As avid-lovers of poetry, we here at Spoken Word New York try to make it a point to go out and find the hottest poets in NY. This “little-poet-that-could”, as once described by a close friend of hers, is whom we believe to be one of NYC’s Hottest Poets. That is why we have named her Poet of the Month. Best described, she is a no-holds-barred, down-to-earth, woman that truly keeps it real. You will see from her interview that she has a passion for words and uses them with importance. Get to know Jamica Hardwick – Poet of the Month

What exactly do you do?

I am a spoken word performer with dreams of walking the line of performance poet and literary poet successfully.

How did you get started?

I went to a show by myself, saw some poets perform, figured it was something I had the ability to do.  Wrote a poem, read it aloud, thought my hands were shaking too much, then swore to myself I would never hold a paper again while I did a piece.

When did you know you wanted to get into performing Spoken Word for the public?

After the first reaction I ever got from a crowd.  I really appreciated the head nods, the appreciative sounds they made, the rounds of applause.  First poem I ever performed was an erotic poem.  I quickly learned I did not only want to be labeled as an erotic poet.  There were far too many subjects of relevance to talk about besides sex.

What or who inspired you to become an artist?

Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu are the first people that come to mind.  Oh and Floetry!  How could I forget Floetry !  These women, though musical, are all very poetic.  And as a music lover, I always appreciated how they implemented good lyric writing into their music.  Throw in India Arie as well.  From a literary standpoint, I think the one poet I have admired for a very long time is Sylvia Plath.  She’s dark.  She’s deep. She’s a genius.  I’ve recently been introduced to the works of Rita Dove.  She has this poem about Billie Holiday called Canary that blew my mind when I first read it.  Nikki Giovanni is on my IPOD.  Her Poem for Aretha is fantastic.  Audre Lorde, Sharon Olds, and now….Lucille Clifton.  I find myself inspired by powerful women when it comes to literature.  There are some men as well who really speak to me.  I’ve recently become a fan of Yusef Koumanyaka.  These are people who I’ve never met, never seen, never spoken to.  but there words speak to me.  That’s the kind of writer I want to be.

How does your style of Spoken Word poetry differ from other artists?

I honestly could not tell you.  I’m of the opinion that many of us in poetry are saying the same things.  It’s just a matter of it sounding different to different ears.

Who are your favorite entertainers?

Funny enough, my favorite entertainers are not in the spoken word scene.  Except maybe Narubi Selah.  If you have no idea who she is, Google her.  I’ve never seen anyone perform their poems with the energy she does on stage.  She’s a beast.  Aside from her, everyone else is either a Soca or Reggae artist.  Random, I know.  But it’s the energy they bring.  Machel Montano, you won’t find someone who can out-perform him.  Bunji Garlin, lyrically, no one can test him Soca.  Faye Ann Lyons, woman who commands a stage on the Soca scene.  Queen Ifrica, my absolute favorite reggae artist, male or female.  She always has a message of substance, but does it with such a raw energy.  What she does onstage for reggae, I want to do onstage with my words.

What have you learned throughout your life about this business?

That it’s like any other community.  There are those who love you and that you will love, then there are those who hate and who you might hate.  It is what it is.  I think a lot of people step into the scene like I did–wide eyed.  You hear the term “poet” and you think you’re surrounded by a bunch of conscious people who are all about positivity and upliftment.  Many are.  Many are not.  It’s just another reflection of the world we live in.

Any advice to artists that are just starting out?

Stay true to who you are.  It’s very easy to become a carbon copy in any business.  You do not need to sound like a Def Poet.  You do not need to sound like a slam poet.  You do not need to sound like an ultra-conscious poet.  You do not need to sound like your favorite poet.  Sound like you.  I think that’s the one thing I’ve consistently done, and it continues to be the smartest thing I’ve ever done.

What have you accomplished since you began performing?

I think the most important thing I’ve gained from the spoken word scene is a sense of self.  I learned a lot about who I was as a person and an artist.  Alongside that, I’ve been able to snag an opportunity to host my own open mic show, which seems to be growing with each passing show.  It started out being a show of like 10 poets.  It is now a show consisting of musicians, singers, poets, dancers and more all meshing together simultaneously.  My writing has also improved, so much to the point that one of my poems was published in my school’s literary publication, Promethean.  I’ve also been able to work alongside (and gain the respect of) anthologized poets.  I owe it all to the spoken word scene.

What projects are you working on…what are your future plans?

I’ve been dragging my feet towards writing a chapbook.  My major goal right now is finishing up my bachelor’s degree in English and working towards a Master’s in education.  Overall, I want to be a high school English teacher and an adjunct college professor.  I would love to be able to teach a creative writing class and help young people develop talents they never realized they had.  I’d love for my poems to be in an anthology.  It’d be awesome to see my work with the likes of Dove or Olds.

Where can people go to see you perform?

These days, I’m actually trying to not to be on the scene as much as I am really trying to focus on school.  I also feel like I need to experience new circles to have new subjects to write about.  So I’m in the process of trying to broaden my horizons.  The spoken word scene is always home for me, but sometimes you have to leave the nest.  The only place I am consistently, is at the show I currently host and curate, Work As Renaissance (WAR) at La Pregunta Arts Cafe (1528 Amsterdam Avenue between 135 and 136 Streets).

In terms of reaching me, catch me on my aol.  Aisha2385[at]aol.com.  If you’re looking for a FaceBook or MySpace account, sorry.  I REFUSE.  Otherwise, look for a girl with a low Caesar, big earrings, and a big smile who is either complaining about T Pain or Tyler Perry.

Check out some of her videos here on Spoken Word New York or go to Youtube and search for Jamica. She is all over the “tube”.

Tags | Jamica Hardwick, Spoken Word Artist, Spoken Word New York, Spoken Word Poetry