Aesop Mongo

What was the moment or experience that first pushed you toward veganism?
Discovering Earth Crisis when I was a teenager was the first time I had heard about it, I didn’t start until much later but that was the seed.
Did your path into veganism come before or after getting into hardcore / straight edge?
I claimed edge and went vegetarian in 2016 but didn’t go vegan until 2020.
Was there a specific band, record, or scene influence that opened that door for you?‍ ‍
Earth Crisis
How did your friends, family, or local scene react when you made that shift?
It took a bit of adjusting for my family to understand what it even meant, being from the south there’s meat in every possible dish.
Was it an immediate commitment, or something you grew into over time?
Once I went vegan it’s been complete and total commitment.

For you, how connected are veganism and straight edge—are they inseparable or distinct choices?
I believe they’re distinct choices. I’m straight edge for myself and vegan for myself and the animals.
Do you see veganism as an extension of straight edge ethics, or its own independent stance?
I think veganism is a natural evolution of straight edge, especially if you understand how being straight edge is active defiance against industries of poison and oppression. Animals are also victims of industries of oppression so it only makes sense to make your way to that belief system next.
How do you respond to people in the scene who embrace one but not the other?
I stay civil but not in a way that stops me from reminding them how their daily choices contribute to an animal holocaust of nothing but misery and pain.

What role did the hardcore/metal scene play in shaping your beliefs?
I grew up in the south so racism was normalized, not by me but my peers. Through discovering hardcore I found a community that didn’t have a tolerance for that so it just enforced what already felt was right.
Do you feel like the scene today is more or less aligned with vegan / straight edge values than when you started?
I see more straight edge today then I saw when I was a kid but I’m not so sure about veganism.

What kind of impact do you hope your band has on listeners?
I want more youth to know what straight edge through us, and I’d be even more stoked if they found veganism through me.
Have you ever heard from someone who changed because of your music?
I often am told how No Cure helped people claim edge. I love that, every person who claims is another person no longer being abused by industries of oppression, living their life to its full potential.
Do you think music can genuinely shift people’s behavior, or just reinforce existing beliefs?
I think it takes more than music to change someone. The right experience attached to the right music can do it though.

Do you see veganism as inherently political?
Yes absolutely.
How do you balance music with direct action or activism, if at all?
I try to use my platform to inform others.
What issues within the broader movement do you think aren’t being talked about enough?
How to actually get through to people the importance of veganism.

Looking back, would you approach your message differently?
I don’t think so
What keeps you committed when it gets difficult or isolating?
My will to not contribute to their suffering.
Where do you see the vegan / straight edge movement going in the next decade?
Hopefully it’s just grows and starts to change things in people and animals daily lives for the better.
What would you say to someone on the fence about embracing these ideas?
Your life only gets better when you make the decision to commit.

First band that made you think differently:
Earth Crisis
A lyric you’ve written (or heard) that still hits hardest:
“Love it or leave it, I know I need it” - Tyler Short of Inclination
One misconception about vegan straight edge:
Anyone with discipline can do it actually.
One non-negotiable value when being vegan straight edge:
I firmly believe animals aren’t ours to use in any way.
One thing the scene needs to do better:
Embrace queer culture.