E8: Mp Yamfam

TRANSCRIPT

[MP:] Just so the camera knows, I’m wearing like five layers alright I do go gym
(laughter)
[Webster:] you look good man, you look good.
[MP:] yo, alright, so boom bam.

(Intro music)

[Evy:] Hello hello and welcome to Word Up Podcast. I’m Evy.
[Webster:] And I’m Webster.
[Evy:] And today we’re with MP, aka GOD.
[MP:] That’s correct.
[Webster:] The one and only..
[Evy:] What does it stand for?
[MP:] MP? Matthew Paull. Surname Wamfam fam W.A.M.F.A.M. GOD just stands for God, like, you know... in case you didn’t know...
[Evy:] Very modest...
[MP:] Yeah, of course man, you need to know who you are, so...
[Webster:] So to our audience who don’t know who you are, haven’t met you, haven’t seen you performing live, can you describe what you do?
[MP:] Basically if they go to church, the mosque, you know what I mean, the synagogue, anywhere.. They’ll find me.
[Webster:] Okay
[MP:] Alternatively they can also go to SFP stage, yeah...
(Laughter)
[MP:] They can find me in London, in Luton, in Amsterdam....
(Laughter making the conversation inaudible)
[MP:] So yeah man, I just.. I do life, via poetry. With the Soul Food Poetry family.
[Webster:] Right. Tell us about Soul Food Poetry?
[MP:] Ugh well, okay, so.. What’s your name again?
[Webster:] Webster, man.
[MP:] Webster man, alright, cool. So boom bam Webster. So obviously yesterday you weren’t giving.. What were you doing yesterday, actually?
[Webster:] I was with my friend. He’s visiting from London, so just showing him around this weekend.
[MP:] Cool, well that’s the good thing you said London, because all of our pieces are in English, so that’s good. Bang bang. so uh, next time feel free to come on May the I want to say 24th. May 24th, we always speak in English. Uhm because I don’t understand any other language, unfortunately. Other than the language of poetry, which transcends. You understand?
[Webster:] Language of love, man...
[MP:] Exactly, so yeah man, we do spoken word poetry or back room poetry whatever, prose uhm, storytelling, all sorts. But ideally it’s the fast premise is poetry and we always have live musicians in the background. So the poets will start speaking and the musicians will catch the vibe.
[Evy:] And you’re a poet yourself, I understand.
[MP:] Me? yeah, MP MP-GOD, get me master poetry. Right...
(laughter)
[Evy:] Where do you draw your inspiration from?
[MP:] Life. Anyone’s life or anythings life. Like today I was drawing it from animals. Cause that’s just... Like animals see something yeah.. See, like, birds.. What do birds do?
[Webster:] Fly?
[MP:] Fly, what else?
[Webster:] Eat
[Evy:] Shit. Sing.
[MP:] Yeah, so flying and singing are two things that you can ask people “What do birds do?” that you’d say that they fly, they sing, they lay eggs.. But how many times did you think of the bird that doesn’t fly, can’t sing, or..
[Evy:] Chicken
[MP:] No, doesn’t fly. No the bird that does fly but doesn’t. So that bird, that eagle that doesn’t fly. That hummingbird that doesn’t sing. You feel me?
[Webster:] Yeah.
[MP:] The doctor bird that can’t do this or that they extendedly do. Like you don’t think of that, but you can just look at a bird in a tree at one time and just think like “Why isn’t it flying?” You feel me? That you can write a whole piece of poetry on that. Cause it’s not about the animals it’s just about life. You feel me? And that’s why I say I draw from life. Cause it can come from anywhere, in life. You know what I mean? And that thought process helps you work with people, you know.. Like if you can understand life and animals and plants and all sorts... And you can start questioning life. Then of course you’re starting to question, now “Why didn’t that man or that lady cross the road quick enough?” D’you understand? They look fine, they look able, but maybe there’s something else happening on the inside. So it stops you from honking the horn and screaming out and this that and the other. And to me, that’s poetry. And that’s one example from where I get my inspiration from, which happened this morning, you know...
[Evy:] How long are you creating poetry, now?
