Alicia Garza

Alicia Garza Instagram – The first time I met @dwaynewigginsofficial was on the streets of Oakland — we were hanging out one night and he just walked up the street, sat down and cold kicked it. I whispered to @chaney_turner “Is that OG from Toni Tony Tone?” and Chaney was like “yuuuup that’s him — you know he from here from here.” I knew what that meant — people from the Town don’t play about they place. Pretty sure that night I played Whatever You Want on the speaker and cool as a cucumber he smiled and grooved with us. He would be like “Wait who is this?” and we’d giggle and be like YOU HOMIE as we sang loudly “just as sure as my name is D’Wayne (D’Wayne)..I’ll be there for you and I’ll treat you just like a queen and give you fine thangs…” We called their music Oakland spirituals and that’s what they were. Dwayne was like that — cool. The coolest man in the room. Fly. Humble. Kind. Interested and not interesting — he wanted to hear what you been up to, what you on, what you about. One night we were at the Black Cat and his brother showed up to jam on some impromptu shit, and when I met him I said “I feel like I know you in my mind” and dude looked at me like what is this chick on…when I told D’Wayne that story he chuckled and said ok we gon make sure you know him for real. And he did — him and Dori made that happen and I did actually redeem myself 😂 He was like that. His people were his people, and he rode for his folks. When @doricamino said to him that he and I should work together on my audiobook he was like BET — and produced the most beautiful score that I am forever grateful for. He did it because he believed in us and wanted us to be great. He was about us, he was about freedom, and he was about excellence. Dori loves D’Wayne like he loves us, and I am deeply grateful for you both. I can’t believe you’re not here brother — the world already doesn’t feel the same without you, and of course, it never will be. Fly high brother. Watch over us and keep teaching us how to see the beauty in everything. | Posted on 08/Mar/2025 23:34:36