The Artists: Now You Hear Me

A poem is not a bullet. A poem is not a windfall inheritance. A poem, however, still possesses the power to change a life. Z’s story sets a path for this kind of understanding. ZBassSpeaks, Poet Laureate of Lafayette, lover of science and hip-hop, was born mute yet was given voice and the power to name themself through poetry.

Identifying your voice

A measure of artistic expression in any art is understanding one’s voice. It is the most essential element to developing a style. Once voice and style are established, a writer begins to root the identifiable elements of their work that distinguish them. Antony Sher wrote of Shakespeare and Marlowe:

“Shakespeare is full of subtle, complex, delicate flavours; Marlowe is rougher, more raw. And then there’s their use of the iambic pentameter. Marlowe’s mighty lines have a thumping regularity to them. Shakespeare is like a master jazz musician, both keeping to the beat and jamming round it.

So to those people who suggest that Marlowe wasn’t killed, but went on to write all of Shakespeare, I believe it’s simply impossible. Shakespeare couldn’t be Marlowe — or anyone else.”

Even within the same poetic structure, there can be a clear difference in identity, voice, and style. This makes Z’s story even more powerful because Z was born mute, they were on the verge of having a completely different life trajectory after getting arrested for shoplifting. Then one day Z crossed paths with Ms. Ramirez, an English as a second language teacher with a passion for poetry. She convinced Z to join the poetry club. “I didn’t do it for the sake of the art. I did it because I felt like I could talk, and I could in turn be heard,” said Z.

Stage vs. page

When the word “poetry” is uttered, for whatever reason, it evokes ideas of ineffability. There is a sacred nature to the word, and it seems only those with a deep understanding of the art can truly appreciate it. Academics often consider themselves the authority of poetry. This can be a point of contention between schools of thought with the writing program that tends to hold the crafting aspect of the poem in higher regard, and the drama program that tends to hold the performance aspect in higher regard. And, almost without fail, if one listened to the conversations held in the hallways, some form of this discussion would come up. Z, however, doesn’t let it influence how they approach crafting their work.

“For me, I don’t care. I don’t care so much about it because it’s so different. Maybe too different. Yes, they have the same ancestry, but they’re too distinguishable from one another. I will switch back and forth. Sometimes I just want it to be written well and interpret it how it is. But, there are some times where I have a vision and a set that I want to deliver, so I will take it upon myself to perform it and only perform it.”

As Z pointed out, outside of those academic hallways, it doesn’t matter. Poetry doesn’t fit in a specific box. It lives far outside those halls.

Hip-Hop is poetry

Consider a conversation between a teacher and a student. The student asks the teacher a simple question: Can hip-hop be considered poetry? After a few moments of pen-bitten hems and haws, the teacher responds, “No.” When the student asks why, the teacher responds, “It’s too simplistic. The music doesn’t use enough poetic devices.”

The story shows yet another disconnect within the world of poetry. Can poetry come from outside academia and still add value to the legacy? The teacher, who perhaps doesn’t have a deep enough understanding of the genre, reduces the art form to the most fundamental elements. As Djaz’s “The Poetry of Hip-Hop” states, “At the most fundamental level, hip-hop and poetry both play with sound, turning them into meaning and then back to sound again, declaimed alone or to the sound of a drum machine or coiled inside a catchy song, verse/rhythm/rhyme….”

The difference between the two sides is that the teacher doesn’t see that the art of hip-hop is evolving by way of its use of poetic devices, focusing on using sound to create a deeper experience. The teacher also doesn’t consider how massive an influence hip-hop can have on the modern poet.

“I’ve been writing poetry practically my entire life since I’m only 26. My style of poetry has evolved a whole lot over the years. As far as influences, it kind of depends on what poem I’m trying to go for. If it’s a performance, I have taken a lot of inspiration from hip-hop, learning for myself that I can memorize things quicker when they rhyme. I appreciate the complexity of double entendre and inner schemes, creating a dense poem especially when it comes to social issues. Hip-hop can get complicated super fast. For me, I love the lyrical “Never Freestyle” by Coast Contra. It is the culmination of what hip-hop is and can be. There’s four MCs on the track, and each one has its own flavor. For one, not only can you enjoy it as a song, but there’s stories being told. When you catch it, it’s like, ‘Oh my God.’” This is not just a pop song. Like, the last rapper where it’s kind of choppy, it’s a date gone wrong. The layers in it is just genius to me.”

