The my guess today, out of a small house, is also known as in q, and put his probably more publicly known by that he's. A national poetry slam champion award winning poet and multi platinum songwriter. He was named to Oprah's super soul. One hundred list of the world's most influential thought leaders for spoken- word, artists, performers, cirque du soleil and has been featured everywhere from any e s: p, n, H, b, o's poetry, def jam and inspired audiences around the world through live performances and storytelling workshops where he invites people to step into their own poetry and to own it and to become brave and vulnerable and share. Many of his recent poetry. Videos have also gone viral with I dunno something like seventy. Eighty. Ninety, probably at this mine over one hundred million views combined, he grew up in venice, california, really immersed himself in the world of hip, hop and rap in the early days, writing or freestyling and rap battles before finding his place in the poetry scene, in l a becoming a weekly regular at the poetry lounge for nearly fifteen years, while building his skills and voice and presence,

supporting himself writing songs, fur mega stars like miley, cyrus, selena gomez, and so many others now his first book of inquire within is out, I am super excited to have him on the show and he's also forming a number of his spoken were pieces kind of weave. In and out of the conversation you will now, want to miss this deeply personal conversation, along with the chance to be swept away by the beauty of power of his performance, is so excited to share it with you. I'm Jonathan fields- and this is a good life project.

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to russia. Just fresh back from them Weeks on the road ourselves and the last chunk of its main santa monica, which you know well that's where I'm from Yeah stomping grounds or where you were actually staying down in venice, like right on the edge of venice insulate, the south part of santa Monica, that's literally, where I'm from israeli yeah bay street lincoln and when you are coming up in that area. What was it like, then?. He had said interesting. No one's ever asked me that question If I ever say I'm from santa monica biggest item we assume whatever you know it was interesting. My mother was a single parent, the school teacher we were right is there a little rank control apartment? and you know amazing neighborhood in terms of diversity felt like I could you know even now, to this day get along with anyone from anywhere. You know it economic background. You know

I just usually feel very comfortable connecting right away. I think that was based on my upbringing. Yeah I mean venice speech then, and even now, to a certain extent, although- I'm square back then was sort of this place where just like mayhem was going on at the time were invented speech felt oddly similar to me back then if he was a little bit the same still these days, but then, like you, step a block off everything feels deafening Like abbot kinney, it sort of like august, so now, I'm in here park, slope, brooklyn, Yeah, I don't know venice, you know it's an amazing place to live, because you can't beat the lifestyle but it's definitely kind of an amusement park for adults these days and it's a bit of a bubble now and I know eventually, you get into spoken word and, and actually the entree for that, for you is, is more the musical route. What filled you up when you're a kid surly before you found that, because it also sounds like an a hurt for to talk about the fact that

shaggy. You got your mama's single mom didn't know you'd out when you are young, but also used to the fact that you ghetto outrageous again. I think I had a lot of emotion as a kid. I had a lot of anger. I had a lot of sadness and I didn't really have an outlet for that. What was it about like? What was the genesis? think I always felt like. I was observing myself from the outside. Looking in you know, when you are without a father I think, often times you, Look outside of yourself for what you're supposed to be? You know It's not that sense of security and anybody. and my mom did an amazing job raising me, but there was still that absence and I think Ultimately, I turned to art to fill that space. Their music was sensible. the answer to that or with other forms of expression I fell in love with her pop when I was like thirteen years old- and I just

Absolutely. I think, was attracted to the purity of the expression and started to freestyle like very naturally like on my own. And free styling, I would say it was my first form of meditation because when you freestone, you can't think about anything else, but the next week or the next rime, and so it really drops you into the moment, and- it's an avenue forgetting out all of those thoughts and emotions, better unexpressed what are you doing it on your own? Are you doing in cipher your battling? Somebody this. immediacy, That brings you into the moment, like nothing else can agenda, I was something that that became an addiction to me and at that time it was really my religion that and described it

