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"Craft Sessions: The Spoken Word" Livestream Celebrates Artists + Poets

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The Recording Academy's first ever spoken word showcase featured host J. Ivy, as well as Ursula Rucker, Sekou Andrews, Jericho Brown, jessica Care moore and others
Onaje McDowelle
Membership
Aug 4, 2020 - 3:09 pm

Throughout the world's history of oral tradition, poetry and spoken word have served as a few of the longest standing methods of cultural storytelling. Fortified with sharp delivery and rhythmic cadence and flow, poets have documented the nature of societies, brought awareness to widespread sociopolitical issues and put clear expression and voice behind necessary political change. Performance poet, spoken word and recording artist, J. Ivy calls a poet's flow "like jazz," often bringing arrangements together in a gripping climbing and falling fashion, all the while delivering messages in a verbal package unlike any other piece of art. 
 
On July 28, The Recording Academy Chicago Chapter hosted its "Craft Sessions: The Spoken Word" livestream event, marking the Academy's first ever spoken word and poetry showcase. Designed in collaboration with the Chicago Chapter Spoken Word Advisory Group, the event celebrated the art form, raised awareness inside and beyond the poetry community of its relationship to the Academy and the GRAMMY Awards, and showcased a roster of some of the nation's and the world's most dynamic and impactful voices in spoken word today.  

Craft Sessions: The Spoken Word

J. Ivy hosts Craft Sessions: The Spoken Word featuring performances from a nationwide collective of spoken word artists including Adia Victoria, Nate Marshall, Ursula Rucker, Jericho Brown, Mahogany L. Browne - Writer, Sekou Andrews, jessica Care moore and Tongo Eisen-Martin Poetry.

Posted by Recording Academy / GRAMMYs on Tuesday, July 28, 2020

The livestream was hosted by Recording Academy Chicago Chapter President and Chair of the Chapter's Spoken Word Advisory Group, J. Ivy and also featured other artists and poets throughout the program including GRAMMY nominee Sekou Andrews, Pulitzer Prize Winner Jericho Brown, and former Apollo Theater legend jessica Care moore. Singer/songwriter Adia Victoria as well as Ursula Rucker, Nate Marshall, Mahogany L. Browne and Tongo Eisen-Martin rounded out the lineup of performers. 

The event, originally set to be hosted in Chicago while highlighting spoken word artists and poets throughout the Midwest, was shifted into a virtual experience after being offset by the impacts of COVID-19. The new adjustments ultimately lead organizers to cast a more all-encompassing net of poets and artists from around the country to join the program. 

In his opening remarks, Ivy introduced the event and the overall initiative for spoken word advocacy by underscoring the transcendent and connecting power that poetry can have on individuals and their communities. It's this value in storytelling and special preservation that is of utmost importance as movements towards racial justice and equality continue to grow in influence and impact today.  
 
"I have to first start out by saying how proud I am to be a member of the poetry community. Poetry, it changes lives, it saves lives. As poets, we have seen those effects happen in our own lives and in others," he said. "We've seen the power of our gifts, the power of the word. We've seen how poetry can shift and change somebody's life in an instant."  
 
Ivy outlined the intrinsic connection the art form has to rhythm and cadence in music like jazz or hip-hop, saying, "Poetry is the root and the seed of every song ever written." 

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PHOTO GALLERY: Click above to meet the poets of "Craft Sessions: The Spoken Word"

As each poet hit the virtual stage, they delivered special accounts of vivid personal stories, quotes, anecdotes and historical references. Many of the pieces presented during the night focused closely on shedding light to unjust power structures, intersectional oppression and recent events of police brutality that have sparked mass protests and organizing around the United States.  

Atlanta-based educator and award-winning author Jericho Brown delivered a powerful piece, which he wrote after his learning of the many alleged suicide attempts of Black and brown people under police custody. "I will not shoot myself in the head, and I will not shoot myself in the back," he begins. "And if I do, I promise you I will not do it in the back of a police car, or in a jail cell of a town that I only know the name of because I have to drive through it to get home."  

Mahogany L. Browne's piece retold the experience of what it means to be Black and a woman in America by rattling off the many double standards and constant expectations faced day by day. "You ain't supposed to smile in public, you ain't supposed to smile nowhere… you ain't supposed to dream at all… You ain't supposed to do nothing but carry silence… and confusion, and a nation, but never an opinion." 

