Culture Track - Get To Know Knoxville’s Black Atticus : the movement beyond Memphis

song writer + slam poet + emcee

A large and distinctive part of any culture is its music. The lyrics and even the beats of a particular era convey the feelings, moods and movements of that period. Storytellers, very importantly, employ various means of word and sound to communicate the themes of a generation. One such storyteller dwells in Knoxville and takes his charge of chronicling his demographic and generational experiences very seriously.

His Art Is:"Everything from song writer, slam poet, to my original format: EMCEEIN'. As an observer and active participant (practitioner) of this medium, I have concluded that all art forms can reach a level of communication that supersedes all boundaries. And that's my ultimate goal; to become a master communicator. Right now, EMCEEIN' and SLAM POETRY are the realms God placed me in to do a lil shinin."

Getting and Staying Inspired
"Art inspires Art. I'm constantly exposing myself to grooves that are either new or tried and true. Just so long as it's 'MASTERFULLY and POWERFULLY DONE' I don't care what it is. I'll listen to it. A lot of Motown has no problem seeping in, a lot of Blue Note classics will get a spin especially if Dilla or Madlib remixed them. I’m heavy into Dungeon Family."

"I feel, as a writer/vocal performer, that you should listen and learn from everything that involves voice. I find myself flabbergasted by master story tellers more so than rappers. As a slam poet I've learned to do things that emceeing alone, doesn't promote much these days; holding a crowd's attention without a beat, without a hype man, without stage lights, a stage, or smoke machine. JUST YOU and some WORDS. That art is fading away from a lot of scenes. I think all the mp3's and digital means of music has locked artist into their bedroom-studios, and made them so myspace/online-obssessive that they've lost connection with the crowd."

One Thing Many People Don't Know About Knoxville is...
"That it is home to some seriously historical sites and organizations. One of my favorites is The Carpetbag Theatre, which is one of the oldest standing black theatre groups in America."

Being an Artist/Educator
" I always have some kind of lesson in the songs, but I don't pound you over the head with lesson, lesson, lesson. What I really want to get across may just be in the hook or two or three lines. Everything else serves its point in ways I'll never understand or know."

Tends to Write Most About
"The unfamiliar familiarities. Kind of like how Common once wrote, "but I'm known for what's known." I think my words promote the resurrection of OUR wisdom. There are things we've learned through life experiences, that have been passed down for generations after generations. It's just that the new age snap music (aka the reign on the simple beat) doesn't promote thought patterns. A lot get's lost in translation, so I try to bring that back. Also, I tend to OBEY the BEAT. So I'll go to whatever length the rhythm tells me to go. If it tells me to rip it in a way that feels more northern, then I'll go there, if it tells me to bring that southern-city-slickin'-back-watta-jowl- spittin', then I'll do that too! The times demand versatility. Hey, I'm even writing over electronic-trip hop beats for a group in Berlin! God is awesome!"

Living Out Your Dreams
"Learn that your dream is a private gift given to you, and though it may be shared by others around (or most likely not) it's still ONLY yours so protect it, respect it, and entertain the idea that you are meant to have it. It's just like anything else major or minor that you want to change and receive in your life. Also, prepare to be patient... not just BE patient. But PREPARE while you're waiting for that opportunity. I wouldn't skip the journey for anything. It's been a long road thus far and I’ve learned so much."

Black Atticus is currently recording with his group Black Sunshine.
www.myspace.com/blackatticus

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