For many people Write-On has broken many a poet virginity and guess what? It is back to the gully, raw, and authentic artistic space, kicking off its opening night Friday September 27!!
Hosted by the hilarious Anitra, so you know you don't want to miss out on this show. Start your weekend off right with artists of all kinds at 33rd and Clifton.
Running out of places to indulge in the art of spoken word and story telling? Visit Kafe Kuumba tonight. Its Thursday, slightly rainy out, may as well chill with some deep thinkers tonight.
WE STILL IN THE BUILDING!!!
Or we're at least still thinking about it.
On some real shit, Im still a little upset I
had to work that night. OF ALL NIGHTS.
SMH. But I digress.
Last year in 2012 in April, Peace of Mind Pub and Eatery transformed into an open mic scene every other Tuesday night until its final closing back August 20th. You guys were there. Most of you hit the stage zone every chance you could. But some of you.. some of you act like you didnt have bars and didnt want to share. Its fine tho.
But on this beautiful Tuesday most of us would be getting off work, and heading to DPoM for a night of banter, randomness, lyricism, drinks, and for the most part - dinner.
But not this time.. But! Tonight, lets stroll down memory lane and laugh, gawk, and recall the ohh yeeaahh moments from all the shows and feature held at Different Peace of Mind.
Mars vs Venus Lord knows I wish I could get the footage from this night back in July 2012 but photos are better than nothing! This was my first attempt at writing cover stories and I loved every moment of it.
Part One of this show was amazing to say the least. For the Mars was T.Odis, Sleepy P, Too Black, Tony Styxx, and Theon Lee with Jus Will as the guest host.
Venus team consisted of DuWap, Rehema, Chenzira, Cory, and Gabby P and of course hostess jY.
Mars team put up a pretty good fight.
But of course Venus won in the end.
The most memorable moment of this night was when Anitra let the cat out the bag about jY's age. Once again, s/o to Imani for capturing this moment:
Many people appreciated all Peace of Mind offered on a Tuesday night. All the 'Fuck It, Feel It' moments with the added shhhhiiiiiiiiiit, will be a memorable moment for everyone that attended.
And now a word from our sponsors:
This is what a different peace of mind meant to me.
It gave me as a poet an outlet to plug my spoken word ability into so that the people that's around me or should I say the audience, could get a shockwave of whatever I had to deliver. With the help of a Different Peace of Mind, January gave me a opportunity to let people know more of who So Simple the poet is. She set up another platform when all other platforms came to an end,, and with her love of poetry she found a way to keep the poetry scene alive. So I just want to thank her for having her ears, heart, and soul to the streets, and gave the open mic venue another heartbeat. Love you, J.Y
~Juan So-Simple Burnett
I would like to say that the open mic was a God-send for me. I moved from VA and normally my element back home was going to open mics. My fiance, has only a hand full of spots that she likes, and the open mic for me is how I release. I love poetry and I love writing and I had just moved to Indianapolis, so I had to get reacquainted with people, but Januarie and Will were very, very helpful at making me feel at home. Januarie's door and mic have always been open, she's invited me to different spots but because of my job schedule, and doing a much of madness with my wedding, I've had to decline, but I'm getting Married in November so by Next year, ironically, JANUARY, I should be good and have some more time on my hands. But I would just like to tell her thank you for everything. ~McKinley Bundick Jr
When I was 21, I saw a woman who made the art of spoken word nSaychable, so much so that I said when I grow up poetically, I want to be just like her. And although my life's path took me to places that included babies, drama, abuse, heartache, love, happiness and healing, I never let go of the idea of sharing my love affair with words to the world...on stage...as life would have it, I was able to meet her in January, and learn about the powerhouse of a poet who is always in a New York State of Mind. She taught me to fuck it feel it. Allowed me to go bawls deep in my creativity. There will never ever be another one of her. Period. ~NiaRose
Jy, You have a gift... of seeing the processing of the world and communicating it to us in such a way that we are all able to see how we are more alike than different. Artists are gifted... with insight < the 7th sense. Thank you for sharing your insight...the world would be a darker place without you. peace. ~Naz
To JY:
Just wanted to say thank you in your consistency. You have the power of life or death in your tongue and you choose to touch the lives of others with your soul. Thank you for your power and initiative. Appreciate your uplift and kindness. Please continue to trailblaze as you are that amazing in my view.
Peace. ~Mr. Saunders
Different Peace Of Mind......Really gave me a different Peace of Mind! The Phrase 'FiFi' really made you step in the center & spit dat shit!!!! DPOM gave me the opportunity to put on HEELS and STRUT down the isle way like the Lady that I am most never get to see.....I felt free @ DPOM & jY made it a place where everyone felt welcomed & Free! ~Anitra Malone
I got a chance to see a community of love, support, and energy. It was a little different for me than others because the first time I met Januarie she was with Gabby and we were all outside speaking with Shihan and they asked, "how do you get into the poetry community." I don't know how much DPoM represents or what she had in mind, but every time I see her now, I know what she is for. She's moving. I feel invigorated when I went to DPoM.. I literally feel like her soldier of poetry and if she needed my best, it was the best I was giving. In doing so, my game went up, up, up and away. ~Michael 'Lyrik" Rudolph Thank you Ms. York you are a beautiful, talented and
inspiring woman. I have learned that poetry ages like wine; getting
better each year and someday I hope to strut into the spotlight knowing
that places like Midtown Arts, Kafe Kuumba and DPOM paved the way. ~Rehema McNeil
Disclaimer: Words can’t say enough.