[MP:] When I was born in Genesis. That’s when poetry began, you know.. I mean, ex nihilio: from the beginning there was nothing, you know... that’s when I started.
[Webster:] Gotcha.
[MP:] And by that I mean when I was born. Do you understand? And like I said, way in the beginning this wall didn’t exist until I existed as far as I’m concerned. I don’t care how old or young you are.. Didn’t exist until I existed as I know it. You feel me? From that conception or from that birth, poetry was born from myself, personally. How about you, do you write?
[Evy:] No.
[MP:] Yourself?
[Webster:] I do, I do write. Uhm, more like..
[MP:] When did you start?
[Webster:] Oh, poetry? oh no, I don’t write poetry. I do scripting, I write like concepts that are just never gonna be made into films and stuff..
[MP:] Never gonna be made into films?
[Webster:] Well, that I’m not planning on making into films.
[MP:] Right, okay..
[Webster:] Just to get it out of my head.. Just like “Wouldn’t this be so fucking cool” And then I write it down.
[Evy:] Yes
[MP:] Sh*t
[Webster:] However, we don’t allow swearing, unless it’s very tactful and nice, and you know what I’m saying? Like, for example you could say like “Fudge” instead of ... You know, I’m just saying..
[Evy:] Let’s stick to sweet stuff.
[MP:] Yeah sweet stuff like fudge and biscuits.
[Evy:] Yeah, exactly
[MP:] But you were saying.. Sorry
[Webster:] Uhm yeah so I just write down ideas that I think would be super cool. But that I’m not necessarily trying to turn into anything tangible you know..
[MP:] Yeah man, I know exactly..
[Webster:] So just get it out of your head, and that’s my creative process, I guess a little bit sometimes.
[Evy:] What’s the weirdest thing that happened to you on a stage?
[MP:] On stage? I don’t know.. I actually don’t know, because anything that happens is supposed to happen as far as I see it, so I can’t even think of something that’s weird. When it happens, you just work with it. I actually can’t think of... Yeah you just have to utilize it as it comes, because it was meant to come.
[Evy:] yeah yeah
[MP:] Someone could shout, I don’t know, shout something out that you’re not expecting, you just use that word as part of your poetry, you know. use it... Yeah I don’t know, just use it.. Like, I can’t really think uh.. It’s a hard question.. And it doesn’t mean that I’ve not had anything happen, it just means that the way that I internalize it and deal with it, means that I can’t... It doesn’t stick.. But I’ve got a good memory, because I can remember my poems.
[Webster:] Yeah, essential if you’re a poet, right?
[MP:] Yeah, well some read, but yeah, Some read from the page.
[Webster:] The energy is quite amazing, though, at Soul Food Poetry, the time that I did go. There’s a lot of interaction between the audience, obviously you’ve got the musicians, and you guys on stage have quite a lot of energy as well..
[MP:] Quite a lot, yeah, I suppose.
[Webster:] Yeah, no it’s good, but I wanted to know how the idea came about, you know, soul food poetry, music, you know... There’s also food there, by the way, it’s not just a name..
[MP:] exactly, it’s not just a name, everything has a reason, everything makes sense. Effectively what you guys are getting is a town thing in the city. Whenever we approach a city, because it started, because we didn’t necessarily want to have to drive into a city. That’s how it started. They didn’t want us there, other towns wanted it. London was calling for it, we were just like.. We actually said no for the longest time, cause it didn’t seem to fit with why we started.. But then we had to think “Bruh, who wants it?” And is there a need for it? You know what I mean? And since then people have come and said “oh, you’ve had this that and the other effect on our lives X, Y and Z” so you know... And it’s all about inclusion. That’s why we started it in the towns, is because we had to include people who weren’t able to travel into the city. Who didn’t have something happening on their doorstep that they could attend. So if people are asking for it in the city also, we should do that. That’s literally how it started. It’s not really, it’s no romantic type of... you know, I mean... It wasn’t like: This happened and that happened and then this teacher said this and that... nah, they did, but it’s not like that.. No we were just looking for something to put on that anyone and everyone could attend, you know.. that’s how we started.
[Evy:] And do you notice a difference between the audiences and artists in London and here, in Amsterdam?