Freeze is for those who don't know what you're talkin about priests he's just when you start to speak in. You know you almost alike on the train and building the train tracks. At the same time,. you know what your rhyming, some- are sitting in a chair right here, well to light like a flare blow into the atmosphere. It's crystal clear, like a chandelier, I can steer this in any direction, not perfection, but you know blah blah blah. So it's like that I prefer you just start and whatever. this comes in and it something that I do, often at all any more but at the time It was necessary for me It really like shaped, I would say my younger artistic life, yeah. I made so interesting, also because there's. The idea of sitting down

with an idea or theme or a story and crafting language and refining it refining it and then practising it and then making it. So nearly if and when you step up and share this with the world, you feel like you, ve, got a doubt then versus freedom. like the exact opposite, and yet at the same time, I wonder if he there's a story about about this can juniors famous. I have a dream speech and how halfway through that it's gonna, wonder action but merely jackson's? I tell him about the dream. Tell about the dream and each It is in the moment- and he freestyle the entire. I have a dream sequencing that talk, but then, if each I get back You see that he'd ashen been workshops in like lie. In phrases bren for that for a while in talks before that, So when, when you step up to freestyle, especially in the early days, is it like

wheatley in the moment free flowing it just common area in real time, already feel like you're, also drawing on the bits and pieces that you worked out and figuring out how to slide a man integrate and move in and out of it. Coming absolutely doing bits and pieces there, but you also have complete discovery and complete creed. Action in the moment. So Both are intertwining simultaneously and It's a beautiful experience. You know- and that was really something that I needed. put me in the moment, because there so many things that I had no other outlet for, and it was. First thing that I really found of with now was a gradual evolution or do you remember a moment's bad are something that and where something you said, yes, this this is it at least for that window? I remember when I was fifteen, I snuck into a club and are you now

with my friends and stuff, and there was like a battle on stage and somehow I got involved in It was like two hundred and fifty people, three hundred people in the club and one the battle like onset, elaborating on stage before that. That was the first time that I was on stage battling somebody. I definitely battled. People ciphers and different things like that, but That was the first time that I got an audience, is reaction and to when I remember was I to rounds back and forth in note to win and to have the crowd react, to what I was creating was Unlike anything, I ever felt and I felt empowered in ways that I think at the time I didn't feel empowered at all in my Was an important moment now, I mean it's almost like. In this sense of external validation that, I think especially we see, we tend to seek a lot more were younger near and when you

feel at your tears like knowing that you feel like you're developing chops and having something good from the inside out and then when, when tuna, fifty people, Validate and they're like yeah like this is something I would imagine out the incredibly powerful, but also at the same time does Flip a switch, were you start to seek not just outlet in expressions relate those moments of flow to make you ok, the state of your life, but also does that started in inter jack. The notion of I need more, that from the outset. It you know now That time, but later that didn't happen immediately, but Eventually, if you seek anything externally for your sense of vanity you're gonna get in trouble, I mean it's just a part of the process, As an artist when you start creating for other p You co, opt your own voice. Does I don't try to strategies inspiration.

Inspiration doesn't come from. Manipulation comes from space, Inspiration is something that moves through you You know so I feel like I'm the vehicle and the obstacle for my poetry at this point Are you about that? I think it through my experiences in my thoughts and my emotions but Ultimately, I have to get out of the way for the poem to show up so, always if I start in a place. That's true. The rest, the palm almost right itself. As long as I get an given enough time and space but suppose I'll be riding, for example, and I'll write, something that I know it's dope and I'll be like audits. but it's not right what the poem wants to say. and so then I go back to the I swear. It was right, you know, and then I go again from there. Ultimately, it's it's not really about me. There is that it

feeling for you or is there? Something is our process where you can Distinguished those two things that's intuition in outside, I have to feel through it. That's why I mean, if I wasn't there, the palm wouldn't be created. So you know definitely a part of the process, but I dont think that you know are more important than the piece of work but I'm creating at the moment and ultimately, I think the art is more important than the artist because it can lead stronger. I mean it's interesting though, because. When you serve have that process, it like the gacek, its we're getting about buddhism, site right action in them, there's a there's, a sense that, yes, I can do this, and yes, it may well work in people. this in business activity. I can market this way. I can do this. I can build this. I can sell it. Make money but didn't something inside it says, but this is not right action

but sometimes that switch. doesn't get flipped until this thing that you ve created actually goes out to the world, and people start to react with the end at that moment, even if their accepting it were something in you says, it's not right, Do you have an example for that new life, or what are you thinking up when you sign it? Well, what I think is on, what I see a lot of people do in the world of marketing. Were you create a mark, an experience that would get people to buy stuff? She nodded? and I ask you to happen- a lot in the world. The business underpin entrepreneurship and stuff adapt, but I think it happens in the world about two weeks You know you, you can kennedy where the site, as is going we can see, what's happening in the market right now entreat to it and you the party you this, as I want to sustain myself with my art, is ok, I'm alone butts. To certain sent you wonder if your snaking, something by people

yeah, I mean that's what I'm saying. I don't wanna strategies, my inspiration, because it really is a manipulation at that point and. I write for myself, you know I look around and see you know what moves me one. Spires me what annoys me- and I start there for inspiration. And inspiration or maybe just paying attention. You know that along those lines, one of the things that you ve written about really recently in your new book enquire within effect, it kind of starts the burden, the second comment there is upon valued at the weekend. In the past. You been ok, referencing very generally insane. That's not like I'm not ready to tell a story and the Is upon kind of step into it in a big way I opened sharing that yeah.