I had heard about jY’s open mic spot, A Different Peace of Mind, and had
faith it was amazing because of what I knew about jY, but at the time I was
going through a rocky relationship with poetry, so I had no desire to have
ANYTHING to do with anything poetry related—no matter how positive the reviews
were.
After a random Facebook post turned into a show spear-headed by jY’s
enthusiasm about the idea and her immensely creative mind we, along with a host
of other poets breathed life into the 7 Deadly Sins Poetry Showcase, held at A
Different Peace of Mind. I tried my hardest to not be in the show due to my
mixed feelings about poetry, but jY pushed me, encouraging me to be part of
something I helped conceptualize. But more than that, she knew my struggle and
wanted to see me back where I used to be. I laid my heart on the stage that
night.
Her passion for the art transcends her performance and permeates everything
and everyone around her. She personally helped me find my voice again. She was
the beginning of my restoration of, and faith in, people genuinely caring about
and believing in you. And now because birds of a feather, I have been connected to
so many other kindred spirits. Gravity has truly made her reflect real beauty.
DPoM has been the platform I have used to get back to my first love. It has
been more than a poetry venue; in the short time that have patronized it I have
made so many connections, friends, discovered love and appreciation in so many
forms, and have gained so much respect for Nap’s poetry community.
DPoM had
become a comfort zone for me. The people there are open and inviting, and have
become a family within itself. I have never felt judged there, nor have I felt
the need to hold back from being myself. Isn’t that the essence of love; to be
able to be yourself without apology?
I am very sad that this era is coming to an end, but I am sure that this
would not be the case if there was not a damned good reason. So that being
said, I will push my sadness to the back of my mind and rejoice in the memories
that I have made, the love I have been able to partake in, and the freedom I
have gained in being able to come to a venue every two weeks and be exactly who
I am, with no regrets.
I love you jY. Thank you, Kia, and Neena for your sacrifice vision. ~Robin Prodigal Poet Jackson
I had the chance to sit down with jY in a short Q&A:
Q: When did you realize that you could make a living off giving people something to think about and what motivated you to create a cd for your listeners?
A: I think the first time that I featured at a college (ISU) by myself, as a spoken word artist and I saw the kids come in and fill up the seats and I knew it was all on me. Artistically, it was my first time putting together a feature set of poems. So it was up to me to break the monotony up and to keep the people ‘entertained’ yet make some kind of a statement with the platform I was given. Financially, it was the first time I had ever been paid so much. Combined, I left knowing that if I could get myself booked often enough, in colleges and the like, with open mic features potentially supplementing when school was out, I could do it. It didn’t work out that way for me. But I gave it a small shot and I loved every minute of it.
My motivation for making a cd – I had released a four track EP and then re-released it with a few additional tracks added to it. After that, I had a longing to complete an entire CD. My EP sold well, it was marketed good and people seemed to love it. So doing a full length cd seemed like the logical idea. I wanted to create something that spoke along the lines of the shows I put together. Something that either told a story or a had a complete message to deliver, so I worked and reworked different ideas and concepts and poems and tracks until I got it !
Q: What have you learned throughout your journey being a writer and spoken word artist?
A: I’ve learned a lot. It’s a never ending learning process for sure. Bullshit to the side, being a writer of poetry and performing and being embraced in the spoken word community has taught me about myself. Being able to have access to differences of opinions and religions and thoughts about life, all under the realm of performance poetry is where I grew as a woman, so I’d be a lie to say it hasn’t shaped how I view things and people and how I deal/cope with life. It has opened me up to being less introverted and more receiving of an abundance of positive affections, and it has taught me about endurance. I had to slow climb to where I am now and I’m by no way saying I’m at the top of anything, but the place I stand was a long way making it.
There were many times I wanted to quit performing and one time, I did quit. I’ve experienced growing pains that have shaped me not just as an artist, but a woman. And most of all, it has taught me freedom. Self freedom.
Q: I know I2I is one of your bigger plans, is there anything else people should look out for now the open mic has closed?
A: Actually, there are a few things people should look out for. I am one of the 52 artist picked for a project called IAMaArtist, which will be photographing various local artists and displaying them on playing cards, store fronts and much more!! Its really exciting. I am also blogging for the Indianapolis Recorder on their website. Then I have the radio show Think Like a Woman (TLaW), with my co-host/friend Naz Khalid, and we have a strong following (it airs weekly)! Then I have one more big one I’m still saving. I will let the word out in November on this project I’m stupid geeked and honored to be apart of. In between time, I will just be working and writing; writing and working.
In short, I'm thankful for the family mentality that comes with being apart of a community of writers, performers, gangstas, goof balls, comedians, love birds, musicians, assholes, geeks, freaks, muses, role models, deep thinkers, light thinkers, Momz, Uncs, Aunties, Bros, Sis, (sorry I only have one Popz) weed heads, drunks, gamers, singers, dancers, and slew of all you n-words that are all these things rolled into one beautiful human being. Nice to meet ya. I'm ParaLectra Divine. Lets go smoke one.
