WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:03.839 This is the Poet Speaks, a show all about. 2 00:00:03.799 --> 00:00:08.599 Or tradition, hip hop and cardboard boxes on the Bloc 3 00:00:08.679 --> 00:00:12.400 rege Bandolero so your heavy metal punk rock and La 4 00:00:12.480 --> 00:00:13.519 Junior Hyde pop. 5 00:00:14.480 --> 00:00:18.800 What makes poetry so amazing, so incredible is this absolute 6 00:00:18.920 --> 00:00:23.600 fascination and ability to change our lives, the old tradition, 7 00:00:23.920 --> 00:00:25.160 the reason why we speak. 8 00:00:25.839 --> 00:00:37.439 This is the Poet Speaks. Hello everyone, and welcome back 9 00:00:37.479 --> 00:00:40.439 to the poet Speaks podcast. Now our next Best is 10 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:44.840 a spoken word smith, lyricist, teaching artists, and a published 11 00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:48.359 author from Queen's New York. She's been writing poetry for 12 00:00:48.399 --> 00:00:52.119 over two decades and performed on many stages including The Bowery, 13 00:00:52.640 --> 00:00:57.399 New York, and Post Cafe, Lemon College, Poetry met Please, 14 00:00:57.600 --> 00:01:01.320 jc Al and Wan Poetry Us, to name a few. 15 00:01:02.000 --> 00:01:05.840 Now they're also published author of Chris Sales Not Quite 16 00:01:05.879 --> 00:01:11.079 the Butterfly, poetic memoir now available on i Amazon. Everyone, please, 17 00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:14.400 welcome to the Post Speaks podcast. Keys Well, Keys. 18 00:01:14.120 --> 00:01:14.519 How are you? 19 00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:17.280 I'm good? I'm good, Thank you, Thank you for that intro. 20 00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:19.359 Man that beautiful. 21 00:01:20.480 --> 00:01:23.200 I feel like everyone everyone needs an intro. Everyone deserves 22 00:01:23.239 --> 00:01:25.719 a nice intro to whether you're starting. 23 00:01:25.359 --> 00:01:26.920 Your day ending your day, Milia day. 24 00:01:26.920 --> 00:01:30.599 It also feels good, right, yes, yes, absolutely, we alls 25 00:01:30.599 --> 00:01:33.000 need that reminder of how great we are. But no, 26 00:01:33.079 --> 00:01:36.040 it's such an absolute pleasure to have you on the 27 00:01:36.120 --> 00:01:39.280 show today. Tell me, I mean, first and foremost, I 28 00:01:39.319 --> 00:01:42.480 ask every guest on the podcast, where are you speaking 29 00:01:42.519 --> 00:01:44.200 to us from today? We're in the world. 30 00:01:45.280 --> 00:01:48.640 I am in bestar Brooklyn, New York today. 31 00:01:49.560 --> 00:01:52.879 Okay, Brooklyn, New York, all right, in the borough? 32 00:01:52.959 --> 00:01:53.280 All right? 33 00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:54.000 How's New York? 34 00:01:54.000 --> 00:01:54.400 Teeing you? 35 00:01:54.480 --> 00:01:55.799 How's New York these days? 36 00:01:55.840 --> 00:01:56.640 With a lot of time. 37 00:01:59.120 --> 00:02:03.200 Well, first, first and foremost, it's weather is trash. This 38 00:02:03.239 --> 00:02:07.159 is the fakest spring summer I've ever seen. As I 39 00:02:07.200 --> 00:02:09.639 mentioned earlier, I did just get back from Jamaica. So 40 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:13.800 to come from beautiful ninety degree weather to this, I 41 00:02:13.800 --> 00:02:19.680 don't know, seventy degree cold weather not exciting. But aside 42 00:02:19.680 --> 00:02:21.159 from that, I mean, New York is New York, man. 43 00:02:21.199 --> 00:02:27.199 It's overpriced, crowded, but still good vibes, still good vibes 44 00:02:27.240 --> 00:02:27.639 for sure. 45 00:02:28.080 --> 00:02:31.039 Okay, but of course for sure tell us a little bit. 46 00:02:31.240 --> 00:02:34.639 I mean, tell us what is I mean? I think 47 00:02:34.719 --> 00:02:38.960 everyone knows New York is the epicenter of culture. I 48 00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:41.120 swear I've been all around the world. I don't think 49 00:02:41.159 --> 00:02:44.000 many places still to this day are like the hub 50 00:02:44.080 --> 00:02:47.240 that is New York City as a poet that lives 51 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:50.039 there and as just the artist that lives there. What 52 00:02:50.199 --> 00:02:52.520 is it like to be in the place that is 53 00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:55.680 the envy I believe of many other creatives from around 54 00:02:55.719 --> 00:02:57.520 the world, What is it like to be in New 55 00:02:57.560 --> 00:02:58.680 York City as an artist? 