Turning Trauma Into Art and Mentorship with Ashshahid Muhammad (Part 2)

Our conversation with Ashshahid Muhammad continues. One moment he’s describing the shock of walking into art college, the next he’s explaining why he refuses to “sugarcoat” what addiction, homelessness, rehab, and relapse actually feel like.

We follow the path that takes him from learning graphic design to turning his life story into comic books, with room to carry the stories of people who never make the newspaper. We also dig into One Eye Television, his Staten Island Community Media show and YouTube channel where he films his paintings, his process, and the raw truth behind the art. To Ashshahid, content creation matters; when someone else edits your story, you lose the parts that make it real, and when you control the narrative, you can show what healing actually looks like.

Ashshahid also shares how one of his favorite books, "Who Moved My Cheese?", becomes a blueprint for staying in motion, adding skills, and never getting too comfortable.

For more on Ashshahid Muhammad:

Graffiti University Comics - YouTube

Graffiti University Comics - Instagram

"Real Friendz: North Park" Comic Book - Buy Here

"W.B.C: Dopeboy Dreamz" Comic Book - Buy Here

"W.B.C 2: Wave Nu-Vo Era" Comic Book - Buy Here

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:23

And now, part two of our conversation with Asha Shaheed Mohammed.

Turning Street Stories Into Comics

Why Raw Truth Matters In Recovery

Learning Self Love In The Mirror

SPEAKER_02 0:28

What made me want to go back to school, right? I seen people in the rooms of recovery doing it. And they was they gave me hope that you can go back to school and be something that you always wanted to be. So when I passed the test, somebody told me you can go to college. So I went to enrolled in a uh art college. So now I'm in art college. So now I'm there. So now I'm around the youth, right? So the youth and the teachers and all of them, they all into comic books. Now, mind you, I grew up on Batman, Superman and them, you know what I'm saying? But I wasn't no no no like collecting the books. You see what I'm saying? So I seen people like, because I would go over their house, they got books from the 80s, like they got toys, like they got rooms full of, so they was real diehard comic book um fanatics, yeah. So it was like, so like I said, I'm in a whole nother world now. I'm in a world of people that never understood where I come from. You see what I'm saying? Yeah, so so but it was amazing to me because for one, my my dream was when I like I said, when I used to be out in the streets drawing homeless, going to college or art college was like saying, I'ma go to the moon one day, right? So for me to sit in the art college around nothing but artists, yeah, that was that was heaven, bro. That was like that was heaven in itself to be around that is heaven, yeah. Everybody creative, bro. Everybody, I'm talking about thought the teachers create, they draw everybody, everything is about art. So now I'm feeding my mind with not just the I got the street art artist in me, right? But now I'm getting the education on why the colors, like the why they use different, you know how you used to go to to a museum, you see a paint where they throw something on the wall and it's worth million. You like, how is that worth millions? You see what I'm saying? So now I begin to understand not just that or why that why they use certain colors and all that. So now I'm in a school and they was like, Do people they was asking people, do they want to go mentor to schools? So I would start going and mentoring schools about my life, right? So what what I began to do, I said, you know what? I know what I'm gonna do. Because I always wanted to write my life story in a book, but by me being around so many comic book lovers, I said, I'm gonna make my books, comic books, into I'm gonna make my story into comic books where I uh tell my story, break it up in series, and I tell my whole life story. And not only that, all the homeless people, mental health people that's in the streets that'll never tell their story, I somehow bring them with me. And I tell their stories because when a drug addict die or uh somebody die in the streets from fitting all haron, whatever, don't nobody tell their story. They don't even make the newspaper. You understand? Don't they drug addict? So I said I what I want to do, I may not know their names, but I tell they stories through me. You see what I'm saying? Through my and my interaction with them, you see. So that's how I began to like learn how to because I like I said, once I went to school, I learned how to graphic design, I learned how to draw on the computer, I learned how to um, I learned every I learned how to use the cameras, everything because I went to an art school, so everything that I did that I learned, I say, you know what? When I bring when I take my my my vision, I want to tell, like I said, raw because see a lot of people scared to tell their story or let people know because the world looks at you different. You see what I'm saying? The world, but see, but see, it was so painful to me. See, I know what it's like to to be out there and them people look at you like you uh a straight dog. You see what I'm saying? I know that feeling. So so for me, right? I learned to get raw honest because I realized that all those rehabs I went through, bro, all that pain that I went through, it's somebody gonna go through that, and I need I need because see in recovery is it's like anonymous, and I understand the anonymous because people working on a job, they don't want people to know that they're a drug addict. You understand? I understand that, but see, for me, right? I love myself so much today, it ain't what you think about me. You understand? See, see, see, all that you asked me what happened, how I get here. See, I love because see all those rehabs and all that time I was traveling all different cities and different states. See, I realized that bro, you don't love you. See, I had to look in the mirror and ask myself, bro, why why you do yourself so bad? Why did you do yourself? I had to act, I had to not look at no sponsor, not look at nobody in recovery. I had to look in the mirror, bro, and ask myself, why did you do yourself like that so bad? What caught what happened to you where you self-inflicted all that pain to yourself?

