We were excited to meet poet and The Poetry Room founder Masaki Takahashi, and we didn’t waste any time setting up an interview with him.
Masaki spoke to us about his love of hip-hop music, joining AOTA Creative, the idea of bringing a poetry slam to “Downtown Traffic Jam!” in Lansing, MI, his love of poetry, the event “The Poetry Room Open Mic: Recovery Room”, and the community holding the city to their commitment to support the arts.
Originally THIS INTERVIEW with Masaki Takahashi was 2 parts. Here you get the COMPLETE REMASTERED EXPEIENCE!
Masaki, you were recently announced as a new member of AOTA Creative, the awesome collective of artists who support All of the Above Hip-Hop Academy! How did you come to join the crew?
I have known [executive director] Ozay Moore for a while. I have known Sareem Poems, James Gardin, Jahshua Smith and a whole lot of people from AOTA for a while and our beliefs of building community align.
Ozay and I went to get lunch just to hang out and bond. I think we are both trying to build bigger and saw this as a good opportunity for both of us.
We agree it’s a good opportunity. So, tell us, how are you hoping to contribute to AOTA?
I am dope. AOTA is dope and we are going to do dope things.
That’s a very “Kanye West” answer! The dope will do as they do! Okay, tell us about a time you saw hip-hop impact the life of someone you care about.
I grew up a hip-hop head. I used to write raps all the time and kick freestyles all the time in the [school] hallway. My best friends were B-boys and it just helped us bond because we were the outsiders. We went to a school with primarily White upper-middle-class children and we were minorities who didn’t have it like that. Hip-hop gave us confidence and stuff to do. Dancing and rapping are free.
Of all of hip-hop’s elements, which one speaks to you most?
I love rap! Notorious BIG’s ‘Life After Death’ album was the album that really made me love it like no other. By the time I was done with Disc 1 I knew I loved hip-hop. I got ‘Life After Death’ around 2001, then Jin soon came out killing everyone on 106 & Park. That really got me into writing and rapping.
Were you at the Rakim concert at The Loft on Valentine’s Day to witness that instant-classic AOTA Crew performance?
That crew cut was bananas! That camaraderie was authentic and the love for each other was real. It really made me more comfortable in saying yes to being part of AOTA when I have been a lone wolf for so long.
Ozay Moore recently teamed up with The Corzo Effect for a “Downtown Traffic Jam!” performance. You’re an entertainer; given the opportunity what kind of set would you put on at the “Jam”?
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make it to Ozay’s performance. I heard it was dope but I guess I don’t expect anything less. I would love to have more slams. The slam culture is really missing in the Lansing area. That would be my “Jam”.
Let’s talk about poetry now. Masaki, why do you love it so much?
Poetry gives a voice to people and it’s free to start. It is a very low bar to getting in but it’s hard to rise to the top because the bar is so high. But anybody can write poems if they chose to put themselves out there like that.
Poetry allows for expression and decompression. It gives an outlet to people. That is why of all the events and workshops I work on, the high school students are my favorite because they are so raw and they just want to be heard. It’s truthful without all the sugary metaphors and punchlines.
How is The Poetry Room an extension of your love?
We are making Grade A killers at The Poetry Room. Everyone is getting better and I love being competitive. Everyone inspires and pushes each other to be better. It is a dope community. The Poetry Room is a great place to build and learn amongst your peers.
Highly anticipated event “The Poetry Room Open Mix: Recovery Room” just happened. Did it meet or exceed your expectations?
“Recovery Room” was dope. We had to cap the list off at 27 people. We had a pretty full house, but 1 – 27 was ill. We are having more consistent hits because of the support and the work everyone has been putting in.
Hip-hop artist and speaker Jahshua Smith, another incredible member of All of the Above Hip-Hop Academy, headlined. Share your opinion on him as an artist, a person, and how both shined at the open mic.
Jahshua Smith is dope. He is a good person with a great moral compass. He is a thoroughbred. He does this for the community and you can tell by the way he moves and his lyrics.
How are you hoping to shine as a person and an artist for the benefit of the community?
When I first started rocking open mics, they would try to deter me from signing up and tell me poetry doesn’t go well with the crowd. I never listened because I am dope and my poetry is dope. Eventually, people caught on to my game.
The Poetry Room created a safe space for people to start and get better. With that, we did get better and poetry has seemed to get more popular. The Poetry Room has created a super dope community. I am hoping to harness more slam poets and create a national team.
What should the community do to hold the city to its commitment to supporting the arts?
Double down. Ain’t no half-stepping. If the city wants this to be a place for artists, it will cost them money. People have to be able to make a living making art to be an artist. We need to market our artists and events. People need to come to Lansing to perform and catch shows. |THIS.
[By M.J. Walker]
