If The College Dropout, the first Kanye West album, knocked you off your feet when you first heard it in 2004, you remember the song on the album that was its mighty uppercut. It was the Never Let Me Down, one of the most inspirational songs of the last few decades. The song featured Kanye and Jay-Z trading bars about perseverance in the face of adversity, and then in the song’s middle, there was the recital of a poet. A poet whose words carried as much thunder as Jay-Z’s. It was the vocal performance that had music and Hip-Hop fans from barber to coffee shops asking “Who was that?!”
That was Chicago raised poet J. Ivy. Ivy, along with Springfield, Ohio native John Legend, was a part of a collective that helped create Kanye West’s debut LP. Ivy also is an accomplished poet who’s won awards and made poetry albums, done voice overs on commercials, written books, and appeared on television shows and movies. Ivy talked to WYSO about his latest album The Poet Who Sat By The Door (available now on all streaming platforms), and his thoughts on Kanye’s recent behavior.
What inspired you to make your latest album?
After working on jeen-yuhs and helping to create a new category for the Poets at the GRAMMYs (Best Spoken Word Poetry Album), I really wanted to have the opportunity to throw my name in the hat before reaching the submission deadline. Plus, I've been itching to create a new project after my album, Catching Dreams, was nominated for a GRAMMY last year. The pen has been flowing, the idea of The Poet Who Sat By The Door kept me curious to what that could sound like when we finally crossed the finish line, and there's so much to write about in the world right now.
You have an impressive list of guest collaborators. How hard/easy was it to get them to participate in the making of this album?
The support has been unreal. Standing ovation to the entire cast of this album, this movie. Tarrey Torae, Sir The Baptist, John Legend, Slick Rick the Ruler, Verse, Abiodun Oyewole of the Last Poets, Urusula Rucker, Omari Hardwick, ChurchPpl, Umphrey's McGee, BJ the Chicago Kid, PJ Morton, Sunni Patterson, Deon Cole, Maurice Brown, Yaw, Ledisi, Musiq Soulchild!!! Sounds like a dream!!! It is a dream and every single one of these geniuses that blessed the album were super gracious with their time and their gifts. Every producer, every musician, every writer, every engineer was beyond supportive and it made this project, which we created in 2 months, a truly magical experience. They helped create a masterpiece and what I feel is one of the best albums of the year.
Who would you say that this album is meant for? Marketed to?
The album is meant for everyone to hear. All backgrounds. All ages. It's meant for the Poetry lovers. It's meant for the Music lovers. It's meant for the dreamers. It's a soundtrack for the life we're living right now. It's a recipe of hope and perseverance wrapped in melodic tales. It's a cry for better days. It's a jolt of joy for all that we've been able to get through. And poetry is the backdrop for this journey. I wanted to use this collection of Poetry & Music to add to a much needed conversation of love, overcoming oppression, and tapping into our humanity so we can vibrate higher as a society. As a Black Man living in a country that has historically oppressed my people, I'm able to look through a lens that is fixed on seeing a brighter future. True, it's written through my Black lens, but no one is exempt from this conversation. The more perspective and dialogue we can add the better. It's a must that we have these conversations of love, so we can continue to grow as a people, as a country, as a civilized society.
What do you want your fans and other listeners to take from this album? What message and/or lessons?
The first lesson is a reminder to Listen to your heart, your soul, your spirit. Listen to what's going on in the world. Listen to your friends and family. Listen to the wide range of possibilities. This world bears enough wealth and resources for everyone, so keep running your race. Don't give up. To this country that we love, pay for the free labor our ancestors unwillingly had to give century after century. Don't forget to connect with people. We need that human connection. And besides, we are all one under the umbrella of spirit and humanity. So don't let the world extinguish your light. Fight to make this world better. Fight for love because love is always needed. Learn from the lessons of the past so we can remember where we're going in spite of the injustices that continue to haunt us. Because when you look at the big picture, we're all fortunate to have a swing at this beautiful journey called life. But as we travel down our paths, it's important to remember to raise our vibration, look out for our neighbors, and always pass the plate. After all, we all have to eat.
Most Hip-hop fans know that you worked with Kanye on his first album. What are your thoughts on his recent exploits?
Kanye and I share an amazing history. Together our village was able to make monumental change to the culture that will forever ring throughout time. Together, along with Jay-Z, John Legend, Tarrey Torae, and Tracie Spencer, who were also on "Never Let Me Down," we created something masterful that will live on forever. It was a moment where Poetry & Hip-Hop lived together on one of the biggest albums ever. But as far as what's been happening lately, I don't want to feed into that conversation, other than to say our brother needs to be surrounded by people who truly love him, who truly care about him, who will keep it a buck with him so that he fully understands that the people that live outside of his billionaire bubble are affected daily, hurt daily, put through hell... daily.
Are you touring any time soon? And, do you have any dates in the Midwest?
Absolutely. Right now we're having listening sessions from Chicago to New York, to Nashville and LA, but in addition to that we're putting together an unforgettable show and tour dates that will be announced soon on j-ivy.com and on my IG @j_ivy.