56 00:03:00.560 --> 00:03:02.599 So to be in New York specifically in Brooklyn, because 57 00:03:02.599 --> 00:03:06.599 I'm originally from Queens and I moved to Brooklyn for 58 00:03:06.639 --> 00:03:10.319 that reason, because especially in Bedstide, it's it's still a 59 00:03:10.360 --> 00:03:12.560 lot of culture here despite the gentrification. 60 00:03:13.680 --> 00:03:15.000 But one thing that I do love. 61 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:17.919 And appreciate about New York is that there's always something 62 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:20.840 to do, especially for creatives. Like there's always an outlet, 63 00:03:21.000 --> 00:03:23.159 there's always an open mic, there's always some type of 64 00:03:23.240 --> 00:03:25.400 event for us to go and be able to, you know, 65 00:03:25.479 --> 00:03:27.280 express ourselves and share our artwork. 66 00:03:28.840 --> 00:03:30.960 And the community is very supportive everyone. 67 00:03:31.400 --> 00:03:35.439 I haven't experienced any like conflict or like any envy 68 00:03:35.479 --> 00:03:37.599 or any jealousy or it's like, oh, your poem is whack, 69 00:03:37.680 --> 00:03:39.719 or it's like very much like we go out to 70 00:03:40.039 --> 00:03:41.879 each other's shows and support each other. 71 00:03:42.360 --> 00:03:44.680 So the community here is really great. 72 00:03:44.680 --> 00:03:48.719 I've built a lot of great relationships with people, And yeah, 73 00:03:48.840 --> 00:03:52.639 I think that there's so many different platforms that you know, 74 00:03:52.719 --> 00:03:54.919 you'll you have the opportunity to be able to share 75 00:03:54.960 --> 00:03:58.240 your creativity regardless of what day of the week it is. 76 00:03:58.240 --> 00:04:01.639 There's something from Sunday through Saturday with time of the day. 77 00:04:01.680 --> 00:04:04.039 You have early days, you got weekends, and the evenings 78 00:04:04.039 --> 00:04:05.319 they have after hour spots. 79 00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:07.479 Like it's just it's it really is here. 80 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:09.479 If you want to be able to, you know, put 81 00:04:09.520 --> 00:04:12.080 yourself out there, the opportunities are absolutely here. 82 00:04:12.759 --> 00:04:16.360 You had mentioned earlier how expensive it's still overpriced for 83 00:04:16.480 --> 00:04:18.800 people that let's say, you know, you hear the kind 84 00:04:18.839 --> 00:04:22.079 of famous you know, famous lore move to New York 85 00:04:22.079 --> 00:04:23.639 City with ten dollars in my pocket. 86 00:04:24.399 --> 00:04:25.800 Here you can make it anywhere. 87 00:04:26.120 --> 00:04:28.120 Do you suggest, I mean, do you suggest what just 88 00:04:28.160 --> 00:04:30.800 how expensive it is for like an artist that wants 89 00:04:30.800 --> 00:04:33.839 to make it moving to New York City. It's just 90 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:35.560 so many pros and cons I would. 91 00:04:35.399 --> 00:04:39.279 Think, Yeah, yeah, I think I think the pro to 92 00:04:39.399 --> 00:04:41.959 that would be, as I mentioned before, the community. 93 00:04:42.360 --> 00:04:44.000 You know, like if you come out here and. 94 00:04:43.959 --> 00:04:46.279 You're really on your grind, you really will get the 95 00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:49.680 support because once people see how you know, how into 96 00:04:49.720 --> 00:04:51.319 what you are, and they see how much you want, 97 00:04:51.360 --> 00:04:53.680 you make those connections and people will start plugging you in. 98 00:04:54.160 --> 00:04:57.800 So in that sense, yeah, I would recommend it on the. 99 00:04:57.920 --> 00:05:01.079 Expenses part, as far as like living here for real, 100 00:05:01.240 --> 00:05:02.800 I mean, like you got to have about four or 101 00:05:02.839 --> 00:05:05.959 five jobs just to you know what I'm saying, be 102 00:05:06.040 --> 00:05:08.959 able to like really see your money because just the 103 00:05:09.040 --> 00:05:11.160 cost of live in even for like, for example, if 104 00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:12.000 you wanted to rent a room. 105 00:05:12.079 --> 00:05:13.040 Let's say someone comes. 