One Eye Television Takes Shape

SPEAKER_01 6:38

You know, that's something like um it makes me think of this phrase that I've heard many times. I didn't know that I didn't know. You know, and like you knew, I finally started to know, and then you now I bet oh I I I don't want to say this because I bet you're gonna say it something like this. As you do these comic books, as you be of service to your world around you to help those others that say the things that you wish were said to you, you're learning more about yourself as you do it. Yeah, right. And you know, in a way, it's such a beautiful thing because you're taking all the pain, all that suffering, self-inflicted and otherwise, turning it into something gold that you can share with people that helps them. That is like the ultimate alchemy, like the old alchemists were always trying to turn lead into gold. Well, we when you do something like that, you are an alchemist. You're taking pain and making it passion and making it something beautiful and helpful. And not only, not only it's so it's so wonderful. If you help one single person, and I'm sure you helped more than one. Now, now as you do these comics, we're getting near the end of our hour, right? So I want to take let's talk about some of the comics you've done. Like, and you have that TV show, one-eyed. Oh my god, that sounds great.

SPEAKER_02 8:04

That's on television.

SPEAKER_01 8:05

Yeah, that's great, you know. Of course, it's because you have one eye. Yeah, but it's but it's so much it's remarkably intelligent, intelligently, articulately saying something very special. You know, even one eye, if it's used correctly, can see better than two if you're not using it correctly. Yeah, you know. So what led you to New York and all this starting of the Staten Island mentorship and things you're doing?

SPEAKER_02 8:31

Okay, uh 2020, 2004. I was in New York, right? I had a drug addiction, I couldn't shake it because in New York, drugs is everywhere. Oh my god, yeah, it is flooding, right? Yes, I know. So I was going in and out, and it gets cold in New York. I'll tell you. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:49

Winter's a color.

Owning Your Story Through Content

SPEAKER_02 8:51

Ain't no, so so like I said, I finally well, I stayed for like six months and I left. So when I got when I got went to college and stuff, right? Yep, I had said to myself, I'm coming back to New York because New York is an art world and everything, music, fashion, clothes, art, everything is in the art world. So I came back, and um, so once I came back, I began to um like be in the art world, being around different artists and learning different things, and um, and plus through all my traveling, right? I I like big cities for some reason. I like I don't like small cities no more. And so the big city, because the big city have more information, you understand? They got more, they're more like New York influenced a lot of other cities. You see what I'm saying? Oh, yeah, so without a doubt, yeah. So that was one of the reasons I came back, and so once I began to do the comic books, um, like I was in college, I knew a lot of photographers, right? So I would be around them, and see, by me being in the art world and being by social media and YouTube and all that, see, I know that content has been like from like early, like 2000 and maybe I'm gonna say right before uh YouTube came out, 2009 and stuff like that. So it's like up to now, see, the content world has taken over. So I said, I know what I'm gonna do. Cause see, you always gotta evolve what you love. So so like I know, like I'm I'm making art, right? With the books and with my but I said, if I could use this camera, if I can take a camera and and to and tell my story with the art with the with a TV station, you see what I'm saying? Because that's how I'm looking at it, like your own TV, like uh what's his name? Uh Bob Ross. You see what I'm saying? Oh, yeah, I love Bob. So that's what Bob Ross did. You see what I'm saying? That's all he did. He took his his talent and he put it on TVs for the world to see a long time ago. So, and I always I grew up watching, I'd be like, how he do that? He do he make it look like it's too easy for him.

SPEAKER_01 11:21

You see, I I actually I got into him and I got the I bought his paints, and I just I made a whole bunch of paintings like that.

