to get all like, you know super gushy or whatever. But I’m okay in sharing that, because you’ve created the space and me wanting to share more about myself. I always look at the physical space of where I’m at, and I remember dreaming of being in a space similar to this effect, so me, allowing myself to manifest all the things that I am so clearly deserving of.
TMTTHS: I, I’m just like, let me continue to pour into other people that not only you know, I understand in some regard, but I see that they’re doing the work. So I’m gonna continue to affirm you on Instagram, and whenever possible, so like, honestly like, clearly today was meant to happen in some type of space. So yeah.
FN: Thank you!
TMTTHS: Aside from collaborating with END (Every Nigga Deserves) where can people connect with Ghetto Heaven NYC? Or find out when the next R&B sound bowl session, sound bath session, like how can they connect with Ghetto Heaven NYC?
FN: Yes, so right now they can follow Ghetto Heaven, NYC and Ghetto Heaven Femme. I don’t even know if I said this, but Ghetto Heaven Femme is literally like the feminine. I’m on a feminine journey like I said earlier, this is the feminine journey, and so I really wanted to have a page specifically for divine feminine energy, for women, feminine energy is in everybody. So it’s just like I wanted to make sure that there was something specifically designed for women, because I didn’t feel comfortable kind of speaking only to women on the general page. I wanted to make sure that
FN: that we got in deep, and there’s these hood yoga-esque topics that we kind of get a little bit deeper into, like the healing journey versus like the passive R&B sound bath activations that we have. So the Ghetto Heaven page is where, you’ll get all the updates for the R&B sound baths and the flyers, and the events and all of that. Even when we do, collab events, you’ll get that information there and then, if you want the community, the tribe, the membership, you know what I mean?, like you go on the Ghetto Heaven Femme page, and you get to again, like just experience, maybe a little bit more, diving into like different discussions, topics around femininity, Black femininity, and how to
FN: find a way to embrace softness as strength, because that’s what it is, and kind of move away from like softness, looking like weakness, because I think that Black women in particular have felt really how do you call like very, kind of left out of the conversation of wellness. And so I just wanted to make sure that I had like zeroed in on attention to Black women in particular. Like, we need that. We deserve that.
FN: so yeah, you can find us there. We’re working on a TikTok. We’re working on a website. But that’ll come in time, and we’ll always put those updates on the social media platform. So our main space is Instagram at Ghetto Heaven NYC, at Ghetto Heaven Femme.
FN: Yeah those are the places.
TMTTHS: Thank you for sharing that. Now we’re coming towards the end of our interview. But I do want to know, do you have any advice for someone, an individual, or a group that’s looking to dive into the space or the realm of wellness like any tips, any sound, any like any gem that you want to share with them in a sense for them to start if they’re thinking about it like, what’s something that you want them to take away with in the sense of advice.
FN: Like creating a brand or just their individual healing journey?
TMTTHS: We can go two-fold. So in the sense of creating a brand, I like what you did there! So, creating a brand and wellness. I didn’t even think about that.
FN: No, I really like that. Thank you.
TMTTHS: So in the sense of like them starting their own wellness, brand like, what piece of advice do you have for them in that space? And then we’ll dive into the other aspect.
FN: Yes, and I love that question because it’s nuanced. Yeah, I would say, going into the wellness, be original. Be original. There are so many people who are, who could teach you a quick yoga class, I mean, of course, if you want to do that great. But I think that we all, especially Black people. We all got a little bit of sauce. We all got a little bit of juice.
TMTTHS: Yeah.
FN: And so pour that into your brand. Make sure that it feels like you, and when I show up to your spaces I can feel your energy when I show up into your spaces versus like it, just feeling kind of generic, and a quick cash grab. Oh, this industry is booming. Let me get a yoga certification and start teaching yoga. But like, if your heart is not in it, or like, I said, go into so many Black yoga spaces and just feeling like there’s no soul here, like what’s going on? Make sure you keep that soul, stay original. There’s even a lot of people who come to my classes and try to take stuff. And I’m like you have something I don’t have. Zero in on focus on that. And
FN: we do need whatever it is that God put in you. So just trust that, like you have something that is important for us to experience, that nobody else has, and not to compare yourself better or worse, but in a way where we are embracing differences and individuality. So I would say, embrace your individuality. Put that into your brand. Yeah.
TMTTHS: Love that love that and so with what you gave me in the sense of you know someone diving into like the wellness space. What’s a piece of advice that you would give someone entering that space for the 1st time.
FN: Hmm.
TMTTHS: Through their whole healing journey.
FN: Yeah, I would say be gentle with yourself. In the beginning, it’s a lot of, these are all the things I don’t like about myself.
FN: And it could easily put you in a depressed space. It could easily put you in a space where you are, yeah, like, just self-deprecating. You’re just being like self-hating because you’re now aware of all these toxic things that you’ve been in like. I would say the best way to go about it is, be gentle with yourself, and be curious about why. And I think again, like having that compassion, compassion, and curiosity will allow you to detach from the feeling of guilt, detach from the feeling of shame. And move into a space where it’s like, okay, this is not me clearly, because I don’t like it. So it’s not…
FN: I have to unfold. I have to take this coat off. I have to take this armor off. But the armor isn’t me. Let me not overly identify with all the fucked up shit that I did like. Let me just say, Okay, yes, I did some fucked up shit! It’s fucked up. We acknowledge that right now. Why did I do this? Where is it coming from? Who taught me this behavior, and I think once you move into the answers of that, once those answers start coming to you, you can have a better relationship with yourself in your healing journey.