106 00:05:12.920 --> 00:05:15.600 Here, they just want to rent a room somewhere, You're 107 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:19.079 easily looking at paying maybe like thirteen fourteen hundred just 108 00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:19.680 for a room. 109 00:05:19.839 --> 00:05:22.079 This ain't even for a whole apartment, you know. 110 00:05:22.279 --> 00:05:24.959 So it's just like you don't really get your bang 111 00:05:25.000 --> 00:05:28.240 for your buck in that sense. But if you're if 112 00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:30.600 you're someone who's going to be on your grind and 113 00:05:30.680 --> 00:05:34.240 really are committed to your craft whatever it is, I 114 00:05:34.279 --> 00:05:36.079 think definitely you'll you'll do good here. 115 00:05:36.800 --> 00:05:39.439 No, No, that's a I think that's just valuable information 116 00:05:39.519 --> 00:05:42.040 for people to know because people don't always talk about 117 00:05:42.120 --> 00:05:45.160 that side of you know, especially a romanticized city like 118 00:05:45.240 --> 00:05:47.920 New York City. But kind of moving a bit along. 119 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:50.120 Tell us a bit about I mean, tell us a 120 00:05:50.160 --> 00:05:54.040 bit about I mean your name Keys, Will tell us 121 00:05:54.199 --> 00:05:56.800 is that stage name or is that you for real? 122 00:05:56.920 --> 00:05:59.600 Tell us what is the kind of origination of Keys? 123 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:00.360 Will you name? 124 00:06:01.879 --> 00:06:04.279 So it is my stage name, But it didn't start 125 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:06.199 off that way. 126 00:06:06.279 --> 00:06:07.240 A long time ago. 127 00:06:07.399 --> 00:06:10.879 I was living in a youth shelter and this was 128 00:06:10.920 --> 00:06:14.519 like my late teens, early twenties, and there was a 129 00:06:14.519 --> 00:06:17.560 staff member there that I got really close with, and 130 00:06:17.639 --> 00:06:20.279 he just started calling me Keys. Like I don't know why, 131 00:06:21.279 --> 00:06:23.279 but that's the first I had ever heard anyone. Because 132 00:06:23.399 --> 00:06:25.480 people got all types of nicknames from me, but Keys 133 00:06:26.199 --> 00:06:28.759 was the one that stuck with me for several reasons. 134 00:06:29.160 --> 00:06:33.959 One because Alicia Keys is like my like I love 135 00:06:33.959 --> 00:06:34.600 Alicia Keys. 136 00:06:34.600 --> 00:06:37.839 That speaks for itself, you know, And when she came 137 00:06:37.920 --> 00:06:40.240 out I had that was around the time I had 138 00:06:40.279 --> 00:06:45.120 started writing poetry, and like, I just that stuck with me, 139 00:06:45.160 --> 00:06:47.120 and I was like, hey, so whenever I introduced myself, 140 00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:49.120 I'm like, he's like Alicia, and you know, it's like. 141 00:06:49.079 --> 00:06:50.319 A like a whole thing. 142 00:06:52.199 --> 00:06:54.879 But it's also I would say, like a derivative of 143 00:06:54.920 --> 00:06:58.680 my full name, like my given name, which is Ikea Williams. 144 00:06:59.000 --> 00:07:01.519 So I kind of just like took that and Keys 145 00:07:01.600 --> 00:07:03.480 will and it just it just stunk. 146 00:07:03.720 --> 00:07:07.879 So yeah, for sure, that's what's us. Okay, Yeah, since 147 00:07:07.920 --> 00:07:10.959 you live in Okay, So Alicia Keys, since you live 148 00:07:11.040 --> 00:07:15.079 in the city, and have you seen her the Broadway. 149 00:07:14.720 --> 00:07:17.399 Play Where is it Our Hell's Kitchen? Yeah? 150 00:07:17.439 --> 00:07:17.959 Have you seen it? 151 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:21.319 I have not yet, but it is on my summer 152 00:07:21.319 --> 00:07:21.959 bucket list. 153 00:07:22.040 --> 00:07:23.720 I have been trying to get to that show for 154 00:07:23.800 --> 00:07:27.160 months now, but I absolutely will be going this summer 155 00:07:27.319 --> 00:07:29.639 for sure. I've heard nothing but great things about it, 156 00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:32.160 and I just feel like, as a New Yorker and 157 00:07:32.199 --> 00:07:34.319 an Alicia Keys fan, I have to go. 158 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:36.720 So I'm definitely going. 