But actually I wrote that poem years ago. I would say that that's the oldest poem in the bar interesting, but it was an aspirational palm at the time. and I would say that it's only in the last, five years that I've kind of been able. who embody it an alarm poems. Are you not see the purging or praying or both and so. When I'm writing, I'm talking to myself in that I think I don't really strategize my inspiration in that way, because then I would manipulating myself. First before I even get the hints yeah, you know. So, if, if I'm able to explore something that I to be reminded of, help me get their quicker in my life before what what happens then there makes you circus. I wrote this long time ago and it was aspirational. and was largely from me like engineer get this out what happens, that makes you say,

Ok, now it's actually time to make this public. ranging because this becomes a conversation, or this becomes at least a public statement on what makes you ok with alec where's. He bridge that gap I mean I have been performing it for a long time, but there's only certain audiences in situations where it makes sense for the most part. I would use this from my poetry workshops. because if you want- but to be vulnerable. You have to lead by example you can ask someone to do something: you're, not willing to do them yourself. It's actually irresponsible. So this was one of the problems that I would use, and then I would ask people to explore a moment that change too they are in their life. ultimately this palm cod, other time is about forgiveness, but is also about the first time I met him. You know which when I was fifteen years old.

And so that was something that became a doorway for other people, when I would do these workshops for them to delve into themselves and be willing to get up and share and be vulnerable from a place of strength. But other that there were a lot of I mean I get hired all over the country in the world to perform, but there's not a lot of environments where this poem made sense to share it. and then, as I grew as a human being and I changed the meaning of the palm changed from me as well, and I learned some of the hidden messages that unconsciously put in their share with us short scott father time. I'm staring at the number wondering flash car. I can hear the tick tock from the clock on the wall as it meshes with the thump thump beat of my heart. Sometimes getting something started is the hardest part.

I didn't mean my dad until I was fifteen. I'd seen as photograph, but his image was sick me a coward with a dick but no balls to back it up see when he left me ass, a kid I had cars for acting. Funny thing about hate. the person you hate dozen feel that hate. You feel that hate, but wait, wait, can be too much for a person to take. Personally, I was heard so I just locked away. I was angry arbiter. and I didn't know why. I couldn't handle my own rage, so I would hide it inside pretending every Was fine became a daily pastime time passed and I started to believe in my own lies. I took out on my mom, because she raised me alone?

Age that I couldn't own headline we totally none. like a land mines. In my mind that I didn't stand so when the boy inside cried the young men outside yelled. I think Learned about my masculinity from tv. People weren't real. so I knew they couldn't leave me out therefore hours right in front of the two. The image. Just that I saw my depiction of truth it was manhood in a box and I bought into it The censorship of anything inside of me that sensitive the sentence is a lifetime of tears suppressed in stone face in over blown ego. They distracted through a paper chase back when I was nine. I imagined in my mind, My father was a spy working for the

f b. I and that's why couldn't stop by rather drop a line? He was off saving our lives from the bad guys, but that just a lie that I used to get by So there you wouldn't see the tears welling up in my eyes, when you rejected by the person that you created by you, secretly feel like you, don't have a right to your life. I thought, if I confronted him than it, would make it all right, but Since I couldn't forgive him, it just recycled my spy. I remember meeting on the first tat every time person pass by. I would ask my that him. I look a little like him right now. Oh what about that guy! And that was what it was like to meet. The man gave me my life.

Shake his hand, look into his eyes. We talk. Will he apologized than siroc bass the where my own and I began to cry. Now, four years after that, acted like it was all resolved. I told them what I thought. So I figured problem solved but adjust ray evolved. My and securities were eating at my mental health. I took it out On the world because I hated myself. That's when I finally decided I need some help opened up I started writing and sharing about my past. I got honest with myself in started chip at my mask into the mere and confirm What I saw setting the reflection by bracing. Every flaw, then direct

the connection into breaking down the walls by reflecting the perfection of the god inside us all. I stop focusing on everything that I had been hateful for. started focusing on everything. I could be grateful for it, personally. There is a lot I can be thankful for, if pain is dragging you down just cut the ankle cord. that's one! The weight lifted, and I really started living so am I hate shifted in a really started, giving its mama eight twisted. It was like an ego exorcism. your mind. State can be the most powerful of prisons father never played catch with me or gay advice, but Nothing else that may gave me my life.