SPEAKER_02 11:28

He too eat, but you know, he come on TV now. Listen, he comes on TV up here. I forget the channel, but he come on TV 24-7. Right. It's yeah, so so what I'm trying to get you to understand is by we living in a world where everybody making content, right? I said, I I need to I need to learn this this camera, it's where I can make my own shows and and make my own episodes instead of because see, a lot of times, like if you on somebody else's media or story or some like like for instance, like if the news did a story on me, right? They'll talk to me for about an hour, and then when it air, it'll be like 30 seconds worth of information. You see what I'm saying? So, what I'm saying is this I control the narrative, I control uh what I want people to see about my like the raw. See, like like when you're talking to the world, they ain't gonna put all the raw. See, I need people to know the raw uncut because the raw uncut is what see. I'm gonna here's another thing. Another reason why I came. You asked me why I come to New York, New York and Philadelphia. They got the raw uncut recovery in the world. They do, they do. That's why I came back. That's the main, that's one of the main reasons because I ain't saying down south gonna have recovery. Everywhere is the is worldwide, yeah. But I needed to hear it. It's just some reason up north, they ain't gonna sugarcoat it. They they ain't gonna sugarcoat the the the um like big cities. I'm gonna say big cities. I ain't gonna say up no. I'm gonna say because see the big cities is where drugs hit the hardest. Yeah, you see what I'm saying? Like New York, California, uh, Atlanta, Florida. See, I stayed in Florida. Florida got the same type of recovery, like, like, because see, in like cities, like the the the more you go out of the little cities, is is if it weren't for Zoom, a lot of small cities and towns, they have meetings like once a week, or something like that. You see what I'm saying? Right. Or they so so that's why I'm saying when I came to New York or Philadelphia, see, I was around that hardcore recovery. You see what I'm saying? And that's what so once I began to do that. I said, now that I know how to use this camera, the one-eyed television. See, I want my my show is is raw and cut.

SPEAKER_01 14:09

Because, see, people need to hear it raw and cut. So, your TV show is it in like your comics? Do you do you tell stores? What do you photograph? Um, the comics.

Painting The Past On Camera

SPEAKER_02 14:19

Well, what I do, okay. See, this is what I do. All right. Um, let me show you some. Let me show you. Can you see this? Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 14:27

You see this? Yep.

SPEAKER_02 14:28

All right, oh no, you can't pull on this. I can see it. Did you paint that? Yeah, I painted this. All right. You see this? This this me shoot, shooting hair on, right? Yep. This me smoking. Yep. And this me, like you see me laying on the ground in the back right here. Yep, that's yep. See, so so it so what I what I do, like I got an episode. So what I do, see, like, see, I do comic books, but I also do fine art. I paint, draw. So what I what I'm saying is the stories that I just told y'all, I draw it on, I paint it, and I tell the story through the episode.

SPEAKER_01 15:10

That sounds like a unbelievably fascinating.

Who Moved My Cheese Blueprint

SPEAKER_02 15:13

Yeah, so so that's what I do. So, so like, like for instance, like I have like the comic book series is separate from see the one eye television is to is to is to show all my art. You see what I'm saying? See, the comic books, yeah. So, yeah, see, the comic books is like like for instance, I got north park and I have graffiti university comics. See, the North Park comic book series is a fiction book where it's based around New York. So, what I do, me and the the crew that I have, we go out into New York and we film. So, what I'm doing, I'm creating this North Park series where I'm creating up creating a whole world. So to create content with it, I um instead of going on Google looking at images and drawing it, I go to New York scenes to make content. And it just because it's like a TV series, it's a TV show. So I do that with North Park and like with the graffiti, and then like I said, I do a lot of episodes where I draw, um I draw so to give people a visual of me, they looking at me drawing, like they're watching, they're watching it happen. Yeah, they watching me draw and paint. So so like I said, that's what what I always wanted to do. And like I said, the TV station that I had a show at, everybody have their own TV shows, and we it's just like school, you know, like uh when I was in school, so now like I like I said, I'm at a TV station where everybody are producers, so it's like I'm I'm learning from them. Like a sponge. You know what I'm saying? You're like a sponge, yeah. So I'm learning from them different things, and it's because see, I always look at it like this. I don't know if you y'all ever heard of this book called Who Moved My Cheese?

SPEAKER_01 17:12

Who no, I don't think I did.

SPEAKER_02 17:13

Never all right. Listen, it's a thin book like this, right? About this thing, it sold millions. It made when you get a chance. If you don't hear nothing else, I say, look this book up. Who moved my cheese? Who moved my cheese? Who moved it? Who moved my cheese? Okay, okay. Listen, it's about four mice. It's about four mice.

SPEAKER_01 17:38

Who moved my cheese?

