ThePoet Saymo: Not Just Another Starving Artist--Parlé Magazine

Spoken word is one of the many venues in which silence can speak volumes. The words of lyrical artists can either take your breath away or leave you jaw dropped, thinking to yourself, "Did they really just say that?" Many have come and gone, some maintain, and few can easily transcend from spoken word poetry to music to acting. Christopher "ThePoet Saymo" Fleming is one of the few who makes this artistic switch with ease and is more than eager to share his talent with anyone who is passionate about art.

Chris has been both revered and condemned for his crafty wordplay as well as the truths that he speaks. His fans, friends, and strangers alike have praised him for his genius, unique style and his ability to entertain and inform. While others simply show no love, he keeps pushing forward with what he does best. Formally known as Christopher ThePoet, Chris took on his new handle, Saymo, which was inspired by neo expressionist painter Jean Michel Basquiat aka SAMO, which is short for same old ish. What same old ish is he talking about?

 “Arrogance, self-centeredness...microwave poetry,” explains Saymo. “Don’t get me wrong, there are a great multitude of poets out there, but there are many more who use my art to get more p---y. Poetry comes from your SOUL...I want you to describe your cuts to me so well that I look down and see my wrists bleeding.” If that’s not real, someone please clarify for me what is. "They say art imitates life, so...a good chunk of my work is from personal experiences, but Art also creates life," explains Saymo. "At times, I like to use my work as personal self-affirmations even when grim (those grim times make the best stories even though they suck to go through)." Regardless of your educational background, it is very well possible to not know everything and Chris has seen it and heard it redundantly.

 "There are some very Learned Idiots and some Educated Fools who will teach you the inner Matrices of life, but we overlook them because they don't look 'Godly,'" says Saymo. Everyone has their own perception of what truth is in this world and Chris is no different from any other spiritually thirsty and socially confused human. The ups and downs of life, he's been there, done that, and still going through it. Saying that he puts himself out there is an understatement. Out of the many challenges in life, reporting the honest truth about himself has been more than a journey for him. It's like an awakening to self-realization.

"I could have had a cozy job, a wife and probably kids, a home, etc...but instead I'm sleeping on a twin size mattress with a 60 watt light bulb as as lamp and a busted TV as a stand, single and scarred from heartbreak," he admits. 'Starving Artist' would be the first label that comes to mind, as all writers and lyrical artists are stereotyped as such. Chris has also challenged this label as well as the typical artist prototype by being a purple cow.

"I ain't doin nothin new, I'm just being myself while I do it...love myself and take y'all along the journey as I learn my crazy self and hopefully, you'll become inspired to do the same." Acknowledging that there are broke but not broken artists out there who flew through many rings of fire, Chris hopes to meet and greet with them over some liqs. As a Hip-Hop emcee, it was practically impossible to ignore the concept of Hip-Hop and Rap.

"Rap (one of the four elements of Hip-Hop) actually means Rhythm and Poetry...its the vocals to the soundtrack of the Hip Hoppa. Deejaying is the actual soundtrack. Graffiti is our hieroglyphics that will be studied as a way to understand inner city life and ghetto life at large. Breakdance is our Praise ritual," Saymo elaborates on Hip-Hop culture. "Pay attention the next time you celebrate, see if you don't breakdance in some sort of fashion."

Born and raised in South Carolina, Saymo would love to open doors for artists in S.C. as J. Cole did for North Carolina. As the founder of #teamPOET, Chris has established a team and created a family that is a foundation based on family, love, respect, growth, perseverance, and the vision to Provide Opportunities to Entertain and Teach. He’s gotta give his team proper dues when he sees fit.

"Shout out to #teamPOET!! Auriel J, OMG, Kashayla, Deluxe, Ife, D. Mone, Vintage, Jonesy, DJ Killa Bee, and #teamPOET international MC Spook (Kenya) and iLLFlow (South Africa)," Chris exclaims. As he states in his music, “til the day I rest, it's #teamPOET, YES!!!"