[MP:] Nah most of them, not most of them, all of them generally, fit the criteria of two feet, or one foot, might be in a wheelchair, might have a walking stick, might be tall, short, fat, thin, beautiful or more beautiful, like... The demograph seems to be the same wherever.. In terms of like the mix and who’s attending, who’s on stage. It’s very inclusive. You’ve got a fourteen year old and a ninety-something year old in the same audience, casually. Like... Or a twenty year old and a seventy in the same audience, AND on the same stage. Which you don’t tend... Normally you see this sort of poetry or music, this sort of spoken word, or whatever which else. This line-up, this group, With us it’s just like “Come”. Because we’re open to everyone. We don’t we no longer do the same screening that we used to at the very beginning of “sending your work in, do this, that and the other”. It’s a case of “Do you want to perform? Here’s the stage”. So as diverse as the area is, is as diverse as our stage should be.
[Webster:] I love it.
[Evy:] Yeah, sounds great.
[Webster:] So what’s next for you guys? Do you have any big ideas, any big dreams?
[MP:] Yeah, I’m looking to get food, I haven’t eaten all day.
[Webster:] That’s the big thing in your life right now. Gotta get that food.
[MP:] And I’m not even a foodie, I’m a drinker, personally, but.
[Webster:] What does a poet eat?
MP: What does a poet eat? He eats good life and she eats good life. Know what I mean like... This poet is on this no meat thing. That’s why I love these crackers and olives and hummus and apples and things you’ve got going on here. Like I mean, because what you put in is what you put out. That means that if I expect my poetry to be full of life, it has to be full of preserving life. It can’t be full of taking it, personally.
[Webster:] Personally?
[MP:] And what do other poets eat? I don’t know.
(laughter)
[Webster:] Well, you’re in good hands, we’ve got some very crunchy, loud biscuits and apples that you’re not allowed to eat whilst we’re recording.
[MP:] yeah, I’m gonna try and see what it sounds like.
(laughing)
[MP:] This is an olive, this is hummus, we’ve got apple and we’ve got some crackers. So we’re just gonna with what you guys can hear, right. We’re gonna try the first thing. Look I’m real close to the mic.
(sound of MP eating something)
[Webster:] Okay, that was an olive.
[MP:] Why are you telling them? You’re not supposed to tell them. They have to guess if they know. What.. Let’s chew 4 times, and they... okay that was an olive, but guys that was a practice round. You guys can’t see but he’s wearing a green jumper, so he felt a relation to the green olives. However, we’ve got hummus, apple and kau kakus left. This is what a poet eats. If you get this one, make sure... this is the important one.
[Webster:] This is the one.
[MP:] This is the golden ticket.
(sound of MP eating something)
[MP:] What was that one?
[Webster:] Wow, that was impressive.
[MP:] Do I get a round of applause or what? I mean... That was amazing eating, you know what I’m saying?
[Evy:] It’s a very tactile podcast.
[Webster:] I’m sure our audience will enjoy.
[MP:] But not as much as I, that was tasty.
[Webster:]There’s a lot to gain guys, send your answers in.
[Evy:] We’re turning into a food podcast.
[Webster and MP:] Soul Food Poetry
[Evy:] So, should we talk more about Soul?
[MP:] Yep with the food and the poetry, let’s go. Let’s go for soul, I’m ready.
[Webster:] So tell us about your writing process. How do you put your soul into your poetry?