159 00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:40.759 Absolutely. No, I've heard great, great things about that one too. 160 00:07:41.160 --> 00:07:43.439 It's interesting, though, it's kind of you know, you talk 161 00:07:43.480 --> 00:07:46.000 about how that name kind of came to be and 162 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:49.720 how it's been inspiration from obviously your love of you know, 163 00:07:49.759 --> 00:07:53.800 the artist Alicia Keys, just derivative of your actual given 164 00:07:53.920 --> 00:07:56.879 born name. It's kind of interesting how that kind of 165 00:07:56.920 --> 00:07:58.839 plays a role as we are as artists, you know, 166 00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:01.160 we take from different parts of our life to create 167 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:05.680 what has kind of been your main inspiration for how 168 00:08:05.720 --> 00:08:08.560 you write poetry. Is it very similar to how you 169 00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:12.040 kind of crafted together your stage name, you know, in 170 00:08:12.120 --> 00:08:13.959 terms of you know your whether it be from your 171 00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:16.399 memoir to your day to day writing. What kind of 172 00:08:16.480 --> 00:08:19.120 is your inspiration to create and write? 173 00:08:19.279 --> 00:08:24.600 Most importantly, mainly, my poems have been about. 174 00:08:25.759 --> 00:08:30.399 Just anything that's happening, like current events, social justice issues, 175 00:08:30.639 --> 00:08:34.200 just anything that I feel like, you know, it's happening 176 00:08:34.279 --> 00:08:35.720 to either myself or just. 177 00:08:35.679 --> 00:08:38.559 A community or people around me. I like to speak 178 00:08:38.600 --> 00:08:39.279 to that mainly. 179 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:44.639 But my vision is to get a little bit more personal. 180 00:08:45.159 --> 00:08:47.039 I think a lot of my work is more broad, 181 00:08:47.720 --> 00:08:50.240 and I feel like as long as I've been performing, 182 00:08:50.279 --> 00:08:53.720 I feel like people still don't know me. So I've 183 00:08:53.720 --> 00:08:56.000 been wanting to tap into, like geting a little bit 184 00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:58.840 more personal, telling more of you know, my story through 185 00:08:58.879 --> 00:08:59.519 my poetry. 186 00:08:59.639 --> 00:09:03.080 So that is what I've been working on, because. 187 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:05.759 I mean, being on the stage is a vulnerable position, 188 00:09:05.879 --> 00:09:08.399 you know, and I really applaud the people who really 189 00:09:08.399 --> 00:09:10.639 get out there and bear their souls for real, for real, 190 00:09:11.240 --> 00:09:13.159 and I just feel like as an artist, I have 191 00:09:13.200 --> 00:09:16.080 a responsibility to really just share more of myself. 192 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:20.720 So that's the direction that it's going. But typically it's. 193 00:09:20.679 --> 00:09:23.799 Usually like social justice issues or just you know, some 194 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:25.679 current event stuff things of that nature. 195 00:09:26.440 --> 00:09:28.960 For sure, how do you for you, I mean, like 196 00:09:29.000 --> 00:09:32.399 you said, you mentioned something really pivotal. They're getting on 197 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:35.799 stage is such a vulnerable act. Talk to me a 198 00:09:35.799 --> 00:09:38.720 little bit about how for you you did you ever 199 00:09:38.799 --> 00:09:42.399 have anxiety jumping on stage being a poet, And if 200 00:09:42.440 --> 00:09:45.039 you did, how did you ever get over that vulnerability 201 00:09:45.080 --> 00:09:47.919 to really open up that part of your self performing poetry. 