Each back-to-back performance piece struck heavy emotional chords, while allowing audiences to see their own experiences in the stories told and thoughts shared, empowering them to think differently about a perspective that hadn't been presented to them in such the way that poetry can.  

"This is one of the most impactful programs I have had the honor to be a part of in my tenure with the Academy," said Chicago Chapter Senior Executive Director Sarah Jansen. "I am thrilled that we were able to shine a spotlight on the Spoken Word community, and present the incredible talent of the poets who were featured." 

The power of the artform at its highest level was palpable throughout "Craft Sessions: The Spoken Word." As J. Ivy wrote in his recent op-ed on the art and craft of spoken word, "The nature of being a poet is listening, experiencing life, and documenting what you find… We capture what we see and what we feel. We're moved to shine light on subjects that affect us all. That has been the job of every poet that has come before us, every poet that is in the trenches speaking their truth right now, and every poet that will come after us." 

Each year a GRAMMY Award is presented in the Spoken Word category to artists and storytellers of the craft, including poetry, audiobooks, voiceover and other forms of recorded speech. Emphasizing the importance of representation for poets within the category and also referencing a new focus on bolstering the category with recognition beyond traditional formats, J. Ivy stated "Poets, it's important that we show them we are the storytellers, the keepers of history." 

"We show the world by making sure that we are present and in the building," Ivy said. "If you have projects, make sure that you're submitting, because we have to make sure we have spoken word artists represented in that category every year," he said.  

Submissions for the GRAMMY category were open to projects from poets and spoken word artists until August 3. You can find more information on project submission, deadlines and requirements here. 

"Industry Mix: Amplifying Black Voices" Discusses Social Change Through Creativity

J. Ivy

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Photo: Andre Wright Jr.

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J. Ivy Talks Making Music For Social Change, Leading With Love & The Importance Of Supporting Black Artists

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"I feel like people will look back on 2020 … as being a benchmark in time, this being a moment where we saw change. My prayer, my hope and wish is that it's a positive change," the spoken word artist told us in a recent interview
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Jun 14, 2020 - 10:24 am

Spoken word artist, poet and author J. Ivy is, understandably so, a person who believes wholeheartedly in the power of words and the importance of using them intentionally. The Chicago native, who's also the president of the Recording Academy's Chicago Chapter, is committed to using his influence and platform to support other artists who are using their voices and gifts for positive social change.

With his weekly IGTV show, "The WORD," born out quarantine, he shares the mic with other artists to collaborate in a way that inspires both them and their listeners, while shining a spotlight on other poets and artists. His journey to where he is today is quite the music industry fable: He got his first big break performing on HBO's "Def Poetry" in the early '00s and soon after landed on Kanye West's 2004 debut album, The College Dropout, on which he delivered a powerful poem on "Never Let Me Down." Those impactful words, which still get him regular shout-outs on Twitter and Instagram to this day, would bring him back to the Def Poetry stage several times.

The Recording Academy recently caught up with J. Ivy to learn more about using music for social change, how the industry can better support Black artists, how non-Black individuals can stand with the Black community and the importance of voting.

How would you describe our current situation?

I feel like people will look back on 2020 in 20, 30, 50 or 100 years as being a benchmark in time, this being a moment where we saw change. My prayer, my hope and wish is that it's a positive change.

Being a Black man in America, you carry a certain fear, anxiety and stress, which every single day is ingrained in you. You've been taught how to survive. You have images that weigh on your subconscious of Black bodies being tortured and killed, oftentimes not captured by a camera phone. Cell phones are fairly new and camera phones even newer. So this is a new phenomenon that we're seeing where people are able to capture these images, but we've been going through this for decades, centuries. That pain, anxiety and trauma, that PTSD—it's ingrained in you. You feel it every single day, even when it's not at the front of your mind.

So I've been processing a lot of what's been going on. Things have been brought to the surface as far as what we're seeing with George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. It's so many names. And we're absolutely at a point where it's a critical time.

Related: Houston Rappers Talk George Floyd's Musical & Community Legacy

How have you been coping with everything? And how are you feeling right now?

For me, being an artist, first and foremost, I take to the pen. I write about what's happening. I've been writing a lot of poetry. I've been journaling. I've been in a lot of conversations with thought leaders, with my wife who is an amazing thought leader, working on what we can do past the emotion and the hurt of it all. It's one thing to be hurt and be reminded of that hurt over and over again. But what are we doing for solutions? What are we doing to get to a space and time where we're not seeing these tragedies occur over and over again? How do we break this cycle of systemic racism? How do we break that down?