[MP:] Uhm by trying to be as true to whatever it is I’m trying to explain as possible. Uhm making it relatable on multiple levels is very important. You can’t like, what I would’ve done in my first couple of pieces, try to get out all the information in a fairly intellectual way to speak to the poetry community. Which is what I thought I had to do, based on what school would’ve told me. “Add this in and add that in and that’s what poets do, because they mean this and they mean that”. As time went on I then realized that what I need to do is to write so that people can understand. So we forget... Which is why I was trying to explain about the spoken word and the performance previously. Them understanding it is more than just the words. It’s the actions, it’s the body language, it’s everything that is the way your eyes like dilate. Whatever... You need to work on that. You know, so you can get it across to someone who may not speak your language, who may not understand because you’re speaking too fast, who may not get your accent entirely, but wants to receive something from you, you know... Hence why there’s musicians, also. Because the musicians have to listen to what you’re saying, catch the vibe of what you’re saying and translate that for those people who need to catch the vibe on a different level. You understand what I’m saying? So there’s... And when you’re right it has to be on different levels. So it might be riddled with historical facts and references, but it also needs to be delivered in such a way that it’s a secondary or third message that you’re sending through. The first thing I would have to say.. “Call this piece 50 shades of gray because 50 shades of black / has a seat at the back / to 19 / 45 or 65 is..” etc. etc. That in itself if you look up historically is the Montgomery bus boycott, right? That would be the time in which it’s taken place. However, I’m just saying, you need to stay inside. you know what I mean? That’s all I’m saying. Because you have to sit at the back of the bus. I’m getting your attention by saying “50 shades of gray” because I need to speak to the people who would’ve watched that. But that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m saying that 50 shades of black has a seat at the back of the bus. But I need to engage in a certain way, you know, with the music and what not. I can’t even express it in words in order to explain how the process happens and how it goes down. Because it’s far too... Even this, you might even have to cut this, these.. I don’t... D’you understand that? It’s too intricate of a process to put into words. Because it’s more than... the writing doesn’t stop there. The writing doesn’t stop. You know what I mean, you take it away as someone who’s heard it and you implement it in your life etc. etc. and that’s when the writing is happening. The writing, the performance, that’s almost the draft, d’you know. Like, how it affects people and yourself, like, moving forwards, that’s the writing, so hopefully you’ve changed after this conservation and hopefully I’ve changed after this conversation. Like for the better, just based on however the engagement is. And if it hasn’t, then God hasn’t done his job correctly.
[Webster:] I like it.
[Evy:] And by that, you mean you, or..?
[MP:] I mean God. And if you see yourself as a God then it means you haven’t done your job correctly. D’you understand? It takes everyone engaged in this, like I know I’m God. Simple, I don’t care what anyone wants to tell me or not, I’m God. I also know that everyone else is God. If they understand that themselves, then they’re not gonna have any issue with what it is that I’m saying at all. They’d know that when I say “Hopefully we move away from this engagement for the better” there’s no way that Gods can congregate around the table and not be better. Otherwise, someone around the table is bringing someone down. Whether it’s the energy, the vibrations, this, that or the other, you know? So.. Like I said, there’s too much to be said. You lot might not even be able to use this podcast, because I mean ... They’re gonna try and put a ...
[Webster:] No, it’s good, it’s ...
(Inaudible)
[MP:] It’ll finish me off, not you guys, but you know.
[Webster:] We definitely don’t do that.
[Evy:] We have tickets to give away.
[MP:] Exactly, so you lot have to do the good work.
[Webster:] It’s interesting the relationship between the poets and the musicians. Can you explain that a little bit, for people who haven’t been to Soul Food Poetry?
[MP:] Relationships are special one because it’s kinda like a speed-dating process, you don’t know anything about them until they get up on stage and the first few seconds you just need to understand them. You need to get what they’re saying, you need to get their energy, you need to get whether they’re nervous or not, you need to understand whether to come in with three instruments or just one. Like, There’s... Let’s put it this way: the musicians rehearse just for that purpose, you know.. Pick up a random poem from the internet, start saying it and see how they’re able to connect, you know. But it’s down to the musicians, how they connect..
[Webster:] So they kinda create a mood based on what the persons vibe is, what they’re saying?
[MP:] Yeah, what they’re saying, their vibe, their characteristics, their tone, you know what I mean? Like sometimes a musician will.. An artist will come on and say “Give me this” Which kinda helps, because that’s what they want. But unless it’s an artist who has already written to that type of beat, you never know what the musicians are going to interpret for me, because it’s not just about the musicians trying to interpret and support the artist. It’s also about the musicians interpretation of what the artist is saying. So the poetry is being spoken through the music, also, you know. All starting from €6.
