Poetry Career
As a spoken word artist, poetry allowed Yusef the aesthetic freedom to comment on a wide breadth of personal and social issues while his lyrics remained commensurate with a global vision: to encourage the benevolence in all people. His voice incorporates street vernacular against backdrops of hip-hop beats, organic keyboards, guitars and horns. The Chi-town native has made his career as a “wordsmyth,” reciting verses that chronicle inner city life growing up on the urban streets of the Windy City. His lexicon tells stories that speak to both the intricate depths and heights of ghetto culture, as well as global socio-economic woes.
The inspiration to formulate his mosaic of words comes from his children, his dreams, the ancestors and other prolific poets. Some of his influences include Langston Hughes, William Shakespeare, Haki Madhubuti and Phillis Wheatley. His spoken word artistry has contributed to promotional campaigns including ASCAP, Sprite, Coca-Cola, General Motors, Chrysler, Verizon, Miller Brewing Co. and Nike.
Read more about this topic: Malik Yusef
Famous quotes containing the words poetry and/or career:
“Herein is the explanation of the analogies, which exist in all the arts. They are the re-appearance of one mind, working in many materials to many temporary ends. Raphael paints wisdom, Handel sings it, Phidias carves it, Shakspeare writes it, Wren builds it, Columbus sails it, Luther preaches it, Washington arms it, Watt mechanizes it. Painting was called “silent poetry,” and poetry “speaking painting.” The laws of each art are convertible into the laws of every other.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“It is a great many years since at the outset of my career I had to think seriously what life had to offer that was worth having. I came to the conclusion that the chief good for me was freedom to learn, think, and say what I pleased, when I pleased. I have acted on that conviction... and though strongly, and perhaps wisely, warned that I should probably come to grief, I am entirely satisfied with the results of the line of action I have adopted.”
—Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95)