J. Ivy

(tuskegee.static.worldnow.com)

To me, a hero is some one who cares a lot for others, but is also aware of what’s best for them. Heroes think of the consequences before taking action, and aren’t afraid to stick up for what they think is most beneficial for the situation. A true hero is not afraid of the truth, and most of all, not afraid to keep it real. This is why my hero is James Ivy Richardson, a.k.a. J. Ivy.

J. Ivy is spoken-word poet from Chicago known all around the country for his infectious flow of words. Many times he has been portrayed as the fork in the road where poetry meets hip-hop. I think of him as a hero because he has truly made sacrifices for his love of poetry to get where he is now. His determination inspires me, let alone his remarkable use of word-play and mesmerizing verses.

J. Ivy has been a huge success in his short career as a poet. He has performed on Russell Simmons’ HBO Def Poetry during its first and fourth season, the world-renowned Apollo Theater, and has been seen on ABC for the BCS Selection show. He has appeared on B.E.T.’s Lyric Café, hosted the Big Easy Poetry Slam at the house of Blues in New Orleans during the Essence Jazz Festival, and played ‘Jesus’ in Kanye West’s 3rd version of his hit single ‘Jesus Walks’ music video. J. Ivy has been featured in 7 magazines like Mugshot and Complex, etc. He has recorded with the RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan, and Kanye West featuring Jay-Z on his triple platinum/ Grammy nominated album ‘The College Dropout’. He has even shared stages with legends like Famer Bo Diddley, Patti Labelle, The Last Poets, and new schoolers like Erykah Badu, Carl Thomas, Jill Scott, John Legend, etc.

Promotional poster (www.dekastello.com)

Recently J. Ivy has been working on his upcoming book "I’m Not That Good with Words" and his next album “Izn’t It Ivyous”.

Here is his poem from Kanye's track "Never Let Me Down", a collaboration with super-producer Kanye and legendary Jay-Z:

Artist : Kanye West f/ Jay-z, J. Ivy
Title : Never Let Me Down
Album : College Dropout
Genre : Hip Hop