So, I've been writing and creating poetry, working on music and having conversations with a lot of people, working on organizing grassroots efforts that will help push new legislation and a new consciousness. A space where we get back to the village, where we get back to protecting ourselves, policing ourselves. It's been a lot of brainstorming and planning and working towards solutions. That's the biggest thing we need right now.

And it's super important that music is a focus because music is oftentimes the quickest way to get any message across to a large mass of people. So, what messaging are we putting in our music? What spirit, what energy are we putting in it? I think it's important when it comes to building within the music community, even not being able to collaborate and create together now, that when people get in front of that microphone, when they pull out that pen or voice memo, when they're documenting their creativity, their spirit, that they're doing it in a space that will help shift consciousness in a positive way.

It's been so long that folks like me have been stepped on and knees in necks and shot and brutalized and terrorized for so long. And we have a multitude of leaders, musicians and artists that can push positivity through. Not that positivity hasn't been in music, but that we're collectively putting messaging in the music that will shift consciousness. I think that's super important right now.

Read: #SayHerName: Alicia Keys, Lizzo, Janet Jackson, Janelle Monáe And More Honor Breonna Taylor On Her Birthday, Demand Justice

What are you saying to the people? People are listening. What side of history are you going to decide to stand on? I have a quote that says, "Silence is my violence. It hurts to bite my tongue." We can't be silent right now. In our music, we can't avoid those uncomfortable situations, those uncomfortable conversations. It's gone on too long. A lot of people are comfortable in their bubbles. Everybody wants to be comfortable. But how can you be when you have others that are subjected to so much pain and trauma?

I've always been a strong believer that we are one village, no matter race or creed. And it's time that we weed out the bad. And those that have been silent, we need you now more than ever. We need people to step up. We need you to be voices for the collective, for the community, for our country because it's gone on for too long. And silence, it's like a finger on the trigger. It's important that we speak up.

I'd love to talk a bit more about some of the solutions that you see. What are some essential steps for making positive, long-term change?

Again, the messaging in the music. And we need to create very strong efforts to make sure we're getting the right legislation passed. We need to make sure we're voting for strong leadership, for folks that will protect and serve the common good of every citizen in this country. People being vocal, even about citizenship. Black folks are often overlooked as citizens. We're not afforded the same rights, so we need everybody speaking up. We need to police the police. We need to police those that are in office and make sure that they are being just and they're being fair so we can get to a space of equality by being fair and good-hearted people.

With the police that are currently working, there have been talks about having community review boards for those police. If you have one complaint, two complaints, you go in front of this review board and the community decides if you need to stay on the payroll. We're paying you to work for us, so there shouldn't be an officer like [Derek] Chauvin on the force who's had 18 complaints. 18 complaints but you're still out in the community you fear ... Let's have a review board and make sure that we are in full consciousness of who's patrolling our streets.

Related: Rihanna, Meek Mill, Billie Eilish, Migos & More Call For Police Reform In New York Now

I've been using my platform as a poet. I have a show that I do ... It's called "THE WORD: poetry and conversation," and I do it every Wednesday at 7 p.m. [CDT]. Usually, I have a guest on every week ... I started the show in the midst of the quarantine, I wanted to have an outlet, to have some relief. I'm an unemployed artist right now and I haven't worked for three months at this point. [There are] countless people like me who are struggling and figuring out what are we going to do to keep income coming in. It's tough. So, I said, "Let me start this and have an outlet where I can shine a light on amazing, talented, gifted friends of mine who do a lot of amazing work with their art."

The other night I decided to just open it up ... The show is usually an hour ... We went for almost seven hours last night ... There was so many moving moments and so much great dialogue. I hopped on at 7 [p.m.] feeling extremely tired, hurt, devastated, not knowing how I'm going to get through the show. Something I didn't want to do turned into almost seven hours of just upliftment. That heaviness that I felt in the beginning of the show, in light of everything that's still going on, I felt better. We all had a space and a platform to heal and to find some joy in the midst of all of this chaos. And it showed me the power of the word. That's why I called it "THE WORD," because there's so much power, so much energy in our words. It just reminded me of what we can do when we exert the right energy, and we can collectively come together because we're not alone.

I want to see people using their art to help heal. I want to see more of that collectively across the music industry. We need so much healing and our voices, our music, our words can help to do that. So I would just beg and plead with anybody who has a voice, that has a gift of music, to use your music for that cause, for good.

Read: The Best Apps & Tools For Recording And Monetizing Music In The COVID-19 Era

What is the role of art and music in fostering social change and racial justice?