SPEAKER_02 17:39

All right, but listen, the people that who wrote this, the people who whoever wrote the book, like in the back of the book, they have stories just like the the recovery books, right? People how how it changed their lives. So you asking me, this is where I got this blueprint from. See, the the four mice, see, because the book asks you find which character is you in the book, so it's four mice. So, but the moral of the book is this it says, um, never get comfortable with where you at. You understand? But the four mice, see, I ain't gonna tell you the story, I'm gonna let you, but no, matter of fact, you ain't even gotta buy the book. You can type in YouTube on YouTube, they got a film, they got a movie of it. I'm doing it right now. It ain't that long, it's it's not that long, it ain't no like two-hour movies.

SPEAKER_01 18:36

Like, and ever all you listeners now, and you better do that. Yeah, so along with along with clicking on the link to your one-eyed show, too. We're gonna get them, we're gonna put that link at the end of this episode, and and all the comic book stuff. There'll be people that'll get some.

SPEAKER_02 18:51

There'll be people, yeah. Yeah, so what I'm saying is like that that book, right? See the book that who moved. I was in a rehab. I was in a rehab in Little Rock, Arkansas. It was this man, right? His name was Gene Gibbons. He did, make God bless his soul. He was like 80 years old when I met him. He had his own rehab. He had his own rehab since the 80s. Wow. He came from up north, but he was in Little Rock, he had a hardcore, he had one of them hardcore. Them you had you ever them rehabs that they call them uh I think TBA's uh one of them hardcore rehabs where you they they make you like when you go to the program, you say you want to get clean, you sit on a crate for 24 hours. You understand? They had one of those rehabs, yeah. So he the one gave me the book. He said, Read this book and tell him he he just I don't know what made him give it to me, but when it's out of the blue, it's out of the boo, yeah. Yeah, so what I'm trying to get you to understand, right, is when I read the book, the book gave me a blueprint to my life.

SPEAKER_01 20:00

Where like God, I gotta get this. I'm gonna read it.

SPEAKER_02 20:03

Yeah, so this is what I'm saying. That because he he asked me when you read this book, he said, which mouse is you? Wow, so because see the mouse see see there's four type, it's four mouths, right? But but I can't tell you it's a good don't come in no more. Now listen, if if you look now, if you Google, if you google google the book, it's a number one selling book. I believe it ain't got no more than about I don't even think it got 30 pages. I don't even think, but what I'm telling you, it's a number one selling book that sold and made millions of people millionaires. Of course it would, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:42

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:44

Yeah, so so so that's why, like back to what I'm what the point I'm trying to make is this that same blueprint that I got out that book was yeah, you know how to draw, you know how to publish books. Now, what you need to do to add to what you're doing. So I took the TV. Let me put the TV on my art. So now that I'm I'm I got a I got I got a TV show telling my bringing everybody to my world. I know how to do everything. I know how to to to shoot the film, I know how to edit it, I know how to do everything. Every I do everything, so I ain't got nobody, you understand? So that comes from the book, the the who move my cheese. Always adding to what you you you know you know. So in doing that, like I said, I tell stories, and what it helps me do, it helps me heal. See, when I tell the truth through my art, see, because see, like I told you, I relapsed a whole lot of times. I went through a lot of pain, bro. I went through a lot of like detox, rehabs, jails, shelters, hospitals. I went to so many, so many times. They say you can't come back.

SPEAKER_01 22:01

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_02 22:02

So that I had to go to another city. You see what I'm saying? Sure, sure. I burnt, I had burnt all bridges, right? So look at you now, though, man. Yeah, so that's what I'm trying to tell you. That that's why I I don't sugarcoat because I want to use my art. So when people and then a lot of times my story gravitate people to my art. You know what?

Truth That Rings Like A Bell

SPEAKER_01 22:27

You don't sugarcoat because you are giving them the truth. It's that simple. And the truth is like nothing else, it's gold, man. I want to say something about truth. In my life, I've I'm a musician, okay? And I've I love I love the sound of a bell. Like if you hear it like at the end of certain great beautiful songs, like Hallelujah, Handle Messiah, there'll be dung, you'll hear these beautiful bells going off. And I've always loved that sound. And I realized something about a bell. When it rings, I feel it all the way down to my toes. It resonates with my whole body. And it's one of the earliest instrument musical instruments that man had. It was a bell. And the thing about truth is it rings like a bell. When I hear truth, my whole body feels it. I feel it right down to my toes. And I'm gonna tell you right now, Sashaheed Mohammed, when you talk, you are ringing that bell. Everything you do, man, everything you do is powerfully truthful. And you don't want to dilute it. And I'm so grateful that you don't. Because why would you want what's so wonderful an inspiration for people to know that if you don't you want the truth, that's the only way the truth will set you free, brother. And there's nothing else that will work. If you the half messages reveal us nothing, you have to go all the way, all in, right? With the truth.

