QUEEN SHEBA
The Best Spoken Word Poetry Album category, a designation which debuted at the 2023 GRAMMY awards, continues to stir the poetry world with excitement. The new classification allows poets increased visibility, with the chance to have their work honored by the Recording Academy during “Music’s Biggest Night.”
Now, a second crop of lyrical powerhouses will receive their moment of recognition during the 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards on February 4th, 2024.
The six nominated poets for the 2024 ceremony are: Queen Sheba, Prentice Powell, Shawn William, Kevin Powell, J. Ivy and aja monet.
The Poet’s List is honored to present our interview with the talented, accomplished and wonderfully transparent GRAMMY nominee: Queen Sheba.
On Poetry:
Prior to landing on poetry, what memories do you have of your relationship with literature and writing as a youth?
O, the literary escapades of my youth! I was that precocious kid with a perpetually ink-stained notebook, navigating the labyrinth of words with the enthusiasm of an explorer. The first poem I remember writing was for a Kawala Poetry Contest in the 2nd grade and I added the color black to the rainbow. I lost and was given the feedback that black didn’t belong in the rainbow.
Welp, you have woken a sleeping giant.
Years later, when I spent two years at Wedgewood Acres Youth Home, I wrote every day in spiral notebook after notebook. I still have two storage bins full of these handwritten accounts of that traumatic and introspective time in my life. I’m just waiting to trust some ambitious young person enough to dictate them into my autobiographical series.
Long before the intoxicating allure of poetry, I found solace in the vast pages of literature. My parents introduced me to the Dewy Decimal System before I was five. Books, literacy, and literature were a requirement, in my household. A form of intellectual armor.
From the whimsical tales of my childhood as a little black girl with curly hair adopted to an all-white family, to the intricate dance of syntax in more complex works – as my experiences and language matured – my relationship with writing was a slow burn of discovering who I was. We were poor. My mother made my dresses (which, I’m sure attributes to my love for custom clothing, these days) and I was made fun of for not having the latest brands. The irony: Now it’s “cool” to have handmade clothes instead of mass-produced designers. Talk about foresight!
In between making up dances in my living room with my next-door neighbor and childhood best friend, I reveled in the art of crafting sentences, shaping ideas, and weaving narratives that transported both myself and any unsuspecting reader or listener into alternate realms. It was a dance with language, a tête-à-tête with the written word that left me exhilarated and, dare I say, a tad obsessed. Words were not mere tools; they became my friends when I was too socially awkward to make any, too weird to hang with the cool kids in the lunchroom. Words were my accomplices in creating worlds only limited by the boundaries of my imagination. And I had plenty.
My mother would take my stories and write them down. She even wrote her own creative “chapbook” about how I came to live with them after they adopted me. I was so proud of it. I took it to school for show and tell (after she told me not to) and I lost it. I’m sick about losing what my mother wrote and drew by hand; just recalling this memory. Literature was always around me.
Sure, there were obligatory encounters with Shakespeare and the clandestine rendezvous with classic literature in middle and high school. But the real magic happened when I realized the power of self-expression through writing, and then… sharing… out loud.
I was scared. And afraid of judgment. It was a heady cocktail of emotions spilled onto paper, a cathartic release, as my mother said upon a not-so-favorable review of one of my earlier works, that transformed mere words into a chorus of ideas.
And then, poetry was a match struck against the stone that ignited the dormant passion within. I figured everyone in the world has a gift – and I had been in search of mine. The condensed, distilled essence of emotions expressed in verses became my chosen vessel for introspection and revelation. It was a poetic odyssey (pun intended), an exploration of the human condition in bite-sized, yet profound, fragments of my existence.
There are so many layers to creating poetry, and several avenues for disseminating. Which aspect of the process excites you the most?
The grand tapestry of poetic creation is like asking a painter to select their favorite brush or a DJ to pick that one record that gets the crowd roaring. With big hats making a stylish comeback (thank you fashion gods!), my collection boasts a rainbow.
Each poetic avenue, from crafting messages to the electric vibe of live performances, has its unique groove and desired outcome. Whether it’s the spine-tingling moment when my message syncs with my spirit… or the adrenaline rush from a jam-packed, fire-hazardous crowd of 500 in a space built for 100…
It’s all about the in-person album release or the intimate stool-and-solo-mic spectacle at a book reveal.
