The Drum That Speaks, The Story That Lives
Modern Griot · Traditional Drummer · Storyteller · Teaching Artist · Cultural Bridge Builder
Before Brotha Asè ever stepped onto a stage, the drum was already speaking to him.
Born and rooted in North Minneapolis, Joshua “Brotha Asè” Gillespie is a modern-day griot, traditional African drummer, storyteller, musician, and teaching artist whose life has become a journey of rhythm, remembrance, and cultural reclamation.
His relationship with the drum began at just eight years old, studying under respected cultural bearers including Brother Ghana Mbaye, Brother Fatawu Sayibu, and Fodé Bangoura. What began as a childhood passion evolved into a lifelong calling: to use the drum as a voice for the stories that history too often leaves unheard.
But Brotha Asè is not your ordinary storyteller. He blends ancestral African rhythms, captivating folklore, humor, audience participation, and modern-day experiences into performances that make people laugh, reflect, move, and remember. Whether engaging a room full of children, leading an intergenerational drum circle, or commanding a festival stage, his greatest instrument is his ability to make everyone feel part of the story.
As an educator, community organizer, and cultural ambassador, his work reaches beyond performance. Through workshops, mentorship, music, and his involvement with the Black Storytellers Alliance, Brotha Asè creates spaces where cultural identity is celebrated, wisdom is exchanged, and communities rediscover the power of their collective voice.
For him, being a griot is not simply about preserving what came before. It is about making sure the next generation has something meaningful to carry forward.
His philosophy is simple: The drum remembers. The story survives. And the culture lives through us.