The Nature of Customer Service--Catalysta

Naturally, customer service workers are trained to be kind, courteous, and professional at all times when we need help with a product or service. Depending on the individual or company, the goal is to make a sale and make sure the customer leaves happy and satisfied. To many, this seems like another job completed and another skill gained. To others, it’s considered a stepping-stone towards excellence in their communication and personal skills.

When you visit your favorite store, bank, accountant or insurance consultant, how often do the employees greet you by your first name? Can they even remember your name? Or, do they treat you like number, make you wait for twenty minutes and your situation still goes unsatisfied? In a world where questions, comments, and concerns are directed to the company inbox or automated phone line, talking to a human being can be a rare, yet comforting experience. The customer will build a rapport with the person helping them, whether intentional or not. The person wants to feel comfortable with you and know that you are going to help them. If you can accomplish that, they will remember you and be very grateful for your assistance. In turn, you will likely remember them and hope they come back with any more concerns. Referrals can build up the clientele, and generate good business.

To read full article, check out Catalysta.

From The Vault: 7 Unisex Items That Guys Aren’t Afraid To Swag by Marcus Scott (Hello Beautiful!)

We’ve heard it all before, men are from red planet pixie dust of Mars and women are from the fiery sulfuric mists of Venus. We couldn’t be more different even if we wore the same skeletons. We think different, feel different emotionally, speak differently and execute tasks differently. We’re worlds apart. So, why would we ever wear the same clothes? As the worlds of fashion and androgyny evolve, we sit back at the edge of the catwalk and watch designers and fashionistas bridge the gap between manly-man maschismo and superwoman feminism on the runway. Here is a list of the most celebrated unisex threads, accessories and trends that we are still going gaga over.

1. The Rihanna Mohawk: If you walk throughout any fashion-forward megacity cosmopolitan metropolis or even an small urban college town, we’re sure you will see young women with asymmetrical tresses. But, the pop princess ready made her mark on the indie androgynous male glitterati type, gay or straight, this summer. And the look—depending on the face, of course—is a win-win.
2. The P-Funk Pumps: What do you call vibrant nigh knee-high laced boots that look remarkably futuristic? We don’t know either, but it recalls a certain pioneering soulful, funk punk rock group if we do say ourselves
3. Michael Jackson’s Rhinestone Jacket: Once upon a time on a now celebrated televised special known as Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever featured a former boy soprano who would later blossom into the premier pop megastar of the 20th and 21st centuries, Michael Jackson. Introduced by comedic legend Richard Pryor, Jackson and his band brothers shimmered and shined, singing Jackson 5 classics. Then, his iconic performance of his signature “Billie Jean” came. Jackson may have wowed the cheering audience, but fashionistas everywhere took notes on his trademark threads. The King of Pop’s glimmering black rhinestone jacket was taken and worn by women alike. In modern-day, only a year after his passing, Jackson devotee Chris Brown rocked out on stage with a mock rhinestone jacket and H&M has also a designed a similar jacket for their women’s summer 2010 line.
4. Kanye West’s Alain Mikli Shutter Shades: Seriously, was there anything bigger than these shades in 2008? Introduced to the public by one of the greatest producer emcees of the 21st century, Mr. West created a trend of offbeat shades starting with the famous shades by Armenian-Lebenese France-based designer Alain Mikli. When West’s Graduation hit “Stronger” launched around the globe, fashion outlets had sold out and bootlegging kiosk owners their hiked prices.
5. Africana Dashikis: During the late 80s and early-90s, there was a short and unsung movement that involved rappers and celebrities rooting to return back to the motherland. Among the ghettoblaster summer anthems like “Fight The Power” and a powerful shift in hip-hop music, people were donning dashikis everywhere. Regardless of color, these African staples are still more powerful and more visible than ever.
6. The Button-up Vest: There once was a time when the line between menswear tailoring and female haute was as divided as the republicans and democrats on healthcare reform. Now, its for the birds and fashion Berlin Wall is beginning to crumble. Worn by Usher, Trey Songz, Mario, Beyonce and Rihanna alike, the opened button-up vest is in full-effect, sparking the ultimate fashion question: Who wears it better, the boys or the girls?
7. The Disco Ball Pants: Year 3000, here we come! We thought Studio 54 chic had long since been in its twilight days: Less people tap razors on mirrors for their latest fix, no one wears boots with goldfish swimming in their glass heels, and bell bottoms have become more specific to women than to men. But recently, male fashion models have been seen on runaways in bow-chicka-wow-wow shattered mirror pants and with Lady Gaga bringing back the glitterball bra and pants on tour and in her videos, we’re seeing a truly unique rehash that we hope doesn’t go away anytime soon. 