FN: But if you go to a space where you’re doing all this shadow work, and you’re feeling like the shadow that you’re working through is, you know, and it’s hard. Nobody teaches you how to heal. And that’s essentially why I created the Hood Yoga classes because I wanted a how-to step by step, kind of thing how to heal for dummies, like I was like, why doesn’t that exist? You know what I’m saying? So I would definitely say, just be as
FN: gentle with yourself as possible. You are so delicate, you are so beautiful, you are so pure, you’ve been through so much, and all of that, you know, is heavy and like respect, that, like it’s hard to carry that all by yourself, and, like, you know, reach out to friends, reach out to support. You know what I mean. Make sure that
FN: you have those people, and that other people know you’re on that journey too so that they can step to the side or step up if you need that and yeah, I just think a lot of people when they get into the spiritual practice, they run into that wall, and they kind of swim around in that space.
FN: It’s so important to like. Just give. Let you let yourself have a break. You didn’t do all this on your own, other people contributed to the bullshit.
TMTTHS: Right
FN: So you know society sabotages us all the time like this is not your fault, but it is your responsibility. And just recognizing that it’s your power. It’s your power to be accountable. Is your power to be like? Oh, shit! I made the wrong choice, which means I can make a different choice.
TMTTHS: Right! Right!
FN: Just be gentle with yourself. You are a delicate, beautiful flower. Just be gentle. Yeah.
TMTTHS: Thank you for sharing that. So this is the end of the interview. But I do want to thank you for taking the time, and not only like talking just in the space of connecting with takemetotheheights.com, but what this conversation did for me like I feel like I feel full in the sense of like connecting with you in this capacity. Recognizing that you want to continue to create like these safe and protective spaces, for you know individuals that look like us or people overall and I love that you touched on, you know what Ghetto Heaven means to you, and it’s holistic sense. So you touching on that makes me even more excited about the sound bath that I’m going get into.
TMTTHS: And even so, any, and gets me even more excited and hearing about, you know the different projects and the different EPs that you’ll continue to put out, you know, and it’s just a lot of what you were saying, you know, resonated with me in the sense of like how I connect with certain family members. My brother is heavily invested in music. My father is heavily invested in music. So when I saw your approach to sounds baths, I said, Andre 3000 where?, okay.
FN: Yeah! Yes!
TMTTHS: So I’m just like, I’m so happy to see that you’ve continued to create a space for not only yourself, but for other people to share in that and for them to find solace, and knowing that someone else dealt with some type of similar trauma, or they’ve dealt with trauma. But they’re not going to glorify or try to glamorize the trauma that they’ve experienced. And I think that’s a very respectful, but also, you know, like that’s that’s a job in itself, and you don’t take that very lightly.
TMTTHS: And I think it shows in just you know your presence, and how you want to take care of the people around you. So it shows that you’re very nurturing. So you’re already tapping into your divine feminine with that alone.
FN: Yeah, thank you. Thank you.
FN: Thank you. That was beautiful.
TMTTHS: Of course, of course.
FN: Again, thank you for asking me to do this, and really again, like being intentional, and taking the time to research and learn before asking me to come on like it. It really is a beautiful thing, and I’m blessed that, like, you know, people resonate with my work. In my mind, I’m just like having a ball like, you know. Just imagining the world that could look like this, and
TMTTHS: Right, right.
FN: for you to want me on this platform, I deeply, deeply, deeply appreciate this. This was also very nurturing for me, too. I’m constantly running specifically right now. It’s such a busy time, because I just came back from vacation. So I’m kind of catching up with my schedule. So yeah, just being able to kind of sit down and just chat about things that I really love and enjoy, and seeing you show up in this space right? And just be on your journey, and like you’re wearing yellow.
TMTTHS: I mean!
FN: It’s giving energy!
TMTTHS: I mean I did it on purpose, but I’m glad you noticed.
FN: Yeah, I see the work behind you.
TMTTHS: I mean, you know, doing the work!
FN: Gorgeous. It is your joy. I love it when people just work into their passions, and do the things that make them happy like you‘re making God happy when you do that like, you’re doing the right thing.
Nolia V00:57:42That’s.
GHETTO HEAVEN NYC00:57:43Much. Thank you.
TTMTHS: So I this, I feel like this might be one of my favorite interviews I’ve ever done, because, like you meet people, and you know the universe does a great job in connecting you with people. But again, when I saw you at that community space and then fast forward to where I’m at now, presently in my life, and just connecting with you in this regard it felt very organic.
TMTTHS: I can’t thank you enough for sitting down with Takemetotheheights.com for this interview!
Be sure to head over to Ghetto Heaven NYC’s Instagram, to check out their R&B sound activation! When you do, let us know in our reply section! We look forward to all the more individuals tapping into sound baths in this particular realm of wellness, for the upcoming New Year!