202 00:09:49.240 --> 00:09:51.639 Interestingly enough, I. 203 00:09:53.360 --> 00:09:57.039 Never really had stage fright, like even when I started, 204 00:09:57.039 --> 00:10:01.039 so I started performing really like in school, like high school, 205 00:10:01.039 --> 00:10:03.240 they had opportunities for us to like do spoken word. 206 00:10:03.080 --> 00:10:05.759 And it was just so it came so natural to me. 207 00:10:06.039 --> 00:10:08.240 I don't have a problem like speaking in for the 208 00:10:08.240 --> 00:10:11.639 crowd and and you know, big rooms of people, like 209 00:10:11.679 --> 00:10:13.360 for some reason, I just I. 210 00:10:14.919 --> 00:10:15.679 Just enjoy it. 211 00:10:16.120 --> 00:10:17.679 I don't know, I know, and that's weird, like certain 212 00:10:17.679 --> 00:10:19.519 people like what I can never do, but I don't know. 213 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:22.000 For me, it's it's always been second nature for me. 214 00:10:22.840 --> 00:10:26.000 I do still get like that little bit of nervousness 215 00:10:26.120 --> 00:10:28.720 right before I perform, and that's I feel like that's normal. 216 00:10:29.399 --> 00:10:32.039 But I actually embrace it because I feel like, because 217 00:10:32.080 --> 00:10:34.399 I'm feeling that way, that means that I still love 218 00:10:34.440 --> 00:10:34.799 what I do. 219 00:10:34.879 --> 00:10:35.919 That means that I still care. 220 00:10:36.320 --> 00:10:38.399 You know, if that feeling is not there, then I 221 00:10:38.399 --> 00:10:42.600 don't I don't even want to do it. So yeah, yeah, 222 00:10:42.840 --> 00:10:46.120 that's that's so true though, because it's you know, when 223 00:10:46.159 --> 00:10:49.080 you don't have that feeling of it, like if you 224 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:52.679 just felt whenever you jumped on stage, it's whatever, let 225 00:10:52.679 --> 00:10:53.200 me just try. 226 00:10:53.799 --> 00:10:55.720 I'm ready to go, that means that you don't really 227 00:10:55.759 --> 00:10:58.840 have much to work towards cause you're already You've already 228 00:10:58.840 --> 00:11:01.720 reached the finish line, right, So it's like, I possibly 229 00:11:01.799 --> 00:11:04.960 still have that feelings of butterflies and things like that 230 00:11:05.000 --> 00:11:06.919 means that you know, you definitely you still love, you 231 00:11:06.960 --> 00:11:09.320 want to perfect what you do, so I guess that 232 00:11:10.399 --> 00:11:12.840 plays a big, big role in it. Tell us a 233 00:11:12.840 --> 00:11:16.120 bit about I mean, you have a poetry collection out 234 00:11:16.200 --> 00:11:19.440 called Chris Sales Not Quite the Butterfly. That's a very 235 00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:22.879 kind of the gravity of that title alone, Not Quite 236 00:11:22.919 --> 00:11:25.840 the Butterfly. Tell us a bit about that. You describe 237 00:11:25.879 --> 00:11:28.840 it as a poetic memoir. Tell us a bit about 238 00:11:28.879 --> 00:11:31.879 how that came to be. That's your first that's your 239 00:11:31.960 --> 00:11:33.440 first publisher. 240 00:11:33.679 --> 00:11:35.840 Correct, Yeah, tell us how. 241 00:11:35.720 --> 00:11:37.600 That came to be when that came out, and just 242 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:40.360 kind of the DNA of that project for you. 243 00:11:41.159 --> 00:11:45.600 Yeah, for sure. So Chrysalis is the so. 244 00:11:45.559 --> 00:11:47.879 As we know it as a cocoon, right, Like, that's 245 00:11:47.919 --> 00:11:51.159 the stage that the butterfly or the caterpillar rather is 246 00:11:51.200 --> 00:11:53.519 and as they're becoming the butterfly. 247 00:11:53.679 --> 00:11:53.919 Right. 248 00:11:53.960 --> 00:11:56.279 Hence the reason why I put not quite the butterfly, 249 00:11:56.399 --> 00:11:58.559 because I was still in that phase of like growing 250 00:11:58.600 --> 00:12:04.559 and you know, changing, right. I chose that because that's 251 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:06.759 where I felt like I was at in my poetry 252 00:12:06.840 --> 00:12:07.679 journey at that time. 253 00:12:07.720 --> 00:12:10.159 The book is the book will. 254 00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:14.200 Be nine years old this year, So at that point 255 00:12:14.200 --> 00:12:18.000 in my journey, I was still in the beginning phases 256 00:12:18.039 --> 00:12:21.120 of performing. I don't think I actually even started