And amidst this, if you asked me (and since you are), the beating heart of my excitement: It’s undoubtedly in the parallel universe of wordplay and lyricism – where every bar, stanza or poem is a mic drop in the grand performance of language.
There’s a certain alchemy in manipulating language into a thousand forms; a thrilling dance with words that transcends the ordinary. Crafting verse is akin to being a linguistic sculptor, chiseling away excess (thank you to my MFA professor Claudio Rankin for teaching me how to trim the fat!) to reveal the elegance of expression. The play of rhythm, the cadence of syllables, the nuanced selection of just the right lexicon – it’s a poetic ballet that gives birth to a tapestry of emotions and ideas. And weirdly, I let the words take on their own voice – I give them life and they tell me which way to bend.
The allure doesn’t end with the creation on the page. The prospect of bringing stories to life, whether through performance or audio recording, adds another layer of excitement. It’s the metamorphosis of ink on paper into a living, breathing entity, resonating in the hearts and minds of those who encounter it. Nothing beats how I feel when the host is reading my humble litany of accomplishments, right before my candy-painted stiletto meets the stage.
However, it’s not just about the aesthetics of language; it’s the power words wield. A well-crafted poem has the potential to be a catalyst for introspection, a spark that ignites the imagination of both the poet and the reader/listener.
On Career:
When did you begin to claim the title of poet and how did you first connect with the poetry community?
It’s like finding your way into an exclusive club you didn’t know existed; you don’t choose it; it chooses you. I know that’s so cliche. And true.
I started revealing parts of myself on paper and on the stage, with strangers and soon-to-be life-long friends, [that] I didn’t share with my temporary best friends or lover(s). Then I met Lamar Hill; a poet from Newark, NJ who came to Norfolk, VA to visit his child and found our lil’ poetry night in an art gallery. [He] introduced me and my poetry friends to life on the road as a poet, to Poetry Slam Inc., – and my mouth, at least, was agape and wheels turning smoke in my head. I was determined to explore this above-ground – underground society. New York is where I met Kevin Powell and Aja Monet (two of the other nominees) – me running around trying to figure out life as a, now, full-time poet.
I was excited to meet everyone and New York had so much energy. Plus, there was a poetry show or open mic every night of the week! After being fired from my supervisor position in the Credit Card Recovery department of Bank of America in downtown Norfolk, VA (thank you for letting me go, BOA! I wouldn’t be “here” without your foresight!) Friday July 10th, 2001, I would get into my two-door red Acura CL (that only lasted a year before being repossessed on my new poetry income) and drive from Norfolk, VA, up and down the east coast once – if not twice – a week. This was the beginning. My rebirth.
The poetry community embraced me, recognized the raw vulnerability of my work, and welcomed me into this new family; with feedback, though. I was challenged to write often – about everything – write books, master stage time, and continue to practice memorizing. (My father taught me how to memorize speeches when I was young – he worked for the Veterans Association/VA and had to go around the country giving talks about vet benefits. [He] somehow had to find a way to make the mundane engaging, which furthered my belief in we are nature and nurture.)
It was an initiation into a world where the ink-stained brother and sisterhood appreciated the magic of language as much as I did. Spoken Word / Poetry is the longest relationship I’ve ever had.
Your accolades are plentiful. You’re a heavily published, touring poet with numerous slam championship titles and several TV appearances! At the inception of your career, did you envision this level of success?
Did I envision this level of success at the inception of me getting in my little red car and trying to figure out where my next meal and rent were going to come from? Not exactly; No. And not exactly no.
I knew I wanted ‘this’ to be my life; whatever ‘this’ was destined to be. I yearn(ed) for a legacy so tangible you could run your fingers over it. At my age, I’m obsessed with the idea of leaving a legacy. Passing on a guidebook of sorts to the next generation of poets who could take what I’ve learned and make our genre undeniable. I just kept going. I kept doing things I liked to do and creating events and works that I want(ed) my son, AJ, to be proud of. I, also, somehow wanted to protect him if it all tanked. What I didn’t consider was the ebb and flow of it all.