I think it's really tapping in. When any creator creates, as a writer, you tap in deep inside and you follow your heart. You follow those love signals that allow you to verbalize and communicate what it is your spirit is telling you at the moment. So as artists, if we could all just really look deep inside, and really reconnect to the source of who we are as human beings, where we're spiritual beings having a human experience. And if we create from that space of love, healing and justice, what we'll create will be medicine for the soul. It'll be medicine for our country. It'll be a huge healing source that'll allow us to pick ourselves up and hopefully hit a reset button.

I have an album coming out. It was supposed to be out, but the quarantine happened; everything just changed. I have a song called "Change The World," which features Tarrey Torae, my wife; she's a singer-songwriter. I discovered a lot more relevance in the song in the past couple [of] days. I'm watching what's going on, and it wasn't even a song I was considering to be a first single or anything like that. But yesterday, I was like, "Man, I need to get this song out immediately because of the message that's in the music."

It really speaks to us being one. I have a line that says, "Those people over there, those ain't strangers / They're beautiful reflections of who we are." We put these divides up so much and I think, again, if we look inside, if we tap in and we create from a space that is led by love, the music we'll create will heal so many people.

Read: How Queer Rappers Are Defining The Next Generation Of Chicago Hip-Hop

What do you think that the music community at large can do to support Black lives and Black artists?

My first thought is there needs to be a fair distribution of wealth. Often, with artists across the board, but especially with Black artists, the splits aren't right. We're glorified in a sense that people love our music ... Our music is loved and appreciated by so many. We understand the role record labels and distributors play when it comes to getting music out there into the marketplace, but be fair in those splits. Make sure those artists can continue to thrive, because often it feels like an assembly line ... People aren't asking for a lot. Just asking for things to be fair, for folks to get what they worked very hard for. And we're making you money, so help me help you, I'll help you help me.

And make sure the music industry is tapping into artists that will push a positive message. We see a negative message that is constantly pushed. Not all music that's pushed is negative, but there's a lot of life-changing, soul-stirring music that will invoke positive change that is overlooked and not promoted. And there are a lot of artists on the ground doing great work, but there's a certain element that the industry continues to support music that promotes violence, misogynistic behavior and things that aren't necessarily lifting us up. We need music that's going to inspire us. And there are a lot of amazing artists that are creating music in that vein.

And no matter what side, because people's reality is reality ... There are other sides, but we only show one side of the coin. Let us see the full picture. We're very diverse. There isn't one kind of Black person. We come in many shades, colors, sizes, with many different thought patterns, styles and creativity. It should all be shown.

Read: Take Action: Want To Support Protesters And Black Lives Matter Groups? Here's How

What can well-intentioned listeners and music consumers do to discover and support Black artists who aren't rising to the Top 40 on Billboard?

It's such a different world musically, as far as the distribution of music and streaming. We fought for the Music Monetization Act and the Fair Play Fair Pay Act. With streaming, it's tough on artists because where we weren't getting fair pay before, the pie has gotten smaller and it's gotten tougher. So for the consumers, I would say do all you can to support artists across the board, not just those in the Top 100.

Normally, I would say make sure you're going out to that shows. If there's a livestream show, make sure that you go on and support. Make sure you're telling your friends about these amazing artists that touch your soul and move your spirit. Buy their product. Make sure you're doing all you can to support them and keep them lifted because it's tough being an artist.

The consumer can support artists' dreams. Artists are living their dream, they're given everything they can to flourish and to share their art and their gift and their voice. Make sure you're subscribing to their YouTube, following them on social media and putting money in their pocket. Become music ambassadors for the artists you love and make sure people are knowledgeable of those artists so that they don't disappear. It's a hard world. We'll be in love with an artist one minute, then here comes the next beautiful, shiny thing and we forget about that last shiny thing and they're left struggling. So we can just continue to support those artists and make sure they have a platform that will sustain their livelihood and their creativity.

Listen: Sean Ardoin On Addressing Racism In His Powerful New Song & Video "What Do You See"

What do you think non-Black individuals can be doing right now to support the Black community?

Well, first and foremost, reach out to your Black family, friends and those that you love. Check on them, see how they are feeling, be a support system. Again, don't be silent. We see it in the streets right now. I think we could all encompass the energy of the positive protests and apply that to our day-to-day. We know it's not your sole responsibility, but if you can help with speaking up, if you can help with encouraging people to have those review boards for the police, if you can create efforts that will get people out to vote for the right people. If you can, again, support artists and those that are making positive change.

