I AM not the MEdia's April Newsletter

Celebrating Natl Poetry Month! .

VOL.1, ISSUE 3 | APRIL 2013 .

WHAT’S INSIDE TEEN TALK: MUSIC’S MESSAGE INTERVIEW WITH RAPPER, POET AND ACTOR MASON “QUILL” PARKER INTERVIEW WITH THE POSSIBILITY PROJECT CHARLOTTE

Music’s Message

By Kain X. Music can change the way we live. It flows with our bodies; it creates and inspires. Most music has a message, but sometimes the message is completely misunderstood.

When I listen to music I try to break down the lyrics and understand what the person is talking about, which is easier for me when I listen to things that flow like rap. I think rap is a lot different nowadays. Rappers often talk about how much money they make, how much swag they have and how much they party. But I don't see anything inspiring or meaningful about how drunk or high you got last weekend or how first-class you looked when you wore your new kicks and drove up in a Lamborghini. It just tells me that you like to shoot your mouth off for a living.

I like rap that is telling a story of struggle and distress; how they almost gave up but didn't because they were destined to make it far in life. Though I don't listen to rap regularly I do understand and appreciate most of it.

Listening to pop music is something I never do-by choice. It has never been my thing.

Hearing some overrated, auto-tuned, and straight up

I like rap that is telling a story of struggle and distress; how they almost gave up but didn't because they were destined to make it far in life. Though I don't listen to rap regularly I do understand and appreciate most of it. Listening to pop music is something I never do-by choice.

It has never been my thing. Hearing some overrated, auto-tuned, and straight up untalented pop star that can't write his/her own lyrics does not satisfy me. In fact, it only disappoints me and not to mention gives me a headache (no offense). I do appreciate well-composed choreography, however.

Most people like music for its beat and not what the singer is trying to tell others, which is fine by me, but maybe you should make an effort to be aware of the message being given to you. Songs with rhythm and powerful lyrics really get me and repetitive songs that didn't have much thought put into them are what irritate me, especially if I was forced to hear these songs in the back of my head

hear these songs in the back of my head repeatedly. For example, I'm sure you have heard Psy's Gangnam Style. It doesn't take much to burn out a song or for a song to burn out itself, especially when it’s played almost everywhere you go.

Creating an eloquent song that will last for generations is something that hasn't been done by anyone in my lifetime so far, though some have come close. I, as a musician myself, hope to one day entertain others with music of my own. I am not saying I want this badly, but if I had a chance to play on stage with others it would give me great satisfaction. Music will always be around. It’s part of human culture and I love it.

Picture Credit: Kusla. (2012). No Music No Life. http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/31200000/-Musicmusic-31267093-728-400.png

repeatedly. For example, I'm sure you have heard Psy's Gangnam Style. It doesn't take much to burn out a song or for a song to burn out it self, especially when it’s played almost everywhere you go.

Creating an eloquent song that comes from willPoetry last for generations is the Ancient Greek word, poieo meaning “I create.”

Research shows that poetry conveys emotions or something that hasn't been done by anyone in my lifetime so ideas. It is not like anfar, autobiography which sometimes bears though some have come close.

I, fictional ideas. When writing poems and other artistic as a musician myself, hope to one forms, you are not bound by the stresses that come with day entertain others with music of tryingI am to not abide by guidelines of essays and other academic my own. saying I want Poetry allows writers this forms. badly, but if I had a chance to to give the readers a part of It permits theit reader playthem. on stage with others would not to live in the writer’s givesituation me great satisfaction.

Music but to experience their emotions without actually willbeing alwaysthere. be around.

It’s part Meaning it of gives them the understanding of human culture and I love it.

depression, happiness, love and other emotions that the reader may otherwise never experience.

Poetry can be therapeutic. According to Quita Floyd, a nursing student at UNC-Charlotte, writing and/or reciting can be used as a stress reliever. Because people are innately judgmental, the paper poems are written on can give a writer a “undiscriminating listening ear.” Unlike people, paper will never taint your meaning. Poetry allows you to express your feelings adequately. Human minds and their thinking vary from person to person but paper doesn’t. It will never have a preconceived notion it only knows what you “tell” it.

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Saturday, May 4th | 10am - 3pm Naomi Drenan Rec Center, Charlotte, NC Lunch, t-shirt and give-a-ways for ALL participants!

Weaving Through the Music

By Mothermoon I have to be honest. I do not follow the current music scene. I turned off my radio years ago. I mostly stick with old school and classics. I have dabbed my ear in almost every genre, from classical to rap. I like to listen to music from around the world, but not through the means of the radio. I like underground and local music. The Internet is a good source to finding it. Once in a while, I’ll be exposed to a hip-hop tune or a music video from the conventional media; thanks to the children I share my life with and the undiscriminating Internet. This reminds me of a scene from Clockwork Orange. Sometimes I feel like Alex, with my eyes pried open unable to rid myself of the sounds and images as my brain is being conditioned.