SPEAKER_02 23:55

Right, right, right.

SPEAKER_01 23:57

So, look, what are you gonna say? One more thing to our audience, just one more beautiful thing. You've been saying you've said so many beautiful things. I can tell you right now, your highlight reel, which we will make to promote this episode. You're gonna want to treasure that because it's gonna have all these unbelievably beautiful things that you've said this past hour. I can't.

SPEAKER_02 24:15

I appreciate I appreciate y'all having me, man. I enjoy listening to y'all and getting input. And like I say, it'd be it's a joy to to meet people, to share with people, man. And um well, we're we're you're part of our family now. Yeah, you know, this is for life. Like I said, if you ever want me back on, man, I wouldn't mind coming. Uh we'll absolutely have you back on. Yeah, because like I said, um, everything is it's all about giving back, it's all about sharing with people, and uh like I said, I've just I just want y'all to check out who moved my cheese. I'm telling you, I'm so happy. Listen, I'm so looking at it. Listen to what I'm saying. If you read this book, your perception is gonna change, you're gonna see it different. Because, like I said, when I got the book, man, I was like, but this, like this old man. Now, he was a wise old man, he had his own rehab. I'm talking about it wasn't from the state, he had his own, and it had been around since the 80s, and people all over Arkansas, Little, all over the world came to his rehab, man. Like they love this man, so I was like, so everybody listened to him, you understand? Sure. So you but you so that's why I listened to him because I was like I said, I had been in so many rehabs. I said, Man, I don't believe I can get clean. I uh that used to be my mind. I don't think because they tell you in the book, some of us uh I forget how I said, but they said some of will go on to the bitter ends to to death. You see what I'm saying? And I thought at some point the double-edged sword, because getting high felt so good, but it was so painful. Yeah, but God took that away from me, man. And yeah, and I'm glad that today I can use my art and my books and my voice to to help people, man. Because, like I said, now they got they got fit and all out there, man. That oh it's terrible. That's killing people, man.

SPEAKER_01 26:21

So let's you know, leave people what what you what you're doing, I think you you're le you're given hope. And hope, my hope, um ashaid, I think is so needed and so precious.

SPEAKER_00 26:34

And your story, I'm I'm I'm I'm proud of you. I'm I'm excited for you. Uh I feel I feel like you are a you are a superhero. In like, I don't know if you're the character in any of your comics. I know that you said um, but like, man, I'm just I'm excited to see where your where your path continues to take you, man. Okay, yeah, and also that's that painting was gorgeous. I like intense. Like the colors, the the the it was is a beautiful, it's a beautiful painting. So I definitely am excited to see more of your stuff. And then and then, of course, now I have to read who who who my cheese, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 27:20

Who move my cheese? Yeah, yeah, read that book, man. But listen, on one eye television, like I said, all the episodes to my art are on there.

SPEAKER_01 27:29

On on on we're gonna post that link, and I'm gonna be checking out one eye television for sure.

SPEAKER_02 27:35

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Yeah, yeah. I got because see, I have it like it, it airs on the TV station at in Staten Island community media, but I also have a YouTube channel with my my episodes as well.

SPEAKER_01 27:48

That's beautiful. So, you know, I'll be I'll be you know, you I'll be talking calling you every so often. I mean, it's just the way it is. All right, cool, cool.

SPEAKER_02 27:55

Man, listen, you and recovering, man. So we need each other, man, at all times. You know, because because we can always have a bad day.

SPEAKER_01 28:04

Trust me. That's it, that's right. And you call me anytime, too. Once we can start talking, you know, that's it. Okay, we're gonna work, man.

SPEAKER_02 28:11

Yeah, yeah, the most definite work.

Outro And How To Reach Us

SPEAKER_01 28:13

Well, so yeah, let's say bye to our beautiful audience for joining us. Let's thank everybody. Thank you so much for hanging out with us. Hanging out with me, my son Vernon, and um my brother from another mother, uh Shashid Mohammed from right now, Staten Island, and Boy Oh Boy. Click all the links. You gotta check this stuff out. It's amazing. And I we're all gonna be reading Don't Move My Cheese. All right, man. Talk to you soon. Okay, take care, man. Bye-bye. Out of the Blue, the podcast, hosted by me, Vernon West. Co-hosted by Vernon West III, edited by Joe Gallow. Music and logo by Vernon West III. Have an out-of-the-blue story of your own you'd like to share? Reach us at info at out of the blue-thepodcast.org. Subscribe to Out of the Blue on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And on our website, out of the blue hyphen the podcast.org. You can also check us out on Patreon for exclusive content.