Most importantly, it's not being silent, not sitting back [and] seeing harm come to your fellow citizen and being shut off to that just because they don't "look like you." That's why we have to continue to break down the divides. A lot of my white brothers and sisters have been hitting me up, checking on me and, man, that goes such a long way. 

Read: How The Police Used The Cabaret Card Law To Discriminate Against Black Jazz Artists And Musicians

I mean, America needs to apologize. America has never officially said, "You know what? We did wrong by you. You worked and built this country for free. Here's reparations." Maybe it's free healthcare, maybe it's free education, something that will allow us to lift up. You hurt us for so long and it's like, "Man, slavery was so long ago. Why you tripping?" That's the attitude we get. It's like, "No, we're still feeling the effects."

People need to recognize that white privilege is real. It's not cool to ignore that people have had a leg up for hundreds of years ... But in the midst of still trying to fight for equality, we're dealing with all the brutality and the racism. To my white family out there, be conscious. Don't ignore it, don't have a blind eye or a deaf ear to what's happening. Be aware, be conscious and do what you can to fight those injustices. We've done so much for this country. It's about time some of that starts to come back around to us, so we can all be happy and live a fair, peaceful life.

I noticed you've been posting a lot about voting on your social media, which is super important right now. How can people support getting people out to vote? And how can they make sure that they're voting for the right people?

I think all of us kind of focus on the Presidential election. We've all just kind of directed our attention, that's if we vote, towards the President, and we need to continue to educate ourselves about the local issues. I think we're all waking up to the fact that on the ground locally is where the real change can and will happen. So we need to educate ourselves about who is running. We need to vet everybody; they need to be vetted by the community. The entire community needs to be aware of who we are potentially putting into an office.

If they have some ill background or some twisted views, we need to make sure we're putting the word out and let people know that they don't belong in a space of leadership. We can't have people who are going to protect those causing injustice. So education is the biggest thing. I think if we get into a practice of doing it, it will become less and less overwhelming. It'll just become a commonality.

We need to continue to educate ourselves about those local officials and be activists. Get out there and make sure you are using your voice. And make sure we're educating the younger folk who are coming up, who aren't of voting age, so they're learning the importance of voting at a younger age [and] how their voice is important. And their research and educating themselves is important when it comes to selecting those that we choose to put in power.

Ivan Barias On Silence As Complicity, Holding Major Labels Accountable & How To Be A Non-Black Latinx Ally

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J.Ivy On The Power Of A Teacher

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Recording Academy Chicago President J. Ivy shares his personal story about the importance of teachers
Lior Phillips
Membership
Mar 26, 2021 - 11:49 am

Some people know from their earliest years what they’re bound to do for the rest of their lives, while others need to have that unlocked. J. Ivy—a onetime poetry skeptic, had his passion for spoken word unlocked his junior year of high school with the help of his English teacher Ms. Paula Argue. 

Long before winning a Peabody, a Clio, and an NAACP Image Award—or before contributing to Kanye West’s Grammy-winning College Dropout, giving John Legend his stage name and sharing his poetry with the world in books, on TV, and on record—J. Ivy was a kid in an English classroom assigned to write a poem. 

“It was my junior year at Rich Central High School in Olympia Fields, Illinois—the south suburbs of Chicago. I was super shy and didn’t have a lot of confidence in myself,” Ivy recalls. 

Part of the assignment included reading the poem out loud, but a young Ivy, then known as James, wasn’t keen to share his poetry. Yet, Ms. Argue saw such potential in what he’d written that she insisted. “I was interested in hip-hop and not traditional poetry, but I learned you’re not gonna argue with somebody named Ms. Argue!” Ivy laughs.

As an attentive teacher, Argue knew that she needed to do whatever she could to help ignite the spark of talent she had spotted. “When students show promise in assignments, I look for other ways for them to expand on it,” Argue says. In addition to giving Ivy an A grade for his poem “There Once Was a Cloud”, Argue insisted he perform the poem at the talent show she was organizing. Still unconvinced by the premise of poetry, Ivy said he’d be there but ultimately no-showed. The next day, Argue refused to let the poetry spark fade. “She said, ‘This time I'm not asking you, you have to do it,” Ivy recalls being told.

He then spent the next few weeks memorizing a piece that Argue had given him, and when his recitation earned a standing ovation, the die was cast. “My life changed in that instant,” he says.