Why did I turn off the radio?

Throughout the years, the radio has been losing its message and flavor. The message to our youth is highly corrupted, as I am sure is intentional media marketing. What better way to

get into people’s heads than through music? This is one of the reasons I have

marketing. What better way to get into people’s heads than through music? This is one of the reasons I have avoided nightclubs, though my love for dance is never dying. It’s rare to hear a good tune. I am very selective about what a good tune is. If anyone knows where I can find a place with a good DJ that knows the difference between original and photocopied music, please let me know. I would like to dance to something that doesn’t scream about hoes and pimping and drinking. I do not want to dance to music that degrades me; I want to dance to music that uplifts me. As an emotional being, I need emotional music, something that inspired me and not depletes me.

So what is music like in our current media? I am not sure, but I am full of questions. Who has music been devolved to now? What artist has regressed his evolution and depressed his message? Who has been bought out? And do all those pretty faces with fancy stuff really known what they are saying anymore? Is the audience even listening to the lyrics? Music was once magic, it sometimes still is. When done with feeling, it holds the power to move you, to really get to you at your inner being. Where has that gone? Until I can answer that, I will keep digging

feeling it holds the power to move you, to really get to you at your inner being. Where has that gone?

Until I can answer that, I will keep digging underground and going back in time to find my grooves.

Music to me must move me and to do that it must carry more than a groovy tune; it must carry a strong message, one that frees me and lights my fire.

Picture Credit: WallFeeds. (n.d). Music, Notes, Headphones. Retrieved from:http://www.wallsfeed.com/music-notesheadphones/

Interview with Nikkeia Wiler, Managing and Artistic Director, and members of The Possibility Project-Charlotte Production Team Questions by: Kain X. How did The Possibility Project-Charlotte start?

As founder, I started the first season of The Possibility Project-Charlotte (TPPC) as a non-profit organization in October 2000.

TPPC uncovers hidden ability and potential. You can’t avoid progress in TPPC. In the nine months of programming that takes place during each season, no one can say that they left the same way that they came. The entire process is collaboratively led by the Director, the Production Team, and a team of local professional artists.

What has TPPC been working on?

We have ongoing partnerships with I AM not the MEdia and Teach For America (TFA). We also create new partnerships with other organizations based on the interests and concerns of the participants.

In March, we performed at the Wake UP! Student Empowerment Summit at the Charlotte Convention Center. We are currently writing and rehearsing for our annual production that happens at the end of each June at the McGlohon Theatre at Spirit Square.

How do people get into TPPC? Teens, ages to 13 to 19, can join the mailing list on our website, www.possibilitycharlotte.org, to find out more information about our next auditions. We do not select teens based on talent alone. Instead, we learn more about each potential participant through an audition process that gives us an idea of each teen’s personality, leadership ability, and interest in all aspects of the performing arts.

What does TTPC do?

Inspire. Involve. Transform. Evolve. The Possibility Project-Charlotte changes the lives of teens in Charlotte-Mecklenburg through a combination community service and performance arts. It gives teens the opportunity to be heard and to lead as the primary creators of an original show based on their lives and their vision for the city in which we live. The Possibility ProjectCharlotte facilitates the interaction of people Find out more by visiting our website at of all ages, races, cultures, and backgrounds. www.possibilitycharlotte.org TPPC is a home to many. TPPC uncovers people. We have to invest not only in the hidden ability and potential. You can’t avoid show, but in our ensemble because all of progress in TPPC. In the nine months of us have to grow together in order to put on programming that takes place during each a meaningful performance. season, no one can say that they left in the same way that they came.The entire process is collaboratively led by the Director, the How do people get into TPPC? Production Team, and a team of local professional artists who serve as our Choreographer, Music Director, and Vocal Teens, ages to 13 to 19, can join the Coach. The Production Team is a 12-member mailing list on our website, cross-section of the Ensemble, which it www.possibilitycharlotte.org, to find out supports and guides in achieving its personal more information about our next auditions. and performance goals.What has TPPC been We do not select teens based on talent working on?We have ongoing partnerships alone. Instead, we learn more about each with I AM not the MEdia and Teach For potential participant through an audition America (TFA). We also create new process that gives us an idea of each teen’s partnerships with other organizations based personality, leadership ability, and interest on the interests and concerns of the in all aspects of the performing arts. participants. In March, we performed at the How long do you plan on working with Wake UP! Student Empowerment Summit at TPPC?We will help empower young the Charlotte Convention Center. We are people to lead, be creative, and serve their currently writing and rehearsing for our community for as long as we are able to do annual production that happens at the end of so.What has TPPC done in the past? In our each June at the McGlohon Theatre at Spirit we continue to produce and month, we would like you all to I AM not the Media deems April 12thSeason, poetry month.