And that's enough for me: it All he could ever give I'm appreciative for every day I get to live, and even though I don't need my dad to validate me. I thought that I should write this poem to thank him for creating me. Because every moment that we are alive is like a gift. and if that's not enough to forgive, then what is. I'm staring at the number wondering classical. I can hear the tick tock the clock on the wall as it meshes with a thump thump beat of my heart. Sometimes getting something started is the hardest part, a pick the fauna tom begins to sing.

A punches number into it begins to bring re ray. Hello, my hey man, sir. It's Adam, you son,. The. Met yet the global private aviation leader is known for personalizing every detail of your travels because net, yet standard is not just to meet their definition of perfection. It's to exceed yours discover more at net jets, dot com,

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How. has the way you feel when you offer that changed over time. I would say there was more anger when I did it originally, because I was still Try to achieve that. So cellular way, and now I feel really at peace with that story, and I think that. that speaks to art, because is the creation of the art, which helps separate story from your life. What, if your exploring something that was difficult? and it allows you to have a look but more ownership over it, rather than it having ownership or review and then there's the sharing of it. And the sharing of it is the alchemy.

because you actually get a chance. To say something that's real and true for you and to share your human experience and to have that mere from people that listen to it and even Circumstances are different they understand, because we're going through this human experience together yeah I mean it. As you are offering, I mean steeply moving. Also deeply personal. at the same time. I'm sure for so many. creates the space for them to step into it with them circumstances of their life, if it tells them to hear interesting to me that this is something that you have offered that you shared. in a limited way. Sir lucan public performance and I've done a lot of work. The schools over the years. The thing like I would imagine so many

college students, feel variation of this were like. This would be something that land in a row the powerful way when special, when you're young, and really grappling with how do I put language to the things that I'm feeling I'm having trouble wedding out and sharing yeah. so I think, artist so necessary in schools and its the travesty that they ve started to remove funding all around our country, because it's the thing that allows kids who feel powerless to find power and they cannot of course create on their own. But why not provide space and structure for them to come, in the schools A lot of my earlier workshops were added called our chair upward, bound witches? You know kid, you're not going to go to college fur

first time, anyone in their families don't juvenile places. I had done you know, schools and colleges and libraries, and This cannot provide this platform for kids to explore these stories, and anti It happened to be celebrated for these stories, because our always create a space where there's only positive, constructive feedback So there's really now judgment and there, A beautiful experience too, to watch the park in their eyes get turned on all These palms that I put into the book enquire within. They were always living breathing documents for me and they would changes I would change my experience of them would change. I would added them in real time and is the first time that I've ever had a home for all of this art, but have created over the years.

it's been a really really beautiful process to finally have something that I can give away to people, yeah dessert, have them revisited and moved slowly through it, and also, I think, when they, when you're offering it has spoken, word peace. Yes, you can. Happened to the ideas in the language, but it still your voice, their hearing in their head rush when somebody region a buck. Maybe they actually heard you performed the peace or history to a certain extent, there still hearing it was, but what's more lately, that daschle their hearing their voice in their head bro and can probably take ownership of it in a different level, which is more important to me. The you know, they're the completion and giving it away- and so this is it almost like a death for me so that it can have new life for others, and it is circle for me. Finally, on all of these palms, because I've lived with them for so long and its I to give them away without even having to be there

I love the way describes or of creating a safe place fur specially kid, young adults tests were like exploring step into it, see it sounds very similar to on line. What Kevin Cavell did in chicago with the amazing man. Yeah he's an amazing poet and I love all the work that he's done, that the whole I think louder than bombs like twenty years old now, garages are taking generally high school and younger kids. giving them this space didn t get out what needs to get out seven back into your past, so you start to basically on the local scene ray poetry a lot of it in the context of hip hop and contacts are battling in the early days. You end up Nineteen, twenty years old in the poultry lounge you're a kind of fall into a group of people who To a certain extent, it is fair to say kind of like make that entire scene it's a measuring alliance. Annual is, you know, the poet you lounge reserve, but I mean

the new european in new york. There is a lot of amazing jason that ecology lounges all around the country, but this was the poet you allow. Just don't tell me that that moment about like what was had that scene you're, my friend literally, do flyer when I was nineteen and he was like. We should go this thing and so I showed up- and you know, and upon the lesson just space got up and started doing my rapid, not the power and I never laughed man. I came every single tuesday night for like fourteen years and enforced by couldn't figure out how to monetize poetry, but this face was incredible, it was the first time I had ever seen. People being celebrated for vulnerability in that were in the same way that you know if somebody said adopt in a battle rap everyone oh you know, people were like when you said something real and true you are exploring political topics in all sorts of things like that, and when p