Argue recalls the pride she felt in that moment, knowing she’d helped him spot something special within himself. “I was just blown away seeing him embrace this voice, this presence that he didn’t even know he had,” she says. “It’s amazing to see what a little touch of encouragement can do.”

Paula Argue_J.Ivy_Teacher

Ms. Paula Argue/ Photo: Courtesy of Paula Argue

For Ivy, that love quickly became focused on self-expression, of sharing his innermost thoughts with the world. And as Ivy started performing at every talent show, club show, and performance at the school, Argue encouraged him along the way. After graduating high school and starting college at Illinois State, that passion continued to grow. While the performative aspect of spoken word first caught his attention, Ivy quickly became entranced by writing as well. He started attending more and more open mics and talent shows, now performing his own poetry, and thriving on the response. “I felt an electricity shoot through my body when the audience chuckled at something that made me chuckle when I wrote it [and] when they cried at something that made me cry,” he says. “I fell in love with storytelling, with poetry that I didn’t know existed before Ms. Argue introduced me to it.”

And as the years went by and the accolades and achievements piled up, Ivy made sure to keep in contact with the teacher that made it all possible. “Teachers should be the highest-paid people in the country,” vows Ivy. 

For Argue, nurturing Ivy’s talent was about giving back. After initially thinking she’d like to be an attorney, Argue, having graduated from Rich Central High not all that long before starting to teach there, found herself inspired to share the passion and encouragement that had been shared with her. “I wanted to pay forward what my own teacher, Ms. Evans, had given me,” she says. “She was for me what I hope I have been for James: somebody to encourage me to do my best, to do what I love and do it well.”

Through his countless tour dates, book releases, albums, and more, Ivy has retained a connection to the teacher that helped him find and live in his purpose. And Argue, in turn, has been inspired by their continued friendship. “He’s always kept in contact to let me know what’s going on in his life, and whenever he’s in town we’ll go to lunch or he’ll stop by my classroom,” she says. 

Ivy continues to return to Ms. Argue’s classroom to talk with students about the power of poetry because he understands the depth of potential that teachers can have. “Teachers are the foundation and pillars of who we are,” he says. “There’s so much love and compassion, time and energy that they pour into our students. They change lives, they even save lives. They push people in directions that they don’t even know are possible. That’s why I love Ms. Argue. I want her to know that without her, none of this would be possible.”

For the past 60 years, the Recording Academy’s Chicago Chapter has recognized and celebrated the creative accomplishments of our members across the Midwest, fought for their collective rights, and supported them in times of need. We are proud of our legacies and excited to continue looking ahead. Here's to the next 60.

Seth Troxler On His Detroit DJ Education & The Rich Black History—& Future—Of Dance Music

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J. Ivy On The Art & Craft Of Spoken Word

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The Recording Academy Chicago Chapter President breaks it down: "It’s time for people to realize that poetry is a tremendous part of music and the music community"
GRAMMYs
Jul 30, 2020 - 3:19 pm

By J. Ivy

It should be noted that poetry is the seed and the root of every song that’s ever been written. Spoken Word in simplest terms is performance poetry, whether it’s performed acapella, performed with the drum like The Last Poets, or with music like the late great Gil Scott-Heron’s “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.” The addition of music with spoken word shouldn’t be confused for rap music. The difference lies in how the delivery, the cadence, the rhythm of the lyrics or the poetry is presented. And yes, rap is also poetry. There’s no denying that. Some of my all-time favorite poets are MC’s, but when you take an MC’s music away from his or her verse, you still hear the rhythm of the rap, you still hear the flow, you still hear the beat. I have a quote that says, “They say he offbeat! I’m a Poet. The beat follows me.” A poet’s flow is more like jazz. Yes, there is a beat. Yes, there is a rhythm to it, but the phrasing that happens between each measure bounces and jumps and pauses and climbs and falls and doesn’t have to rhyme, or be in any telegraphed order, quite like some of your favorite jazz songs. 

In some cases, poetry is sung, in some cases, poetry is rapped, but in the art of spoken word, poetry is a rhythmic conversation, that isn’t confined to the walls of a beat or a measure or a bar. Spoken Word is the freest form of poetry being performed, which it’s why it’s important to keep shining light on this amazing art form, which is why it’s important for poets out there to make sure they’re releasing their work and submitting their projects for GRAMMY consideration in the Spoken Word category. There are so many extraordinary, life changing, lifesaving poets and spoken word artists in the world that it’s so important for the Recording Academy and the poetry community itself, to do everything in our power to bring attention to this rare, beautiful, impactful form of art.