Some stretches are amazing, like this one going into the Grammys. However, I’m coming out of a deep “upside down” place. I’m discovering myself, again. And with my self-diagnosed OCD, and through much therapy and spiritual guidance I had to learn that all things will change… daily. Again – another cliché. But, nothing stays the same … ever. Not even for a second. Once I was able to embrace that – I became healthier and was able to stop measuring my life in material successes, but in the currency of joy and happiness and my new ability to create and maintain healthy boundaries.
I never knew what anxiety and depression was until I started writing through it. I’ve never dedicated myself to anything with such fervor and forethought. The ambition wasn’t just to be a poet; it was to earn the right to be the next suggestion whenever poetry was mentioned in any classroom, studio, or coffee shop huddle.
When I was invited to the Zoom call with the Recording Academy when the idea of creating the new Spoken Word category was becoming real – I was honored, humbled and shocked. Who mentioned me? How did I get here? Being a career Spoken Word artist means you are making up your career path every single day. Imposter syndrome is common because there’s no discernible measure of success. Being able to support your family with checks with your poetry business name on it – is probably the closest. And – as we all know, success is relative.
And now, finding myself in the spotlight of television interviews and glamorous spotlights like this one? Well, that’s just the universe tossing me a lob for diligently safeguarding a craft still so fresh that it’s in a perpetual state of discovery. It’s like
winning the poetry lottery and then realizing I was the one who wrote the winning ticket all along. The journey from novice to a heavily published, touring poet with a slew of slam championship titles and TV appearances has been a whirlwind I will always be grateful for two decades [worth] of people, like yourself, who thought enough of poets to offer us a voice in the important discussions.
Which championship title means the most to you and why?
The next one. Didn’t Jimi Hendrix say that when asked about his favorite song? I understand now; why.
I haven’t been in, nor asked to be in, a slam in years. I remember I was on [the] final stage for the Women of the World Poetry Slam in Detroit and jessica Care moore was shooting footage for her movie and she said, “I’m surprised you’re still slamming.” This was years ago, although I understood what she was saying. Poetry Slam is an amazing springboard for a potentially incredible life in the world of poets. What I had to learn, and quickly, is how to navigate when PSI crumbled and took the annual slam schedule with them. What happens when you age out of Youth Speaks? Brave New Voices? Few have figured out the longevity of this and I want to help poets figure out that the only life path is the one behind you.
I was fired from – kicked out of PSI – Poetry Slam Inc., from 2005-2007 for Kanye-ing before Kanye, Kanyed Taylor Swift. I am extremely protective of Spoken Word and Poets as a whole. I was standing up for the underdog, trying to right a wrong, and was banished from the community I loved. The community that said we should all be so radical. I was doing the right thing with bad timing. I returned to Poetry Slam with Slam Charlotte in Austin, TX and we won – on my actual birthday. I will never forget it.
Of your body of work, which piece or collection would you like to serve as your *introduction* for the generations to come?
I feel like every body of work is a new introduction. It’s present. It’s where I am now. I would love for everyone to become familiar with my current project: “A-You’re Not Wrong B-They’re Not Either the fukc-it pill revisited”
It’s where I learned to get the negative influence out of my head and do exactly what I wanted to do. I didn’t worry about my singing, or being offbeat. I arranged the album in a way that tells the story of how my life as a poet has evolved from the long nights earning stripes at an open mic. Standing outside for hours after [it] was over to talk, flirt and get to know the other artists. [Finding] out what else was going on in the world. How do we keep going and give each other advice and direction.
Two young ladies told me, recently, that my poems are “complicated.” I was taken aback, shocked at what they might consider “complicated” and offended that they wanted something spoonfed to them. You know, it was instant poetry inspo! However, in my newly evolved spirit – I realized that: “fukc-it.” It doesn’t matter what “they say” (Track #10). It matters what makes me feel good. It furthers my years of advice to poets: constant reading and life experience makes a good writer, great.
I’d also love for people to get to know the earlier version of me that was at the crux of figuring out this world [that] I stumbled upon and then fell in love with. I am torn between: I Confess and We Are The Women!
We would love to hear more about your Grammy-nominated album, A-You’re Not Wrong B-They’re Not Either the fukc-it pill revisited. Please feel free to share as much as you’d like with regards to its creation, its reception and what it means to you.
