DPS Unity Hip Hop Event

This past Saturday the Def Poets Society at VCU Unity Hip Hop presented the Unity Hip Hop Event.
Below are a few images from the Hip Hop Showcase. More images can be viewed at their facebook.

Eddie Vanz

Ja-P

Chris Scholar

Curt Cobane

AC Halo

Ryan Easter

Sincere

Shihan

The World Is Only As Big As Your Imagination/Dream Big/The World Is Only As Big As Your Imagination/Dream Big/The World Is Only As Big As Your Imagination/Dream Big/The World Is Only As Big As Your Imagination/Dream Big –Shihan

Had an amazing (breath taking) opportunity to meet Poet Shihan at VCU Def Poets Society (knock em down, soak em up) Open Mike Event…

He truly is a great inspirational artist and i believe if anyone has the opportunity to see him perform they should definitely attend because it is an inspirational deep experience, where he elaborates on his work and being an artist…(im going to try my best to elaborate on what he spoke about, but i cant give his words justice)

I left the event sooo inspired to become a better artist and to look more into who i want to be as an artist and the words i want my art to speak…

Shihan stated that he was realized he was serious about wanting to be a poet when he first performed at a club where the dj kept the music on while him and other poets spoke…he saw it as a challenge and realized if he was able to stand through that and fight to catch the attention of the audience then he mustve had a passion for it, and the audience was able to view his passion for his words as well…he also said that he had to notice what he was willing to sacrifice for this passion (having to be away from his family for periods of time to support them)…His Father’s Day poem elaborated on that…

He also said that he became the”well-known” successful poet is by going out of his comfort…if you reach comfort in one location and continue to stay there you never reach your full potential because you’re stuck…he said if you want to be successful you must break out of your comfort zone and you must also learn from other artist no matter their medium (authors, poets, painters, etc.)…you must also get into as many people as possible by going to as many different places as you can and seeing what others are doing…he also said that art is always dependent on others because its up to them to like or dislike your work, so you must learn ways to appeal and to understand your audience and to remember that NOT everyone will get/understand your story…

He also spoke about his work and the influences or events behind them…He had an experience in New Zealand where they spoke about the “identity and likes” of men due to what they viewed on US television shows. His poem The Auction Network elaborated on that experience and the image that others believe black males are due to television shows and media.

His performance, his words, his being has inspired me to make my passion shine through my work, to find meaning find something and use that something to speak through my work..where my images wont just be a ‘nice’ image but one that makes you sit, think, wonder…society and media and people dont like to invest in thinking proven by the cancellation of HBO Def Poetry Jam…but i will continue to invest in my work!!..and hope theyll lead to someone thinking…

Here’s a few images i shot from his performance…kind of liked the effect the slow shutter gave the images and the use of his movements which emphasized his words…