For the clip: Go here

What I've Been Up To...

There hasn't been any updates to my blog for several reasons because a.) up until a few weeks ago, I was a graduate student at NYU Tisch School of The Arts as a Graduate Musical Theatre Program student, b.) I was busy interning [NYU Press, Theater Movement Company, Primary Stages] and c.) I've been building my portfolio up and writing two full-length musicals. My thesis musical Cherry*Bomb was directed by Nick Corey (actor: She Loves Me 1993 revival, Mary Poppins 2006 OBC, The Mystery of Edwin Drood 2013 revival) with a cast of on- and off-Broadway actors. During my two years in the program, I also wrote an original 20-minute musical titled "The Vitruvian Man" that was written with composer Avi Amon, and starred Jason Tam (A Chorus Line 2006 Broadway revival, Lysistrata Jones 2011 OBC), Adam Monley (Mamma Mia! 2001 OBC) and Stephen Mitchell Brown (Jekyll and Hyde 2013 revival). 

Where am I now? Interning at the New York Musical Theater Festival. See?

In it's tenth year, we've redesigned and reconfigured an entirely new Web site (which I aided in a lot of the back-end stuff,  uploading the music, images, cast profiles, as well as the proofreader and editor, etc.), and have won a Special Award from the Drama Desk! I'm the Marketing Intern and Social Media intern. During the internship, I have and will work alongside industry heads to curate the festival, speak to vendors (hotels, restaurants) to implement deals for our 40,000+ members and produce and designate a dialog with the public across various online platforms (Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook, etc.), among others.

Krave Covers (From The Vault)

All of the Issues That Marcus Scott's material was featured in. In these magazine editorial issues, Scott has written the cover stories as well as additional copy and editorial features. Enjoy.

• Rows 2 (Finesse Mitchell: white backdrop and purple font) through 5 (Lisa Raye: silver backdrop and black font)
• Row 7 (Boris Kodjoe: white backdrop and black font; Travis Winfrey: sea blue backdrop, royal blue font)

Here are a few others you might like: 

  Several articles were written by Marcus Scott.

 

Three of the top stories on the front page were written by Marcus Scott, including several fitness articles that would eventually launch KraveFit.

 Marcus Scott interviews urban film queen Lisa Raye on her divorce to former chief minister of the Turks and Caicos Islands Michael Misick, her film career, her autobiographical work and what would soon become the VH1 hit series, "Single Ladies."

 Several articles were written by Marcus Scott.

Marcus Scott's very first magazine cover, writing on breast cancer in men.  

Four of the top stories on the front page were written by Marcus Scott, including the Black Thomas cover story.

The Last Krave issue with Marcus Scott.

From The Vault (older Atlanta Post/Madame Noire story)

On the May 31, 2011 broadcast of 106 & Park, the BET flagship premiered the promotional music video for the radio raga “Man Down,” the menacing electro-reggae cat-on-the-prowl murder ballad by Rihanna. The fifth consecutive single from her trashy Eurodance opus “Loud,” the latest clip from the Caribbean chanteuse–as directed by frequent collaborator Anthony Mandler–has raised a few eyebrows since its debut.

Set against the beautiful-but-turbulent ‘gully’ side of Kingston, Jamaica, the Barbados-born singer reflects on the compelling story of a young, liberated woman and the rage-and-revenge rampage that follows.