I met this person once, and a few minutes into our conversation, they asked what did I do (for a living). I said, “I’m a poet.” They said, “That’s cool, but what do.” Again, I said, “I’m a poet.” They responded, “I get that, but what do you do for a living?” I said, “Um, I write poetry.” Early on I started my career for the pure joy and love of writing and performing my poetry. As time went on, it was revealed to me that I could make a living doing what I loved to do. But along the way to that realization I was always presented with the fear or the idea that I wouldn’t be able to make a living being just a poet. I was always advised to get a “real job” and do poetry as a hobby. “Work during the day. Do your poetry at night.” To this day those same people always tell me how surprised they are that I’m able to sustain a livelihood with poetry. Every poet that I know, including myself, still does it for the joy and love, but we’re also able to build sound careers and support our families, like any other occupation one may choose.                                                                   

Our support and opportunities are seen in all walks of life. From live stage performances, to the work we do in film, the work poets do in commercials, to the work we do with students in classrooms, to the work most poets do in their communities, to our literary works, to the work we do in the studio as Recording Artist and the music we create, opportunity is definitely out there. You have to be creative with creating your lane, but what I do know is that there’s plenty of room for everyone. Knowing what I’ve been able to do in my career and seeing what friends of mine around the world have been able to accomplish, it’s more than evident that you can be a full time working poet. And the reason being, is because most people are fans of the art. We don’t always get the exposure we may need; but, when the light is on us, like when Russell Simmons HBO "Def Poetry" was on the air, who didn’t tune in? More importantly, for those that did tune in, who with a soul in their body didn’t feel what you saw and you heard on the TV screen? Poetry is cool! The coolest people on the planet are poets. Kick it with a poet. Hang out with them. Listen to their conversations. Peep the views on YouTube. Most people know the importance of the work, they appreciate it, have love for it, and support it when it’s presented to them.

Craft Sessions: The Spoken Word

J. Ivy hosts Craft Sessions: The Spoken Word featuring performances from a nationwide collective of spoken word artists including Adia Victoria, Nate Marshall, Ursula Rucker, Jericho Brown, Mahogany L. Browne - Writer, Sekou Andrews, jessica Care moore and Tongo Eisen-Martin Poetry.

Posted by Recording Academy / GRAMMYs on Tuesday, July 28, 2020

And for those reasons, another misconception to dispel is that poetry is just for the coffee shops. Like Sekou Andrews stated on "Craft Sessions: The Spoken Word," it belongs in stadiums. Poetry isn’t just for books, it’s for albums. Poetry isn’t just for the studious who’s looking to score points with the ladies, it’s for any and every person with a story to tell, who isn’t afraid to tell it. Poetry has no barriers and it’s time that people stop trying to cap its potential. It’s time for people to realize that poetry is a tremendous part of music and the music community. You know I can get deep and tell you that poets are the keepers of history, but to put it plain, Poets are the makers of some really cool shit! Point blank, period. I dare you to listen to a poet and not be moved. I’m waiting!

I sit as the Chair of the Chicago Chapter’s Spoken Word Advisory Group. Wanting to raise awareness with Spoken Word Artists regarding the GRAMMY’s Spoken Word category, our original plan was to have a live event in Chicago that would highlight poets/spoken word artists from the Midwest. Due to Covid-19, we decided, like most, to change the program into a virtual experience. The idea immediately expanded to building with poets who were not only from the Midwest, but around the country. We reached out to poets in our network. We reached out to poets that we’re big fans of. And we reached out to other Recording Academy Chapters for suggestions of Poets/Spoken Word Artists in their music communities.

The response was mind blowing and the list of power houses we ended up with on the show was nothing short of amazing. From Adia Victoria (Nashville by way of South Carolina), to Nate Marshall (Chicago), to Ursula Rucker (Philly), to Jericho Brown (Atlanta by way of Shreveport) to Mahogany L. Browne (Brooklyn), to Sekou Andrews (Cali), to Jessica Care Moore (Detroit), to Tongo Eisen-Martin (San Fran) each of these giants in the game gave a true display of the power of the spoken word. These phenomenal poets are all so accomplished in their careers. Jessica is an Apollo Theatre Legend. Jericho is a Pulitzer Prize Winner. Sekou is a Grammy Nominated Spoken Word Artist. And that’s just to name a few. I use the phrase “lightning in a bottle” to describe the evening and it was just that. Poet after poet, spoke truth to power, raised the hairs on the viewers’ arms, and sparked something, awoken something, in all of us. The stories they told and the poetry they shared was so relevant to the times, so thought provoking, so healing, and so needed. The night was epic. The night was historic. It was an honor to perform and be the host of the Recording Academy’s first ever Spoken Word event.