performing yet. 257 00:12:21.240 --> 00:12:24.600 I was just writing. And I just wanted to show 258 00:12:25.240 --> 00:12:28.399 that growth from when I was younger, because I started 259 00:12:28.440 --> 00:12:31.279 writing at nine, So from I have poems in there 260 00:12:31.279 --> 00:12:33.759 for when I was like nine, ten eleven up until 261 00:12:33.960 --> 00:12:36.080 I believe I was like when I published the book, 262 00:12:36.080 --> 00:12:39.200 I might have been like twenty three, twenty four or 263 00:12:39.240 --> 00:12:42.600 something like that. So you know, I just wanted to 264 00:12:42.679 --> 00:12:45.320 show that evolution. And I think the butterfly, because I 265 00:12:45.360 --> 00:12:48.000 also love butterflies. But I just think that that was 266 00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:50.799 just the perfect metaphor to show like the evolution and 267 00:12:50.840 --> 00:12:53.600 the growth, but not quite the butterfly, because I haven't 268 00:12:53.720 --> 00:12:56.559 yet arrived at where I want to be yet. So 269 00:12:56.600 --> 00:12:58.879 that was that was kind of how that all, you know, 270 00:12:59.000 --> 00:13:01.200 came into play man. 271 00:13:01.440 --> 00:13:04.600 That's insane though, I mean, poems from when you were 272 00:13:04.720 --> 00:13:07.639 nine years old to the age of twenty four. How 273 00:13:07.639 --> 00:13:10.679 did you even unearth those poems? Where'd you get them from? 274 00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:12.720 Did your just from your Where did you even get 275 00:13:12.759 --> 00:13:16.000 them from? How did someone on poems from nine years old? Oh? 276 00:13:16.120 --> 00:13:19.360 Yeah, I still have Luckily, I still have like all 277 00:13:19.399 --> 00:13:21.600 my poetry books. I think I might be missing about 278 00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:24.559 two which got lost and like you know, moving around. 279 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:27.120 But for the most part, I've always made sure to. 280 00:13:27.159 --> 00:13:29.879 Keep all of my notebooks and poems and everything with 281 00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:33.600 me because that's, like I said, like I love poetry, 282 00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:36.440 you know, and that's like if my house was burning down. 283 00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:39.639 I'm grabbing my poetry books first, you know. 284 00:13:40.200 --> 00:13:43.559 So yeah, so I just kind of sifted through, you know, 285 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:47.000 which poems I wanted to select and I thought would 286 00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:49.480 help to create the picture because I want to show. 287 00:13:49.519 --> 00:13:53.039 I wanted to show it's a biography or autobiography rather, 288 00:13:53.159 --> 00:13:55.879 so you know, showing like my thought process at this 289 00:13:56.039 --> 00:13:57.360 age and how I felt. 290 00:13:57.159 --> 00:13:58.679 About it as I got older. 291 00:13:59.240 --> 00:14:01.759 There are some to post poems in there where you'll 292 00:14:01.799 --> 00:14:04.360 see a poem from where I was at a certain 293 00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:07.320 age and then later on my new perspective on that 294 00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:08.279 same you know. 295 00:14:09.639 --> 00:14:10.519 That same topic. 296 00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:14.480 So yeah, yeah, that was just it just kind of 297 00:14:14.679 --> 00:14:17.679 fell into place that way. I didn't really plan it 298 00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:19.799 out like that, but to me, it was the only 299 00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:20.720 thing that made sense. 