[MP:] Of course, of course. And the reason why there has to be a plug there is because I may not be able to afford €6. D’you what I mean. Or €12. or the €30 tables I am talking about. But I may be able to afford the €6 if I’ve been given 3 months to put €2 down each month to attend, you know? And because it’s all about inclusion, that’s why that’s available. €6 definitely would not cover the cost of a room that we’re hiring. You know what I mean? Or the cost of traveling from A to B. But the primary thing that we need to be doing is connecting and doing the Godly works that we need to be doing. So that’s why. And I mean I could say it’s up there, but now like, it’s from €6. Like, come through the doors and leave better for it. There’s nothing but Gods in that room. I’m not even gonna say Goddess.. Like, you’re a God. Or, whatever you want to call it. But even saying God/Goddess, I’m differentiating like, you can say Goddess for the rest of this interview, you know what I mean? You can say whatever, like, it’s just a certain vibration. And you know, once you’re there, you’re there. Why am I saying it?
[MP:] How do you guys feel when you come, come on, tell me?
[Webster:] I really enjoyed it. It was my like one of the first events that I came to in Amsterdam, and I didn’t know what to expect. I just heard “Oh no, it really super cool, you should go.” So I was like: “Cool, sweet.” Alright. Got there and I knew, I saw the musicians on stage, I was like “oh okay maybe they’re gonna be like you know playing music between the poetry and then that’s kinda the vibe” but then I can’t remember who it was that got on stage and they started talking and I think it was quite like a deep poem.
[MP:] Probably myself
[Webster:] Maybe, perhaps.
(laughter)
[Webster:] Then, the musicians started added like small instruments, like sounds that were going with the poetry and I was like “Oh f*ck”
[MP:] yeahyeahyeah
[Webster:] And I was like “Oh I get it”
[MP:] Oh fudge
[Webster:] yeah “Oh fudge, I get it now” and it adds like an extra layer to what you’re experiencing from the audience’s perspective. And that’s just really cool. It’s like: Now you’re emerged, you know. First it’s like someone speaking to you, and you’re taking the words like “yeah yeah..” But then, when the musical element, for me, like kicks in, I was like, that’s a whole ‘nother thing
[MP:] A whole ‘nother level
[Webster:] That was my experience with Soul Food Poetry.
[MP:] Thank you.
[Evy:] yeah it’s an experience. It’s not just a performance, right?
[Webster:] And killer DJ’s there as well.
[MP:] Come on, tell me the Come on.
[Evy:] So, on that note, do you have a piece that you would like to share with us?
[MP:] Uhm, My pieces are extremely long. However, I will definitely drop some.


[MP:] Yo, alright, so boom bam. If you’re at home I might need to ask you to take a piece of pen and a paper, uhm or use your phone. And at one point in time I’m just gonna ask you to write down a letter on that piece of paper. Because I’ve been told to be uhm, to do this piece on creativity. So we have to make it creative. And we’re allowed to swear, so, I thought it made sense. This is the only piece that’s got a swearword in.


The pimp’s not in the crib but I’m about to drop it like it’s hot
Words like pimp, crib, bitch, nigger etcetra
To describe our communities
it’s up to us to make it stop
The first pimp for business class Africans
and subsequent you will now have Carribeans, Americans, Englishmen
Amsterdamians, Europeans
And all are superior to being to being an African
To add in-sult to injury
Mother Africa is being crippled by overgrowing human blood sucking mosquitoes
A.K.A.
corrupt politicians
Still following the lies and believes of a European God-superstition
And yet quick to still visit the juju magician
alongside pills and injections of poison from the enemies medicine
And from all the milk and honey leaving my mother
It’s treason that we are exploited by our older brothers
The national food and drug administration done no gargantuan with the silent war
Yet still, we turn blind eyes and open the doors
but there is no smoke without fire
so when I hear of HIV, aids and sanitary pads
that is a serious accusation
Sick to my stomach doesn’t even begin to describe this sensation
But I am just a poet
What do I know?
The transatlantic slave trade was the single worst atrocity ever witnessed in mankind
the magnitude of such an operation
over such a long time simply blows my mind
extracted on demand like pollen to bees
sold, raped, lynched, famously off of trees
This dense reciprocating today amongst us still riding the breeze
If I’m to speak of the trials and tribulations
facing the sentence today
Stopped and searched more frequently then a European or rainy British day
Frustrated with the fact that I can’t get to work on time
Officer, please let me be on my way
Then, I’m the one trying to be bright because I have something to say
Let’s look at April the 6th
1864, in America blessed our people the 13th amendment law
Slavery and involuntarily servitude is outlawed but for one exception
This being the unfortunate circumstance of incarceration.