we're getting up and sharing stories you know but their lives that they might have never told anyone? they were being celebrated for that and was an awesome environment man, the artist that, where there are some of my best art experiences, I've ever had as well. Being in the audience watching other poets on stage, you know at the Ouch and elsewhere and That was the stir out, but I was addicted to it. And the community became like a family. Which was showing up there I mean Dante Bosco, she han poetry, and tomorrow, hooper started it. But we had an amazing community sake. You Andrews, you know, Natalie patterson, Javan, Johnson, Omari hardwick. I mean. We were? We were tribe still I mean we walk on it spread out, but you know

It was a situation where every single week you would come back and you would share something new and so you know you getting up and sharing that would inspire. All of the other artists that were there to bring their best out. And its similar to your place ports are battling enough. If I used to battle somebody who is good, we just do barely enough to beat them. But if I was battling somebody great, they would bring out You know another gear for me and that All community brought out another gear for me, and I said exploring other concepts that I had never explored in my rhymes and ultimately, I woke up one day and realized. I was more poet than an empty it's interesting with russia has taken on the package couple back near them, and he shared, the moment where it does. He started out more sure, like hip out rather also clear. any shared there was this moment. Where

you know when he started yet even on the side, it was sink appears on the beat and some clear His brain, he said, wait a minute this she doesn't have to be like that, but make it more freestyle I can flow. I can just It can be more about the rhythm and occasions and the language rather than a cyrillic specific predefined beat, and that was like an unlocked moment for so much of what he did sounds like you. Experience is a bit of a similar evolution. The army cycles one my best friends here. I'm sorry so for him cause he was just nominated for a spoken word grammy. I didn't even know that yeah yeah, he shall Obama, beat them but yeah, but but it's that's huge for poetry in general and he's an amazing amazing artist when he first showed up on the scene. He really did thanks, because he was doing things that nobody else will were doing, and that was was so amazing about it. Is everyone had their own unique style and so

have you got up and you are copying somebody asked people would call you out for that year, I don't know if I had that one more the realisation in terms all I can do anything. I think it was more gradual for me you know my becoming a poet was Incremental and accumulative over time, You know we want the national poetry slant championships and I was hbo's def, poetry, jam and but still consider myself, a robber, the whole entire time and then something shifted, but it was me: gradual than it was media there was there a resistance to stepping into identity of capital p poet because Was there any concern about like well? How do I described that had I own that identity in conversation with other people. It was their social context that that you resisted no I mean I was proud of being a poet and I was super proud of my community. You know

I mean we just like bonded and I was so inspired and impressed by their art, so not that I thought you know I was shying away from the identity of being a poet. I think I was holding on. the identity of being a robber more. He knows most like. I had decided to do this thing and so I just would let go to your earlier question, from being honest about validation when it clicked over. For me where I started seeking validation, it wasn't as much in the writing as it was in the sharing and so or in the identity of being that thing, you know, and so that was something that I couldn't let go of, and I you know about this in the book in a very different way, but I it's basically the difference. between ideas and ideologies.

Ideas are tools that you can use in your life. That will change. Is your truth in your experience, changes but ideologies become your identity and If something is your identity, then, if you let go of the ideology, you're letting go of food, are, I mean it's a death and that's scary, so people onto it does this hold on an I would say that's probably it took me a long time is closed I was wearing that story, you know there I love that distinction also agree as one something becomes density level thing something needs to break in a substantial way before will shed at our step out of it. The ads are usually has to be a traumatic experience, and sometimes even that doesnt work, but I mean look. I could. fuckin wake up tomorrow and sat on. I wanna be a poet anymore. I give myself that freedom

Me right now, I'm so unbelievably grateful and excited for what I do. You know I have created a space where I get to express myself for a living and feel, like I've infinite possibility in what I can write about, and so For me, that's really exciting, I also never want to become a prisoner to my own choices. you know, I want to realise that you know mission up here today is in an obligation, the choice, so I want to enjoy being with you and connect and see here and be curious and enthusiastic, often townspeople. come a prisoner to their own choices, and then those choices become obligations. They can't tell the difference so too. What what is it? What is it Poetry is, is what I really want to ask