The five-minute clip begins at the climax of the mad scene when a raged-filled Rihanna fires and kills a man who’s walking through a busy train station before the songstress flees the scene of the crime.

Through flashbacks of the previous day, Rihanna is seen riding her bike through Portland Parish, socializing with young men in her neighborhood, and buying fruit from street vendors before wandering into a nightclub where she is pursued by the victim. It’s not until after the “Umbrella” singer exits the dancehall that viewers understand her motives, as he follows her out into the shadows and begins to get violent; leaving her in tears at the end of the struggle.

Mandler really nails the coffin tight with haunting hot-flashes and smoke-simmering throughout and guerilla-style quick cuts of the star alone in her flat, singing alone, contemplating inside a bedroom at dusk. While, the message of the “Man Down” clip is a clear, concise, and powerful message for young women in the “Little Red Riding Hood” fare, should Rihanna be the mouthpiece?

 Years before “Man Down,” Rihanna was the victim of domestic abuse, a scandal that for a short while, damaged the career of R&B song-and-dance man Chris Brown and left headshots of her black and blue face littered throughout the information superhighway. The scars of the incident and the madness that followed fueled the melancholy “Rated R,” which chronicled her relationship with Brown and the healing process. But since then, a more risqué and femme fatale persona has arisen: One that prefers S & M in her boudoir and fingerprints around her neck. Perhaps this is just open-minded statements of a twenty-something’s sexual fantasies, but then again, what messages are these sending to young women? Is physical abuse only permitted when its in the bedroom, and for those who are not into the scene, is there a line between abuse and a little whip-and-chain action?

 While this siren-infused fireball riddim in all of its balls-to-wall bunny-boiling glory is Rihanna’s catchiest, savvy and most infectious single since last year’s “Rude Boy,” the video represents more than just a gut-wrenching PSA on sex abuse; it sort of establishes one of pop’s leading princesses as a victim of her own circumstances and a media plaything. As we know, rape is used as a form of power.

But seeking and finalizing one’s revenge, is a way to get that power back. Alas, if you’ve been the victim as long as she has, is the crime still worth committing and is it possible to establish or get that power back? Inquiring minds would like to know.

-By Marcus Scott

Source: Original Story

From The Vault (older Atlanta Post/Madame Noire story)

 In the age of Twitter, tabloid gossip can spread like wildfire within minutes. Yet it is unusual when the hot topic is CNN weekend prime-time news anchor Don Lemon, who revealed in an interview published yesterday by The New York Times that he is gay.

In late September, the Emmy-winner made a starling confession on national television. During a discussion about Georgia’s New Birth Missionary Baptist Church pastor Bishop Eddie Long, who was accused of sexually coercing four male teenage members of his congregation, Lemon announced that that he was a victim of sex abuse by a much older pedophile as a child.

 During the interview, Lemon conversed about his early childhood after showing a video of a lawyer reiterating what one of the alleged victims said about the bishop’s sexual advances. “The things these men were talking about, especially African American men don’t want to talk about…I couldn’t tell my mom that until I was 30 years old,” said Lemon.

With an impressive portfolio that includes stints with WCAU in Philadelphia, WMAQ in Chicago and WNYW in New York City, as well as profiles on NBC Nightly News and Today, the Baton Rouge native is following in the footsteps of many of his other peers in journalism, media and television by releasing his first autobiographical memoir in June.

In the interview with The New York Times, Lemon, 45, shed light on his perspective on why the tell-all, dubbed “Transparent,” will gain notice: “People are going to say: ‘Oh, he was molested as a kid and now he is coming out.’ I get it.”

As horrifically shallow as this confession maybe perceived, it’s a sad fact. Once upon a time even uttering a confession of this gravity meant career suicide. However, with that bold statement, CNN’s baby-faced anchor joined the ranks of only a few news anchors that have come out, which include political commentator Rachel Maddow and MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts, both white personalities. Whether he likes it or not, Lemon has now established himself as the face of the quintessential African-American gay man of prime-time news.

Source: Original Story