In honor of poetry Square.What do you go through in order to perform our annual production in addition feel free to post a video of a spoken word piece or attach a written piece to our Facebook page. In create a great show? to community action projects that address these poems be as creative as you would like.

Express yourself! Tell us what makes you...YOU! various issues including homelessness, education, media literacy, and gender In TPPC, we must work with all types of roles. How can people find out what TPPC people. We have to invest not only in the doing?People can find out more by visiting our

Poet Spotlight: “Quill” INTERVIEW WITH MASON “QUILL” PARKER

By Mothermoon As a local poet, rapper, actor and writer, Quill is leaving his mark in Charlotte. From poetry and rap jams to onstage acting performances, he has dipped his pen in diverse fields of entertainment. He recently performed in Red Badge of Courage at the Children’s Theater of Charlotte. He is about to release Loose Leaf Volume 2, a mixtape of his rap verse and music. He is recently collaborating with the Inkified Inc. Scholarship fund, to support and encourage literacy through creative writing and hip-hop.

“The prerequisite to writing is having something to say” ~Langston Hughes.

anyway. “One day I was writing and my cousin walked in and said ‘You write so much you are going to turn into a pen.’ That was pretty witty for an eight year old. After that day, I started thinking about it.” He wanted to be a symbol. “I wanted whatever I was attaching my light, my persona to, to be a symbol for all that I stood for and to be incorruptible, a lot of what Bruce Wayne went through when he was deciding to take on the bat for his symbol.” His favorite superhero was Batman.

Words hold power. Quill realizes that. “Just changing one little thing within a sentence, changing an inflection on how you say something can totally change the meaning of the whole sentence or the whole message.” Knowing this has made him into the eloquent lyricist he is today; his poetry and song have become closely interwoven in the delivery of his message. Those familiar with the local rap scene have become familiar with his music and his voice. However, he says, “At the end of the day, I’m a writer.” He has held several positions in the writing field; he had an editorial, worked as a journalist, has written scripts and plans on going to film school. His goal is to become a screenwriter.

Quill credits his mom, who was a singer and actress herself, for nourishing his gifts. “My love for the arts was heavily and primarily inspired by her influence and what she exposed me too, what she made sure I was exposed to, which was culture“. She made sure he knew were he came from. His relentless thirst for knowledge, his wit and his banger he credits to his father. It’s his other side of his personality, he says. But it is his mother who told him, “If you do it right, you can do this for a living.” He has held on strong to that. He is now working on advancing his career as the multi-faceted artist he is.

That is one of Mason “Quill” Parker’s favorite quotes. “I think a lot,” he says, “when I was younger I just wanted to express myself.” He was a fan of hip-hop since he was four.

He started to write at age nine. Growing in the light of Tupac Shakur and Michael Jackson helped him develop his passion for both music and words. He describes his style as vintage, old school and very back to basics.

In September he will be venturing off to Atlanta, Georgia and spreading his wings. “It’s go time,” he states. “It’s time to catch that dream”. His son and daughter are currently his biggest driving force in doing so. It’s they who motivate him, but also his audience. Right now, he says, “The focus is just staying as productive, creative, innovative, and visible as possible”. He has a following of over 2,000 people on Facebook. His audience encourages him to keep going because it’s their opinions that he truly takes to heart.

Being a lyricist was the next best thing from being an actor, he says. Acting is also his passion. When he was twelve, he did a monologue competition at his school. Though he did not win, he was the only actor that received a standing ovation. On that day, he learned that the critics’, the socalled experts, opinions do not really matter. “What will determine your success is how you touch people,” he says.

“That became my focus...touching people at their core.”

What is his message for inspiring artists? “Listen to the universe.

It speaks to you if you allow it to.” He has style and a voice and according to his website, the power to make the earth shift. If the universe is listening, it will hear his voice speak for he is an old soul that speaks for the unspoken.

Why Quill? “A quill is an instrument used for writing and so am I,” he states. “Now the story of how I came up with it is pretty lame,” he laughs, but goes on and shares the story

anyway. “One day I was writing and my cousin walked in and said ‘You write so much you are going to turn into a pen.’ That was pretty witty for

To find out more about our featured artist go to: http://quillhiphopqc.com. You can also follow him on Facebook.

Stay tuned for Loose Leaf Vol 2 coming out on April 25, 2013 in honor of National Poetry Month. You can view the “All My Life” official video on YouTube or the website listed above.