There are so many ways to craft language right and tat to offer them a guest, basely problem, the question underneath. That is what is the difference between poetry and any the form of linguistic it. russian also. Why does it wisely? Different, why do we feel differently in it? No matter, it's almost like a metaphysical couldn't user and extend. But in your sperience ec. what why do I hear like the words? Why can you take an idea simple idea. conveyed, as you know, just words and then her lake inner. offered in a more poetic way. Why? Why do people what is it land so profoundly differently. In your mind, it's in question? It is a difficult one to answer. I would said there's something about rhymes that people linen I could say something:

without a rhyme and people could be like, while it's really interesting, but if I say it with a rhyme, people are like, ass profound. You know, and I think that Something- We're waiting for that rhyme internally, and so when we get it. Its familiar. You know almost like we're anticipating what is to come next and there's a familiarity there. That allows it to land in a deeper way, I would say rhythm has a lot to do with it. You know that Different ways that you can play with volume and emphasis when you in poetry, think the silence is as important as the sound. you know how you use silence and allow things to take their time with people so that they can reflect in a moment and then get immediately drawn back into the palm and yeah. I mean, I guess

many different ways. But I personally it's not like. I think the poetry is a better art form than anything else. I think it's just unique to itself it's hard to. We just wait, there's something about where we respond in an interesting and different way I've thought about in the context of the structure and yet be actual content. the third thing, and this is where it can a circles back to what you said earlier like throughout the poem, not the poet, I'm cool. Is about that because to me the third thing: yes, it, if you're reading it on the page. But has been delivered. As spoken word, peace, you know, there's a structure of it. There's the rhythm, there's a kitten says: the content. Then there is, the vizir, all felt energy of the person offering it near that to me. That's a part. That is that is, the aid and an essential piece of the art

at the same time that you can't we extract that maybe still powerful, but it's different I was just in india at a buddhist monastery, and I was able to meet the dalai lama and the dalai lama sat down and there was a small group of us and we all can I gathered around him like children and the first thing, he said, he put up his hand and he said compassion. and then I literally didn't hear anything else. He said because the ways compassion with so profound for me because it's not always, What said or even how it said, it's who says it. and the experience that they're bringing to the world said they're using and so I would say in the same way, That's true with the poet that speaking, but

would much rather listen to a poet that says something. True, then a poet that is great because great mickey. You know gimme my great on performative lapierre, because I mean even with me, I'm in the performance gets in the way the communication Often- and I they just remind myself to be present and offer this it's an invitation when you read, poetry it not a command can't force anyone to listen or feel or think anything. I don't even particularly want my audience to walk away with anything other than whatever it is that they connect with cause. That's what they need most yeah I made it strikes me that that the owl experience is not when you go to see somebody perform poetry and your awed by the poet. But when you

become merged, with the experience If not, I just saw stand right as the poet. Yes, they There are creating it, but they also have to vanish from its advantageously, which is where duality. That's exactly that it's you know, vehicle and the obstacle in the creation of it and then in the sharing of it. Now. The. When did life start? Getting so complicated, buying a home, complicated home finances, certainly not a walk in the park, raising kids, Shia! It's a lot, then there's insurance. What if my policy doesn't cover this or what? If I have to make a claim in the middle of the night, good news state farm is there for your? What, if you can reach them? Twenty four seven file, a claim on the state farm mobile app or simply call your agent to ask anything. So even if life gets tricky, insurance doesn't have to be like a good neighbor state farm. Is there colorado?

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and that allows you to support yourself. It gives you a certain amount of notoriety also into really feel safe from the outset. Lacking in that you almost sake. You stepped into music, to give you a certain amount of higher level leverage to step back into poetry, yeah, I'm in a different place, and here I would love to say that it was. At well thought out. It was just say some things just happened that shit man I was fucked and desperate. You know I I can figure out how to make any money and add a mentor name. Ross hogarth is an incredible engineering producer and he acted me with rock mafia, which is you know, A production team, a record label studios and that they really are a one stop shop for everything And their incredible artists, and so