As Z alluded, the last MC in “Never Freestyle” tells a story of a date that turned violent on them, leaving the protagonist of the story battered and bruised. However, what’s interesting is how the story is delivered. As Z stated, the delivery is choppy, but the purpose behind shaping that sound was meant to evoke a connection to the sound effects from older martial arts films or the sound of strikes being traded in fighting games. The construction and use of sound delivers a complete artistic experience. This is the power of poetry in hip-hop.

Magic in poetry

One of the discussions within the halls of academia is the humbling of poetry. The idea of poetry being on a pedestal is often debated. If poetry is elevated at too high a level, then not many people will appreciate it. They’ll miss a chance to engage with the art altogether because it’s considered such a lofty, sacred thing. This isn’t to say certain poems can’t impact the reader in a life-changing way, but it’s often a question of how we get the reader to sit and read the poem in the first place. Z spoke on this as part of his responsibilities as a poet laureate:

“I do feel compelled to at least introduce poetry or expose people to poetry. It’s kind of an underappreciated art form. Everybody loves the muralist, the sculpture, the pottery — you know, things that are visible and tangible. What goes underappreciated is the written word or the spoken word. That’s something that can continue in different forms. Poetry is everywhere. If you have a favorite song, you have experienced poetry.”

As a poet laureate, one of the main responsibilities Z carries is getting people to see the wonder, not only opening the door to poetry but encouraging people to walk through it. “One of my favorite things to do when working with young people in my workshops is to use magic,” explained Z. They laud their “fruit card trick” in its ability to clear a path to wonder and a student’s desire to engage in writing, reading, and hearing poetry.

Magician Jason Lattington put it, “As Plato would say, aporia — where we’re faced with something that renders us literally speechless: ‘It must have an explanation, but how could it? I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how to make sense of it.’ The difference is that, in virtue of being directed at the real, the experience of wonder carries a weight the experience of magic can never match.”

When Z uses magic to teach poetry, they use curiosity as a guiding light that leads others to cross the threshold, taking their first steps into a love of the arts.

To name something

The fairytale of Rumpelstiltskin best exemplifies the power of knowing someone’s true name. The metaphor, of course, leans into the idea that even if a tiny demonic imp threatens your livelihood or someone you love, if you can name it, you can then have control over it. As Dr. Krystine I. Batcho wrote on the power of names:

“On a deeper level, however, names are intimately connected to identity. Labels for things are arbitrary as they vary by language. The words for table, clock, or horse depend upon the language we use. Our name, on the other hand, can remain wherever we go and in whatever language we speak. Our name thereby serves to sustain our sense of continuity of self, despite the constant transitions we experience throughout our lives.”

Batcho further explains, “Names illustrate one of the basic paradoxical tensions in human dynamics — the desire to be known and the desire to be private. Being known is essential to maintaining authentic relationships. At the same time, revealing certain aspects of ourselves can threaten the security that privacy provides. There may be parts of who we think we are and behaviors or attitudes from our past that we no longer value and wish to leave behind.”

Z spoke about how they came to be known as ZBassSpeaks and how it felt like a necessary part of their evolution in understanding who they were as a poet. This evolution has empowered them.

“My legal name is a combination of both Maya, Spanish, and Bosnian if the story being told to me is correct. My name was just funky from the get-go. For the longest time, I was given a different nickname for people who could not pronounce my name. But, slowly I started to feel like it was no longer part of me, it was something put on me. As I got older and more involved with poetry, called me up to read. I really kind of doubted myself there. So, I took the nickname and chopped it all off to just one letter — Z. It’s a beautiful shape. It also enables me to go last [in open mics].

The name evolved by adding Bass because their voice has a naturally lower register. Further, they also like the play on the name as it sounds a bit like German: “Zee Bass Speaks,” as in, they are the voice, and we are compelled to listen.

The next steps

Within the writing arts, there is a concept known as being a good literary citizen. The idea is that someone passionate about arts should spread the good word and encourage those around them to contribute in some way and give back to the community that fed them, kept them safe, and gave them direction.

For Z, these citizens are Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Neil DeGrasse Tyson, who inspire hope and wonder respectively, and Z’s teacher Ms. Ramirez, who shared her love of poetry.

Now, Z is ready to give back in the best way they know how. In addition to having two books come out this year amongst other projects, Z is taking on typewriter poetry, a there-and-gone practice that takes in elements of freestyle rap. Typewriter poetry means Z sits in a public space and has a person come up to them with a word or an idea. Z then takes about six minutes to spontaneously write a complete poem tailored to that suggestion. They encourage anyone who is interested, if they see them in a public space, to stop by and receive a personalized typewriter poem free of charge.

Z is at every Art Night Out in Lafayette. And, if you have the time, come up and engage with them.