300 00:14:20.879 --> 00:14:25.639 So tell me a bit about what that kind of 301 00:14:25.759 --> 00:14:30.279 process was for you then unearthing those poems and you 302 00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:33.279 really at that point. I don't even know what your 303 00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:36.840 distributor who that was in terms of press or publishing, 304 00:14:37.240 --> 00:14:39.480 but tell me about what that kind of even just 305 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:42.879 journey was for you to see from age nine to 306 00:14:42.960 --> 00:14:45.120 now you were twenty four to twenty five, whatever may 307 00:14:45.159 --> 00:14:48.320 have you early twenties, What was that even processed? Just 308 00:14:48.440 --> 00:14:50.399 was it cathartic for you to look back on that? 309 00:14:50.720 --> 00:14:53.440 What was that feeling like seeing stuff you wrote from 310 00:14:53.519 --> 00:14:55.360 then and now, like, do you see how much of 311 00:14:55.360 --> 00:14:56.200 a change you've made? 312 00:14:56.480 --> 00:14:59.000 What was that like? I think for me. 313 00:14:59.120 --> 00:15:01.200 When I read some of the poems from when I 314 00:15:01.279 --> 00:15:04.759 was younger, I really sat with them and I was 315 00:15:04.840 --> 00:15:08.519 just like, I wrote that, like just to think like 316 00:15:08.639 --> 00:15:11.480 my mindset, like what was I going through at that time? 317 00:15:11.519 --> 00:15:13.440 Like why why did I Why did I write that? 318 00:15:13.559 --> 00:15:16.720 And just seeing how powerful those pieces were, because even 319 00:15:16.759 --> 00:15:20.000 though they were simple, they were still powerful, like they 320 00:15:20.840 --> 00:15:24.000 spoke to whatever I was going through at that time, 321 00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:26.639 and I didn't even believe that I had wrote them. 322 00:15:26.639 --> 00:15:28.159 Like reading back at them, I was just like I 323 00:15:28.159 --> 00:15:30.159 wrote that. Like I still feel that way about some 324 00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:34.440 of my pieces. I'm just like my mind at those 325 00:15:34.480 --> 00:15:37.559 times was really just like there's so much depth to 326 00:15:37.639 --> 00:15:43.240 it and it still shocks me even but I loved that, 327 00:15:44.519 --> 00:15:47.960 being that I picked poetry up at such a young age, 328 00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:52.759 being able to really craft it in a way where 329 00:15:52.799 --> 00:15:56.679 it speaks to who I am, and that was something 330 00:15:56.720 --> 00:15:57.679 that was consistent. 331 00:15:57.799 --> 00:15:59.960 It has been consistent throughout all of my poets. 332 00:16:00.320 --> 00:16:02.399 Like I can hear my voice and I'm like, yeah, 333 00:16:02.480 --> 00:16:04.679 that that rang truth for me, Like that was me. 334 00:16:04.759 --> 00:16:08.480 It wasn't me making up this, you know, poem just 335 00:16:08.519 --> 00:16:09.960 for the sake of like, yeah, I wrote a poem. 336 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:15.320 It's like no that's that's me. So it was very reflective, and. 337 00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:19.559 Yeah, the experience was I don't I don't even know 338 00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:21.399 where I got the idea to create a book out 339 00:16:21.399 --> 00:16:22.840 of it. I think I just felt like it was 340 00:16:22.919 --> 00:16:25.799 time and I did self publishing. 341 00:16:25.840 --> 00:16:30.879 So you published self publishing through Amazon. It's called uh, I. 342 00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:34.399 Forget the name of the program, but it's a self 343 00:16:34.399 --> 00:16:39.480 publishing program through Amazon that I did. And I just 344 00:16:39.519 --> 00:16:41.759 did research on, you know, how to do everything, how 345 00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:45.080 to get the ISBN number and the bar code. I 346 00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:48.000 worked with an illustrator on fiver to do some of 347 00:16:48.039 --> 00:16:51.519 the little images in the book. But it was pretty 348 00:16:51.559 --> 00:16:55.840 much a DIY process and I was very proud of 349 00:16:55.879 --> 00:16:57.960 myself at the end of that. You know, it was 350 00:16:58.000 --> 00:17:02.399 just seeing something through to completion and yeah. 351 00:17:02.159 --> 00:17:03.759 Yeah, it was. It was a dope experience. 