They came to. One of my poetry shows in I was putting on public poetry, shows and still do, and there. then we came in for a meeting in did up writing a song. Miley cyrus cut with them in the night. gave me the publishing gale after that and was really a financial foundation for me, ultimately to consciously get back into poetry and to choose it because I haven't had any law. and figuring out how to monetize it the general, was and still is emerging you know like. I really believe that in the next five years poet, he's going to enter into popular culture in a new way, and she the way the people perceive what it is and what it can be and I think poets have done sit comes in beyond the cover of magazines and be performing a late night and it'll be. You know something normal. and I think right now, more than ever people

need the simplicity of some. just speaking about something that's meaningful to them, so that they can feel connected to another human being Who is that? Why you feel like it's about to merge or is it what makes you so convicted This is about to be the next. That this is about a surly really emerging too much brought away and the public. consciousness. I mean look, you know, technology is an incredible thing. You know what we're doing right now, there's no way to really quantified. What happened how people are impact at her influenced when you just put something out into the world ever One can use their voice. Definitely it's really beautiful and simultaneously, it's really isolating, and you know people feel, more alone and I've ever felt and more lonely as well and so I think,

all the things that are going on in the world right now, and consumerism that is really just like this. Mass, fraction machine its constantly trying to take from you. You know, like take your energy, take your attention to information. Take your likes Take your love. I think that there is a France between, technology being used as a tool The tool using you and so I think in many ways the tool is kind of using us right now and People are looking for meaning there looking for purpose, and I think the poet it provides that very naturally. I also think that one poets get up and they they speak these stories, you know people only feel less alone, but it gives them empathy Empathy is certainly what the world needs most right now there.

when you strip it down to the language. Also affiliate, there's a simplicity, there's a like there's something very analog me about poetry, even when it's delivered through technology that cod past the defences cuts passed like the barrier that we tend to all up and somehow like that gets dropped and we start to feel again. That's really powerful- and I feel like we're in this moment in time where we can have need that yeah, great? I may we really need that and as some crazy, crazy shit gone on in the world man, I wish to state of the union. The other name I mean it's surreal. It was a reality show and and he didn't mention climate change once by the way, which is the biggest, potential threat to humanity, so I have a piece about. In a book called one at that

I've been shown that as much as possible as well but term yeah couldn't agreement, You also have you mentioned earlier workshops and so part of it is, is yes, you think this is be the next thing, but also your creator structure to bring people into it. because I think, a lot of times people will The listened to the peace at you offered in the beginning and now and they'll deeply moved in the next in the passenger has. I wish do that and then the next thing that pops into your head is, I never will be able to act so part of your mission is not just create and to offer language, but also to Experiences. Let people know no actually, it's in there and you can, and this is how yeah I mean we're all storytellers the history of humanity is sitting around a fire. Stories in sharing. the past so that it can be brought in

the present and ultimately into the future, And so we test there is every single day You know to ourselves to other people, The only difference is intending it to be a poem. and creating the space to write that poem and then creating the space to share that palm. So I come into a workshop. That's really all I'm doing is on facilitating that space, and I'm basically giving people prompts as a platform for them to explore through poetry. Which is the genre that they would probably never use to explore anything other than. Maybe you know In a poem here there listening to a poet here and there, but we're all poets, because we're storytellers Our voices need to be heard now more than ever. People show up to those workshops in which the average fearless

well, when people step into the room for her. I don't even really acknowledge that you know, because its imaginary. The fears not imaginary but the reality of the fear actually doing anything is completely fucking imaginary. You know. So, as I said earlier, I just have to lead by example. And if I lead by example- and I set the space people always step in because people are desperate. Express themselves they feel so repressed in their everyday lives. Alot of people do at least in This is just an opportunity to have a trampoline to something new and so it's an honour for me to provide that space. And also think in general, were so afraid of our fears and It's ok to be afraid of something. It's not ok, allow that fear to dictate how

live your life, is ok but not for me. you that's not how I want to live philip- were also a lot of us- are Yes, we're afraid of our field, but ross even afraid my thoughts, Furthermore, I thought you were afraid of our pain day, an inch and egg. to certain set we feel like if we memorialize it either in writing or we we share it with the person it be the real way the reality is. No, it's all, is real Janius always felt, and the fat There is no outlet for it. Ass. She makes it worse than if there is an outlet so like when you create a safe space, where I think this is part of late, the beauty of the taboo expands rate you created. There's a normalizing experience were take. Ok, I like I'm, standing up and sharing something, and nobody else is when we're all in this together:

and you start your eyes- were all we ve hakata stuff going on and we got this thing that we ve been stifling and now we're all putting words to it. Sleep. you're not alone in it anymore and maybe share it doesn't resolve the pain but just knowing That you're not alone does something that helps yeah. I mean when you feel isolated, then You feel like I'm, the only person who use this way. you know and that's literally natural Every single person as their own trauma, has their own stories and it's better out than in, because If it's inside of you, it can work. that manifesting into other things. It finds its ways to get out. You know what its through traffic or it creates disease, and I think that there's a dead france between exploiting these things as a victim.