So straight from the massive fields the massive chain gangs with the minority populus made the majority inmate
Whilst the remaining living a so-called freedom
are subjected to the Jim Crow laws and I was supposed to brush it off like?
Oh well, I guess we got the short straw
as if the developed world is not built of our back
costing us blood, sweat, tears, families, culture and more
But I’m just a poet
What do I know?
Get your pens and papers, write the first letter down of the sentence that I say
The first letter down of the sentence that I say.
Hoisting and forcing mental and spiritual supremacy to the nth degree
Undermining the role played by Africa to nourish the world’s wants and needs
tormenting the youths sensory organs with
music, sex and greed, to perpetrate each and every seed
Infiltrating and penetrating every aspect of positivity
including changing our names and countries
“Abasinya!” I say for that the name before the race for the African cake to claim
Mother Africa must wake up and
smell the coffee beans being illegally picked from the land
“Jah” illuminate my Egyptian dark night and expose the pest lints will crawl of the sand
Unearth the warriors to rise again
we need their strength to lend us a hand
Summon and unlock the strength I know we possess
I proudly proclaim I am an African man
Time stops for no-one
tomorrow never comes
seize every second for the sake of our sons
Arise from the ashes benu’
read the book of the dead
Power is knowledge but also economics so invest amongst yourselves
Use your heads
Overwrite the power, the Devil has dealt with the sharing of bread
empower our great nation of nature spider silk thread
Terminate the turmoil of our situation and use ancient a moon to overthrow
But I am just a poet,
What do I know?


[Webster:] Thank you very much
(clapping)
[MP:] So if you’re at home, please put those together now. Put those letters together and tell them what you got. If you payed attention in school, and you payed attention right now, then you’d know the answer. I won’t ask anyone here just in case they weren’t paying attention, ‘cause I’m not too sure if I was paying attention, ‘cause I was taken by the moment, you feel me? If you’re at home, play it back, reel it again and there’s your creativity.
[Evy:] Thank you so much
[Webster:] There’s no price for this one?
[MP:] They’ll have to come to the show, I’ll give it to them on stage.
[Webster:] I think that’s a good deal. Thanks for sharing that, man. It’s wonderful.
[MP:] One of the first pieces. That was back when I would read something and think “aight, cool, I need to get this message across in a certain way.” Really and truly if you listen to that you almost likely gonna have to keep going back and be like “oh, whose ancient immune? Why put in 1864? etc... What’s this and that?” Well it’s obvious things like Jim Crow but there’s other things that you probably will have to dig a little deeper for. And there’s no other levels, really, to that. If that makes sense. With my more recent stuff it’s just more like... Yo, it’s the vibe, it’s more about connecting, it’s more about... you know? That piece, I’m talking of Africa, I’m talking of corrupt politician, I’m talking of really and truly we’re all corrupt... Like, why the corrupt politicians? Most people are corrupt. In any.. In some way, shape or form. Because forget corruption, the power of that word, what’s “corrupt”? Just means somebody has done something that they shouldn’t have done, really. Bad, like, it’s a synonym of other words, you know what I mean? Pardon, sorry?
[Webster:] Nah, sorry to interrupt.
[MP:] No, go ahead.
[Webster:] It’s naughty
[MP:] Yeah, exactly, it’s naughty, you know what I mean? That type of thing. But really, it’s just the word to describe an action, so.. If politicians are human, and humans like, constitute the world, and they live in this area... The same way I expect to have a whole different bunch of demographs in a room, because that’s the population. You’re going to have that with politicians, when there’s so many of them, you’re not gonna get them all. Same with police officers, same with firemen, same with teachers, same with kids. You know what I mean, like... Same with everyone, you know. Like... Me, myself, I know I’m God, but I’ve got two sides to me. You know what I’m saying. God gave the flood, did he or not? He also gives everything that we see that’s glorious, you know what I mean. Testing, He does both. ‘Cause God is balance, you know what I’m saying. So, now, I wouldn’t say “a corrupt politician” ‘cause it’s not the point, I wouldn’t say that anymore. Because I now know that it’s just people, in a political job. And this one just decided to claim his house against his taxes. That’s what he did, you know? So things have changed a little bit.
