voicevalue

Sean Wesley Edwards

Written

by: Cyn The Great

Sean Wesley Edwards is a talented wordsmith who can beautifully craft prose, poetry and rap with ease. His words dance off the minds of his listeners, evoking emotion and painting vivid pictures that leave lasting impressions each time he speaks. He weaves together intricate stories, capturing the essence of the human experience in a way that is both relatable and thought-provoking. As a young boy he knew that his words had value and over the years he has used his gift to be the voice of those who sometimes cannot speak or to simply evoke a feeling to let people know they are not alone in their experiences. Wes Lee’s mastery of language is evident in every line he speaks words on a deeper level. Whether he is speaking about love, loss, or the beauty of nature, his words resonate with listers and stay with them long after they have heard his voice. Wes has performed in many settings and recorded numerous pieces of work. He uses poetry to give back to others and rap as a selfish escape for himself and just happens to be a phenomenal lyricist. But it’s not just his skill with words that sets Wes Lee apart; it’s also his unique perspective and voice. He has a knack for finding the extraordinary in the ordinary, shining a light on the small moments and details that often go unnoticed. True artists draw emotion from what they have experienced firsthand or what they learn through others. Wes expressed that as a young boy he was often told “you talk too much,” instead of letting this break his spirits he would remind himself that he was practicing for something bigger than himself because he believed that his words had value.

Growing up, as the oldest child, Wes helped raise and care for his younger siblings. He recalled times when he came home from school and was handed a child as his parents were on the way out the door to work.

When he was 9 years old, he jumped off the school bus to find that both parents were home; but there was no baby in hand. Wes learned that his baby sister had passed away and at such a tinder age, he did not have the emotional intelligence to comprehend how or why God would take away his little sister. For a while grief took hold of him and caused him to shut down and fall behind in school. When prompted to respond to a quote in front of the entire class, Wes’ love for poetry was birth because his response was so profound that the teacher and students praised him for his ability to speak so eloquently.

As he got older and began working, Wes worked his way into leadership positions and was often admired and praised for his ability to speak and influence others in a positive way. He began to leverage and channel into the power behind his words through outreach and communication. He shared that in his professional, engineering, and personal life he has been able to work with people on a trajectory, on the same level as him, and people considered to have already made it to tap into potential and create beautiful experiences that held him to a higher standard and forced him to evolve. Now he can pay it forward by standing as a pillar and working with others to create opportunities to be recognized for creating spaces that build partnerships that continue to grow a foundation. He said “I have no barriers in my ability to connect with people on a familiar level. Which is why I work outward rather than straight to the top”.

While poetry serves as a to be the voice to the voiceless; rapping serves as his therapy that allows him to battle his own demons Being a father is another space that fills Wes’ cup. Seeing himself again from a more experienced lenses through his son is a charge that completes Wes that allows him to again, pour into his craft to share with others. His writing is honest and authentic, inviting listeners to see the world through his eyes and experience the beauty and pain of life alongside him. His overall goal is to align himself with the things that serve him as a person to be a light to others.

Currently Wes is working on a project titled Good Grief. The album depicts a storyline that exploits the beauty of how we become better through our tribulations. His words help change the perspective of the “other side” of grieving. His production company, Bonzeye Productions, is known for their ability to provide full-service audio, visual and production. They recently launched a show where they provided a live set audience jam session with a live band where attendees were able to experience a freeflowing open mic session alongside featured performers. When Wes was challenged to speak on some of his most pivital life moments, he recalled to being in undergrad and writing a poem and producing a video with a close friend titled We Are Rising which, became an oath to his alma mater Savannah State University. The video was so mind blowing that his friend received a scholarship and was able to finish out the semester without having to drop classes after Wes pitched the video to the dean and academic affairs. He recalled his debut hip hop album Cope Deluxe where he had a listening party that landed a few editorial playlists. The album was engineered at his home studio and produced by his good friend Duke. The event went over so well that it led to his next big project, grammy considered To Whom This May Benefit. The project is composed of a series of letters to different concepts we share as mankind.

Wes has worked with multiple nonprofit organizations like Way of Real Discovery, Voices in Power, Cool Kid Production’s, Poetry Me Please, SOB’s. He has collaborated with professionals on the rise like DJ N Harmonix, R& B Neo Soul artist; Innu, radio personality 2Benji, and many others. The list of projects that he’s had a hand in have all provided Wes with experience needed to create his own atmosphere where other creatives can gather and feel better when they leave. He and his team are currently in the works of opening their own venue that will allow for everyone to feel better for selfimprovement. Patrons would have access to video, audio and full production, writing workshops, live music and events. His goal is to use networking to create a one stop shop that allows an overflow of creativity.

When it’s all said and done Wes expressed that he wants to be an example of living in your identity, and becoming everything that he speaks over his life. His words have the power to heal, inspire, and provoke thought and he uses that to stand as a pillar to anyone who falls under the sound of his voice. His positive mindset is sure to take him further than his own expectations. He plans to do so by continuing to grow and use each experience as a tool to become better than he was the day before.