Absolutely! Imagine this 22-year ride of creativity and self-discovery, and – in the midst of that humbling and emotional chest-cracking journey – I discover a philosophy that became truly a game-changer, for me: “fukc-it”.
It’s like stumbling upon an old notebook, you wrote when you first thought about writing, filled with life-altering mantras that rewire your entire existence. As I have hinted to, earlier in this interview, I came to a place where I’d rather ask for forgiveness than live in regret.
This magical mantra “fukc-it” is the ultimate empowerment anthem! It’s the rallying cry that says, “Do what you want, go where you want, eat what you want. Read, listen, play, love whoever you want. And, hey!, forget about the ops’ opinions.”
You feel like salsa dancing in the rain? Fukc-it. Wanna eat pizza for breakfast? Fukc-it. Dive into that book, crank up the tunes, play air guitar in your undies, and love whoever theeeee heck you want?!?! –Fukc-it! No need for a permission slip!
Of course, easier said than done when you’ve got a heart that cares about the folks around you, but, here’s the real tea: You’re the star of your own show, the director of your NETFLIX special, the CEO of your life.
Shout it from your porch, [the] rolled down windows of your car, your apartment grass rooftops: “Fukc-it!”
It’s my YOLO reminder. The anthem of seizing your moment, because – when it hit me I am not immortal and you only get this one shot – I asked myself why I was settling for anything less than going for it “all.” Go for it “all”, friends – whatever that means to you.
Listen, in July (2023), I headed out on a normal 20-mile (road) bike ride and was headed from my house in the West End of Atlanta to meet some friends for a Sunday evening group ride. I passed out and fell off my bike. Let go of the handlebars and landed on the right side of my helmet (ALWAYS WEAR YOUR HELMET!) in the middle of Ralph David Abernathy, a well-traveled secondary in Atlanta, and lost my short-term memory for more than 30 minutes. A stranger saw me fall and called 9-11. I was in Grady Hospital for two days.
Last December (2022), I go out of the country as I do at the end of every year to escape for about 2-4 weeks and return refreshed. Without going into too much detail (you’ll have to get my first memoir!) I ended up needing two blood transfusions and was two hemoglobin points away from going into a coma.
“Fukc-It” is not just a metaphorical pill or an empty mantra, for me. It’s my new lifestyle.
Swallow it whole every morning – and again at night if you need an additional reminder. Embrace the wild ride of your only go-round on this cosmic carousel. It’s about seizing every moment, diving headfirst into the chaos, and embracing the full spectrum of experiences because, in the end, it’s your unique story to write.
Click here to stream album via Spotify.
You are the founder of Poetry vs. Hip Hop; an amazing concept “where one poet & one MC go head-to-head.” That being said: Hip hop is celebrating its 50-year mark, while contemporary poets are making waves (or reclaiming space) in popular culture. It’s an exciting time for both! Have you had an opportunity to celebrate how you’ve contributed to the growth of the spoken word genre? And, in what ways would you like to see the poetry community grow and evolve in the coming years?
Thank you for the compliment. As the founder of Poetry vs. Hip-Hop, being a stakeholder of this Spoken Word revolution is like witnessing the New Renaissance of linguistic artistry:
This past November, I was honored to have been called into a “Hip-Hop’s Golden 50” panel discussion. A few weeks before that, [I sat] alongside Big Rube of the famed Dungeon Family, at Georgia State University as an expert on both cultures. [In September, I] curated a special PvHH for the city of Atlanta, during the city’s annual Streets Alive festival during Elevate Atlanta.
PvHH is my baby!
I used to say “I wish I invented drinking straws,” something so simple that everyone in the world needs and wants. Something that, no matter the technological advancements of our race, we will always need when ordering drinks.
PvHH is my straws. It’s a great introduction to Spoken Word for those toting the line if they like poetry or not. It’s the best of both Adult ADD worlds – you have the light competitive edge of a TV show and the concert element of date night. We have created a production where you don’t feel like you are missing anything when you leave. And bet you $20 each time, there will be a standing ovation somewhere in each show.
We are 8-years-growing, a traveling stage show currently on a City Winery tour. Atlanta City Winery is our home venue. (Next show is after the Grammys – Sunday 2/11 – two shows at 6:30p & 9:30p.)