[Webster:] So you’ve changed your perspective and you’ve changed the way you speak? What else has changed? Do you still speak the same?
[MP:] I speak the same, Perspective will be different, you know... But it’s still like... So whatever, then it’s still the truth.. It’s still the truth of my understanding at that moment in time. It’s still the truth that there are corrupt politicians. But now, I don’t want you to call them out, because they’re just people. They’re just doing, ther’re just taking advantage of that situation. And then you’ve got other people who won’t do that. And that’s the balance of life, you feel me? You need both in order for it to... I mean, Fifty cent, like, I don’t even listen to him no more, at all. But as a kid I listened to him. So now as an adult when I’m listening to certain lyrics or like, reiterating certain lyrics, when he’s like... “Sunny days won’t be special if it wasn’t for rain. Joy wouldn’t feel so good if it weren’t for pain. Death could’ve been easy ‘cause life is hard” All you’re talking about is balance. You know what I mean, like... And now, I can understand words like that. And that’s more what it is. you know, yesterday was international women’s day. And I read a post that said .. ugh, I probably should look it up, because I don’t like to paraphrase and get it wrong. Especially when it’s someone else’s words. Like, ‘cause I hate that happening to me. Won’t take me long. At home: gonna make a quick tea, for about ten seconds. yeah that’s it: “It’s you,” for the internationals women’s day “It’s you who are making the difference in so many lives, and I am one of them. Happy women’s day.” That isn’t divisive in the slightest, you know. It’s not a post saying “Go on, women, you don’t need men.” or “Go on women, you can do it on your own.” Which is a lot of what the posts are that I’m seeing. Whether it’s... whether you see it from the words, or the pictures, or the whatever else. Similarly, you’ll see some other stuff on men.. Like I’m saying: politics, wehwehweh. And I’m realizing now, that nah, this here, “it’s you who are making the difference in so many lives, and I’m one of them” I can say that to a woman, a man, and anyone. There’s no division, you feel me, like... And that’s what it is, d’you know what I mean.. That’s what it’s all about. That’s what all of this thing is about, that we call life, for me. ‘Cause I’m on... I hope to think that that I’m on this side of the balance, you know. What side do you think you’re on?
[Webster:] Cheese? I’m on the side of cheese, man.
[Evy:] I’m very curious about, if you have any advice for people who are struggling to become an artist or to start creating? Like, what would be your advice?
[MP:] My advice would be: Come to one of our shows, or anywhere, come to Word Up. You understand me, come anywhere and just get on that stage. Because there’s nothing that you can do that time can’t sort out. D’you know what I mean? And everything’s a process. If you’re nervous, get on stage. If you’re exited, get on stage.
[Evy:] So just do it.
[MP:] Just, like, just do it. You know what I mean? Just do it, that’s the best advice I can give. Once you’re on stage, then future advice can come. You know what I mean? But it’s not ‘til you get on that stage that I can say... Like sometimes, a lot of the time I’d say to people “The audience” no disrespect, it’s just what I say to the artists to get them into... “The audience aren’t anything, you’re the person on the stage. They’re listening to you” you feel me? “So when you’ve seen all these faces, don’t feel like “Oh these faces...”” No, blank canvas them to begin with, if that’s what you need to do. Speak to them, you know that you’re the person up there giving that sermon. You feel me? Like, you’re the person that needs to deliver something. And hopefully, you can change something in someone. May not be your words, may not be your delivery, because you haven’t delivered in a certain way. It may be the fact that your nervous as heck, got up on that stage, did your thing and someone else who’s just as nervous as you, wouldn’t have done it, seen you and been like “you know what? yeah, I think I can try and do that because they overcame their fear and they did this and they did that and they the other”” That is poetry. You feel me? So for that person out there who might, because I know because I know that your question is actually saying “for the nervous person”, not the one who thinks that they’re the dogs You know what I mean? Like, this and that. So for those people out there, just get up on that stage and do it, because you don’t know how you’re able to affect someone, at all, in the slightest. And it may... you’re poetry is your being, you feel me, so it might not be the words. Might not be the musicians, this time, it might be what they see in you. You know what I mean, so anyway.
