Talk to me about the title of your book, Reluctant Poet.

“Reluctant Poet” was a nickname given to me by Felice Bell and Keith Roach who ran the Nuyorican Poet Café’s Friday night slam back when I was first getting into spoken word. They called me that because I had horrible anxiety around sharing my work and would like disappear from the slam scene for weeks or months at a time. Then when I decided to do a book, I procrastinated and procrastinated and procrastinated a little bit more. The manuscript sat by my bed for about two years before I self published with a different title that I can’t even remember now. Reluctant Poet describes me then. Continue reading →

Tell me a little about your childhood.

I wouldn’t trade my childhood for anything. It wasn’t the best, but, in retrospect, it made me who I am today. I had fun growing up in a big house in midtown Memphis. I was raised mostly by my mom and grandma, so the feminine influence was great in my life. My family is very crazy. Growing up in that house was like a nonstop comedy show. That’s what made the hard times easy. I thank God for having a true childhood experience because a lot of guys I know had to grow up fast. Continue reading →