The nature of being a poet is listening, experiencing life, and documenting what you find. Being a creative journalist, a street reporter, is the essence of the art. We capture what we see and what we feel. We’re moved to shine light on subjects that affect us all. That has been the job of every poet that has come before us, every poet that is in the trenches speaking their truth right now, and every poet that will come after us. Like music, the words of a poet, the performances of spoken word artists, become the soundtracks of movements and the lifestyles we’re encouraging the world to lean towards. We hear the cries of the people. We hear the joy. We hear the justice that most people are fighting for, especially in the Black community. Before the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, before cameras turned in our directions, often times it was the poets who were translating the spirit and concerns and the struggles of the people. We’ve watched our people work for pennies and succeed to the highest heights. We’ve seen our people suffer and mother’s crying. We’ve seen the malnutrition of resources that exists in our communities. We’ve seen men and women with the same tones and hues as our own laid down in the streets by the same system that swore to protect its people. Spoken Word artists bring power and light and hope and inspiration to movements that grow long and exhausting. We combat fear and instill courage for others to speak up. Poets are superheroes. We write time capsules for the future to discover, trails of our voices that will forever tell the stories of what was, what is, and what could be.

J. Ivy is the President of the Recording Academy Chicago Chapter, where he recently led "Craft Sessions: Spoken Word," the Academy's first-ever celebration of spoken word.

Photo of GRAMMY trophy

Photo: Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images

News

The Recording Academy Establishes Black Music Collective

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The newly launched collective comprises a group of prominent Black music creators and professionals who share the common goal of amplifying Black voices within the Recording Academy and the wider music community
Recording Academy
Sep 3, 2020 - 6:30 am

The Recording Academy has today (Sept. 3) announced the creation of its Black Music Collective (BMC), a group of prominent Black music creators and professionals who share the common goal of amplifying Black voices within the Academy and the wider music community.

As part of the Recording Academy's commitment to evolving hand-in-hand with its membership, BMC will serve as a space for members to speak openly about new and emerging opportunities in Black music across all genres and identify ways to drive more representation.

The launch of BMC follows the Recording Academy's recent partnership with Color Of Change, the nation's largest online racial justice organization, in July, which set forth to create a Black music advisory group. The BMC fulfills this promise and is bringing together creators and business leaders to create a pipeline of future industry trailblazers. Leaders will meet regularly and initiate programs that will encourage participation and accelerate Black membership in the Recording Academy.

Jeffrey Harleston, Jimmy Jam, Quincy Jones, Debra Lee, John Legend, and Sylvia Rhone will serve as honorary chairs of the BMC. A distinguished leadership committee will be confirmed in the coming weeks and will work in sync with the honorary chairs to propel the collective's mission. Recording Academy Trustee Riggs Morales and Washington, D.C., Chapter Executive Director Jeriel Johnson will lead the initiative internally. 

"The Black Music Collective is necessary to help drive the Recording Academy into a new era. Creating an open space for Black music creators can only benefit our membership as a whole," Harvey Mason jr., Chair and Interim President/CEO of the Recording Academy, said. "Through the past few months, I've been personally invested in propelling this collective along with Chapter leadership within the Academy. Together, we will elevate Black music creators within our organization and the industry at large." 

"As Black music continues to drive culture, it is essential we grow and maintain representation within the Academy and the music industry," Valeisha Butterfield Jones, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer of the Recording Academy, said. "We're thrilled to help develop the leaders of tomorrow with impactful educational and experiential programs that we will announce in coming weeks."

In March 2018, the Recording Academy established a third-party task force to examine issues of diversity and inclusion within the Academy and the broader music community. The Academy has since taken action on the Task Force's initial assessment and recommendations and has made additional strides to facilitate a culture of belonging while recognizing the need to focus on underrepresented communities. Recent initiatives include the hiring of a Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, a $1 million donation to Color Of Change, alignment with #TheShowMustBePaused movement created by Jamila Thomas (Atlantic Records) and Brianna Agyemang (Platoon), and the development of an industry Inclusion Rider and Toolkit to be released later this year.

Stay up to date on the Recording Academy's progress, future announcements and recent initiatives on diversity and inclusion.

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