[Evy:] Yeah, and it might be also even if they don’t react to you immediately, they can come next time and see like: well you know, I heard it last time, and I really thought about it, or felt something...
[MP:] exactly. And that’s what I’m saying when I’m saying “That’s where the poetry happens. It happens once it’s out there in the world. And the words and your being has affected the way in which they (and you) conduct yourself” you know? Like, I check myself based on what I say to other people, and I’m like “ah you shouldn’t eat this or you shouldn’t do that because of X, Y, Z.” The more I’m saying it out loud, the more I’m hearing those words and those vibrations for my damn self. D’you feel me? So a lot of the time I say to people “I’m not trying to preach to you, I was just talking about sermon a second ago. I’m living Christian so we can scratch that thought, that what everyone was thinking, right? But I talk about sermon, I talk about preaching” It’s only you. And I said that when I opened my eyes, that’s when the universe began, because it IS on you. D’you know what I mean? So when you’re preaching out then you’re really preaching to yourself. If you preach to yourself and everyone is able to preach to themselves, in the right way, then we’re straight. But we also need to engage and interact and that’s why I’m saying the poetry is not getting up on that stage. It’s so much more than that. That it’s just too much... Trust me, I don’t know if you can trust me, I’m saying too much. I don’t even know if I’m making actual sense, with saying what I’m saying. D’you know what I saying, like?
[Webster:] Yeah man.
[MP:] It like...
[Evy:] And you also say like in the right way, what’s the right way? How do you know if the way is right?
[MP:] The way is the way. I said earlier on that I wouldn’t say anything about a corrupt politician, ‘cause that is their way. It’s not negative, as much as positive is not positive. Negative exists just for positive, and positive just exists for negative. So.. Right. So I need that politician to do it’s corruptness in order for me to do what I’m here to do. And I need to do what I’m here to do, for that politician to do his corruptness. And the other politician to his goodness. You know.. Even right now, I’m using the word politics and corruptness as though that’s the thing, no. D’you understand? It’s not like what I’m saying it as part of an example but really and truly, what I should do to spin it on it’s head is say “a good politician” to get that vibration out. Because that’s the fight that I’m fighting. D’you understand? So that’s right for me. And right now I’m preaching to myself, yeah, I’m on... I’m saying it now on mic, but I’m not saying this for people to understand this, I’m saying it because I need to understand this. And that’s what people need to do as well, if they can. If that’s their walk, you know? If they’re on the negative or the positive or whichever side it is. But we welcome that, we welcome everything. We’re welcoming young, we welcome balance. That’s the only way to live, clearly. Like, comfortably, is with balance. You need balance. Too much of anything isn’t good, innit? Even SFP, that’s why we come around every three months.
[Evy:] Of course.
[Webster:] And on that note, thank you very much, man. Really appreciate it, very interesting conversation.
[Evy:] Yeah, for sure, that you so much for being here, for eating our apples. And for sharing your knowledge.
[Webster:] So, for the audience listening, Where can they find you online?
[MP:] Uhm, www.soulfoodpoetry.com. And I’m only spelling it out because sometimes people spell things differently. I’m not saying people don’t know how to spell “soul food” or “poetry”
[Webster:] Thank you very much. Sooo, that’s it for this episode, guys. As usual, you can find us on www.worduppodcast.com. Where you’ll be able to find our social media links, information about our past and present guests, and just see what we’re about.
[Evy:] Yeah, thank you so much, Doei!



[MP:] Yo, we should tell them still man... It was olive, then it was a cracker with hummus.
(laughter)
[MP:] However, because I’m not expecting anyone to have put anything in yet, ‘cause it’s not live, is it?
[Webster:] No
[MP:] Good. So we can crop that into one bite. Alternatively, you would’ve been the first person to message in.


Transcript by Audrey van Houten