We are a humble five-person production team with an average of 18 artists per show, including the DJ and band members. We have successfully sold out every venue in over 20+ cities, except three, in the past eight years with an average audience size of 300!
Our largest audience of 650 was in Memphis, TN on a Black Friday with the help of Karen Wrighteous Soul and PhatMack – [who are] Memphis poets, event curators – in their own right, and PvHH Ambassadors. I’ve always been about community. Sometimes you have to be the one to build it.
We are excited [that] everyone loves what we’ve created with PvHH and look forward to introducing our high-energy, fun word-battle concept to people all over the country! We could not exist without our loyal audience members and fans of the show who tell and bring friends over and over.
Once I realized that I was doing life wrong by not putting God first, I humbled my self-proclaimed “rock star” mentality and realized I am a servant of the Spirit that guides me, and then the people who love and support the work I create. Of course, we run into challenges, and having your God as your guide makes the work full of meaning and helped me find my purpose in Spoken Word.
Poetry was not meant for me to keep hidden in my spiral notebooks. It is for me to share pieces of my experiences so others can: “Go further, jump higher. If not, why bother?” – Jay Z
Being a black card member of both the Hip-Hop and Poetry culture feels like navigating a literary seesaw. It’s a journey of loving and competing against myself; where my creative endeavors oscillate between writing Hip-Hop rants that could ignite a mosh pit and crafting poems (that have also ignited a mosh pit – and I have receipts!) that feel most at home in the historical halls of literature. It’s like living in this dual universe where beats and verses coexist in a harmonious dance, and my job as a Spoken Word Artist is to orchestrate the perfect fusion.
I’d love to see the poetry community continue its expansion into unconventional spaces. You can already find us on tour with A-list artists, voiceovers for commercials, curating experiences with big brands. (I’ve had the privilege of working with: lululemon, Red Bull and Reebok’s Rockport to name a few.) We are seeping into the entertainment lineup on cruise lines, being hand selected to be the Keynote at colleges, universities, and military bases around the world. My charge is to continue to help poets [and] poetry infiltrate the mainstream with works that you’ll remember by name (just like your favorite song) and purposeful stories that resonate and evoke change. Help us make poetry the cool kid on the cultural block. Try a Poet instead of a Hip-Hop artist on your next R&B hit. Bring us into your corporate spaces, REIB training programs, commercial spokespersons and supporting actors on the big screen.
We’re already there. The challenge is… not enough people know it.
Here is a fun fact that I have proof of: Kanye West opened for me in 2003 in Miami, FL at a show called Funk Jazz hosted by Rashida Bartley. Rashida currently lives in Atlanta.
He was one of the spotlight artists, along with Yazara and I was the headliner/feature. He and I had a quick conversation about poetry and he gave me his “Through the Wire” mixtape on a CD, in a slim case. Where it is – I have no idea.
And – I’ll never forget it. I tried to befriend him, just a month later when we were both in Chicago at the Gwendolyn Brooks Writers Conference and he was on a panel with his mother, Common and his mom, and Talib and his mom. After the panel, I saw Kanye walking through the library. He was on the phone and I said, “Heyyyy! Do you remem…” He put up his church finger and said, “I’m on the phone – I’ll be right back.”
I’m still waiting. Not really. Kinda. I think we could have been cool friends.
Awards + Advice:
We see that you have also been a two-time NAACP Image Award nominee. How does it feel to be recognized in spaces that are not poetry-specific?
There’s this palpable sense of validation. Being recognized in non-poetry-specific spaces is akin to having your words escape the confines of your home coffee house or local poetry club. It’s a reminder that poetry isn’t just an art form; it’s a universal language that can transcend boundaries and resonate with people in ways you might not have imagined.
Both of these nominations were a collaborative effort 1-in a poetry anthology of women poets and 2-A TV show dedicated to poetry.
When people are discussing you and your works in multiple rooms, it feels like your poetry has taken on a life of its own; venturing into new landscapes and sparking conversations in places where you might not have initially planted the seeds. And now you’re there to witness the growth.
What does it mean to be honored by The Recording Academy as part of the Best Spoken Word Poetry Album category at this year’s GRAMMY Awards?
Un. Real.
Surreal.
Groundbreaking!
Because I’ve never been in this type of space before, I didn’t know what I was supposed to be doing after the nominations were announced.