352 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:07.680 Where'd the name chrysalist come from? 353 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:10.559 So that is the that is the name of the 354 00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:13.480 So it's the I guess the just for lack of 355 00:17:13.559 --> 00:17:16.799 better better words, the correct term for what a cocoon is. 356 00:17:16.920 --> 00:17:18.839 It's called it's actually called the chrysalist. 357 00:17:18.920 --> 00:17:22.519 Yeah, got you got you? Okay, Wow, tell me out 358 00:17:22.559 --> 00:17:24.480 of that whole process. Now, you said that was about 359 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:28.240 nine years ago, you said, I believe that that got published. 360 00:17:28.599 --> 00:17:31.200 What is the most what is the most profound or 361 00:17:31.240 --> 00:17:34.279 most important thing you learned about yourself during that whole 362 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:37.480 process of getting that book published, reclaiming some of those 363 00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:40.799 poems that you wrote in childhood. What was the most 364 00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:43.279 what was the most significant or important thing you learned 365 00:17:43.279 --> 00:17:44.000 about yourself? 366 00:17:45.160 --> 00:17:50.400 Definitely like perseverance, you know, and like I mentioned, just 367 00:17:50.440 --> 00:17:54.359 seeing something through to completion because it's tangible, right, It's 368 00:17:54.359 --> 00:17:56.839 something that's like, you know, I did this thing. I 369 00:17:56.839 --> 00:17:59.480 had this idea and I followed through with it. I 370 00:17:59.559 --> 00:18:03.319 complete it, and now it's something that lives on forever, 371 00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:05.440 Like you know, you have a book, and it's just 372 00:18:05.440 --> 00:18:07.359 like it's not something that expires. It's like, no, I 373 00:18:07.400 --> 00:18:10.599 have this thing that really represents like this is me. 374 00:18:10.759 --> 00:18:13.200 This is at some point in my life, I wrote 375 00:18:13.240 --> 00:18:17.200 a book. So I really just learned like that perseverance, 376 00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:22.319 that determination. Not making any excuses, especially because during the 377 00:18:22.359 --> 00:18:25.240 time that I published the book wasn't the best living 378 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:29.599 experience for me either. But throughout that time I still 379 00:18:29.720 --> 00:18:31.880 was like, this is the goal and I'm gonna get 380 00:18:31.920 --> 00:18:34.240 it done. There's I have no excuse, there's no reason 381 00:18:34.319 --> 00:18:37.000 not to do it. So yeah, I would say that 382 00:18:37.119 --> 00:18:39.319 perseverance in the determination. 383 00:18:39.720 --> 00:18:42.319 Absolutely and tell us how was that kind of how 384 00:18:42.440 --> 00:18:46.160 was that poetic memoir even nine years later? How is 385 00:18:46.200 --> 00:18:49.480 that still received? How is it still being received and 386 00:18:49.599 --> 00:18:52.720 kind of how is that still such a epicenter of 387 00:18:52.759 --> 00:18:57.559 your your career as a spoken word artist today still interesting? 388 00:18:57.680 --> 00:19:01.759 Interestingly enough, because I don't talk about the book and 389 00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:03.480 up a lot of people still don't know that I 390 00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:04.160 have a book. 391 00:19:04.319 --> 00:19:05.839 Like I have people that are like, wait. 392 00:19:05.640 --> 00:19:07.079 What, you got a book, and I'm like, yeah, the 393 00:19:07.079 --> 00:19:09.119 book is almost like you know, ten years old now, 394 00:19:09.200 --> 00:19:10.240 it's over a decade old. 395 00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:10.839 Wow. 396 00:19:12.359 --> 00:19:15.200 The only topic because I also have this thing where 397 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:18.000 and I've spoken to other artists and poets as well, 398 00:19:18.039 --> 00:19:20.799 it's like when I release something, even if I perform 399 00:19:20.839 --> 00:19:23.319 a poem or I write a poem after our performance 400 00:19:23.559 --> 00:19:26.319 and if it's recorded, I won't watch it. Like it's 401 00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:29.119