The Ghanaian artist-turned-Brooklynite Blitz Bazawule has been a multifaceted creative force for more than two decades. Bazawule has directed several music videos, graced stages under his hip-hop alias “Blitz the Ambassador,” released the acclaimed film The Burial of Kojo, and, most recently, was a director on Beyoncé’s visual album, Black Is King. This month, with the release of his first novel, The Scent of Burnt Flowers, Bazawule is adding author to his extensive list of accomplishments.
Audible: You are a true renaissance man—congratulations on your first novel! What inspired you to write it, and how did you know it would be a book rather than another type of creative project?
Blitz Bazawule: Thanks for the compliment. The Scent of Burnt Flowers was an idea I had been ruminating on for a while, but it all crystallized during the early months of the pandemic when I found myself quarantined with a lot of time on my hands. I knew the rich narratives of Melvin, Bernadette, and Kwesi required multiple layers of backstory, and the literary medium was best suited for that.
The novel, which follows an African-American couple who seeks refuge in Ghana after committing a crime in the 1960s, incorporates fictional characters, real historical events, and magical realism. How consciously did you blend these elements together, and what effect did you want to create?
Growing up in Ghana introduced me to narratives that often blurred the line between fact and fiction. A lot of our greatest stories were passed down through oral traditions. It was very common to experience narratives that were both rooted in reality and the otherworldly. This is the lens through which I wrote The Scent of Burnt Flowers. I was intentional about blending mythologies and historical facts that defined postcolonial Africa as seamlessly as possible, so that the reader experiences both worlds as one.
The novel has already been picked up for development as a limited series by FX; meanwhile, you’re busy directing a star-studded musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s The Color Purple. What drives you creatively?
It all comes down to storytelling for me. That is the center of all my creative endeavors. Whether it's a book, a film, a piece of music or fine art, my philosophy is always an “inward gaze.” Creating from a place of cultural and experiential specificity and trusting that the world will embrace that specificity. My approach to The Scent of Burnt Flowers and The Color Purple are no different. They both explore the human condition, and that drives me.
“I was intentional about blending mythologies and historical facts that defined postcolonial Africa as seamlessly as possible, so that the reader experiences both worlds as one.”
Did you have any involvement in the casting of the audiobook, and can you share any details about it if so?
Yes, we approached casting the audiobook in the same way we would cast a feature film. We were lucky to have the incredible Dion Graham, whose tone and delivery were perfect for the book. I can't wait for listeners to experience it.
What do you want listeners to most take away from this story?
I want listeners to be enthralled by Bernadette, Melvin, and Kwesi's story—the love, the magic, and the tragedy. I want them to experience the tumultuous era of postcolonial Africa and civil rights America. Ultimately, I want listeners to be entertained and informed about the people and places the book explores.