or explain these things in a way that empowering and so I will always creates, the space of empowerment for everyone, I don't want anyone to walk away from workshop feeling, like thereof victim to their own experiences. I want them to feel like there's an up opportunity for transformation in alchemy, and so you know that's what happens time after time and its interesting in people will come up to me and I ll be like I've made major major life decisions in. How would you workshops- they ve had these realizations. You know Because you don't explore these things, as you said, doesn't mean that they don't exist, why not have the awareness to actually look at what you're thinking and look at where you're feeling sick, an opportunity to possibly make a different decision or I know that you have the freedom to do so. If you want to dance-

as your saying that vision of robin williams play in the teacher in now poland is adding up into my head, read like kid jumped upon the chair and, like the us, sweaty teeth madman, though, that we have always taken my head worldly, there's a moment where you're just some happens and somehow, like everything, sorted just burst out of you here and to certain, I wonder if, like that moment, also wants the valve its Please stand like the one she tapped, the vat, it's really hard to seal that again here. Nor should you a man. You know why walk around as it. You know, robotic adult have to do this. I have to do that. I have to act like this. I can't show too much emotion. I mean you know part of Growth is play, you know it. Being uncomfortable and as Some people are afraid of their thoughts and they're afraid of their pain.

There's so afraid too few their pain that lock it inside of themselves and pretend that they don't have it and you know, why are we so afraid of our pain, man? It's just paying. But it move through you like rain and then again wash away. Rather than hold onto it, and and create more mass. you're. So many his re curious about love so talked about paying her ass, a really curious about love it showed at the moment you walked in here when you looked at a picture and asked me how long as with my wife and how long we were married and then in conversation before we went on air, because you had this beautiful memorial to the wedding based like this, these beautiful moments, And beautiful pictures, and so I immediately wanted to know what your experience has been because you ve been with your wife menus yeah.

If you have deeper curiosity just about the nature and quality and access to this experience of love yeah, I mean I'm absolutely curious about love, I'm definitely in love. and very very happy with that. With my partner I mean we ve been together two years, so we start beginning stages of that, which is just thing to say: you know when you get older, you like two years is the beginning stages. When younger two years is an eternity. Now we're still getting to know each other. You know, and yet, Absolutely in love in every possible way much more about myself through through this process there- you share No, I remember when you put this, a video of you sitting on a street He was in venice, actually, maybe couple years back, people are in buying lake, When can I shall upon with the vienna was advocating,

and everyone's ignoring you, and it was just striking to me like- has a guy who's, just saying hey can I have like two minutes of your time to just like share and have once they pretend you don't exist here. Was that like a meme for the course I mean you know, people in general. Don't have time, you know, they're gone, in the direction that they're going and they don't they don't stop to look around. to see what's possible, nothing, people perceive poetry to be wherever they perceive poetry to be an, it's not always positive. And so you know miss what what is possible there. One of the things that you come to an end said. This is not why I started, but it seems like use. Like landed on this

more recently is that there's something deeper That's driving you with poetry, which is like a big our sense of purpose to shift human consciousness. When did that land for you, I think that for me. It starts with shifting my own consciousness, and If I do that, and I shared and pure way I think it will naturally shifts whoever listens in one direction at the other end, that's, why I always try to come back to hope and empowerment you know, and I'm trying to be the best version of myself. On a day to day basis with no various decrease of success and failure, so Oh, I'm definitely away, in process, I'm not a product, and I

claimed to have all the answers, but I'm gonna keep asking questions and showing my experiences in I was in it. a thing. One day was like a large. heart and I was in the audience and whose depart children a cartel. Both of I very much respect the work and content. but out into the world, but you know there was lab people there and they were asking questions afterwards and ends. raise my hand maiden call on me but the question, I was going to ask: was What is the last time that you've gone through something your personal life. That's made you question, of your own teachings and I think that's a really important question in this culture of like hero, worship, you nowhere. we tend to look at other people, they have all the answers and

I think, when you look at someone asked like they have all the answers there. Com judgments kin, stead of being inspiring to become almost discouraging, because there's this sense of separation, and the reality is we're all going through this human shit. Together but we can share experiences. We can there are truths we can. our voices and If we do that, I think we have an opportunity to evolve in the same direction Fill a good place for us to come full circle as well, some sitting this container of the good life project. If I offer praise to live a good life. What come there. moment to moment trying to be connected to overrun, wherever I am and being compassionate and having empathy for other p. Knowing it our experiences aren't necessarily my experiences,

and there are things that I can learn and thinks that I can teach with every person that I come across. Thank you. Thank you. Ma am

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