I was in Jamaica with my cycling crew (S/O to @bonafideriderscc) on a Cycle-Cation for four days with my partner. Our daily ride was over by 8:30-9a and the nominations were starting at 10:30a. I was glued to our laptop until our category was announced.
I sat on the couch in my sweat-soaked cycling kit. My partner tried to encourage me to take a shower and I was like, “Noooo – I don’t want to miss it!” She said, “It doesn’t come on for another 30 minutes.” I think she was more nervous than I was. I was nervous because this is my fourth time submitting and my first nomination. I was on Robert Glasper’s Grammy-nominated F-Your Feelings album – never on my own merit. This meant a lot.
As the anticipation was building, I was going through all the work that this album took:
The late nights; working at Clark as a professor; producing PvHH and my own tour schedule as a poet and DJ (you read that right!); sneaking in naps to prevent car accidents or passing out at work. [When submitting] for some reason, there was a snafu with United Masters and my album wasn’t uploading, although I had given myself ample cushion! I was so afraid I was going to miss the deadline! I finally got someone via email and they were able to fix whatever the problem was within a day. Phew!
I had a PR person reach out to me – I didn’t even think about needing a PR person. I thought those were only for A-list celebrities to get them out of trouble. Haha.
When she talked me through everything that all the nominees will be doing all week I thought, “Maybe I should look into this.” I reached out to some of my celebrity friends and received mixed reviews on needing a PR. In a matter of less than a week after the announcements, another one reached out, then a third, then a fourth – at the end of it about six. These were all in my IG DM. I researched them all and decided on a recommendation from a friend. More new and exciting territory.
I didn’t come this far – to come this far.
I am grateful, humbled and inspired to work harder! To create more poetry and to continue my outreach to poets to help with their submission process for next year; and get more career poets into the Recording Academy!
As far as the music industry goes – there is no more “here” than this. And I want us to respect that the Recording Academy made space for us. We asked for it, they listened, and I want us to honor this category and take care of it. I want to work towards getting (at least) one poet on every chapter board so we can have continuous representation.
I want poets to take risks, read other poets, listen to other poets, study poetry! You don’t have to get your MFA, as I did, but I want poets to take writing seriously; with great reward comes great outreach.
How would you describe your fellow cohort of nominated poets?
It is my complete and humble honor to be amongst all the nominees in the Best Spoken Word Poetry Album category! Woooooooooo! Hoooooooo! All of us dared to explore uncharted territories and God decided to allow us to experience what going to the Grammys feels like. Every nominee is a fresh mix of styles and voices, a poetic concert where every track explores language and storytelling.
And let’s not forget the camaraderie! I’m excited about seeing everyone in L.A. on the red carpet! All of the nominees are always all over the place working – it’s hard to carve out time just to hug and say hello.
Despite the solitary nature of the craft, the long nights in the booth with just you and your producer, on the road, or balancing family life – there’s a new sense of unity among not just the nominees, but the poetry community. It’s like we have something to share again – a goal we can all help each other achieve, which will undoubtedly shed a new light on our culture from people and spaces that may not have considered us, before.
This is an exciting time! The poetry world cheered last year when J. Ivy won! We are creating history by being the first of 10 poets to be nominated in our category — a shared appreciation for the beauty of this modern creative writing language, an unspoken understanding of the power that words hold.
No matter what happens, I’m going to spend a week in L.A. having the best time of my life!
What has been the greatest piece of advice you’ve received thus far (poetry related or other)?
Keep going.
The only way out is through.
Give people two chances. Everyone has a bad day.
Be kind – even when others aren’t. And mean it.
You are deserving.
Expect! great things.
Smiling is disarming.
Please tune into the 66th annual Grammy Awards which will air live on February 4, 2024 on CBS. The winner for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album will be announced during the pre-telecast.
Links:
Album: Stream via Spotify
Instagram: @thequeensheba and @poetryvshiphop
TikTok: @thequeensheba8 and @poetryvshiphop
Site: thequeensheba.live
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the featured artists (ie. poets, authors, writers and experts) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Poet’s List LLC. Any content provided by the artists are of their opinion, and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything. Legal
I had the honor to meet Queen Sheba last night at a charity event. She is a great motivational speaker. Her charismatic personality is huge!