The Ultimate Fly: Recent Exclusive Interview with Future the Poet.!

Q: What’s up?

Relaxing right now. I'm in Charlotte on tour, been doing shows every night for the past week. Working hard and loving it

Q: As a poet what do you feel like you can bring to the table in the poetry industry?

a sense of reality, realness, a higher way of thinking on ground level. Sometimes those involved in the art can kind of get away from what i feel is the point of it: touching people. Big words are easy, moving people isn't.

Q: Do you ever get writer's block? How do you deal with it?

I NEVER get writers block. I don't believe in it. I only write when i feel like writing, i don't force it, so it all comes naturally. I believe in quality over quantity. if i don't write for a day, a week, a month or two, so be it. if I'm writing every day, that's great too, but i have to be in the mood, if I'm not then I don't. I feel that's why i never have any wasted material.

Q: What motivates you? And/or → Why do you write poetry?

I'm motivated by a need for better content and creativity in entertainment, by the need for people to hear messages of hope, perseverance, God, something to make them feel better in the midst of what ever they may be going through. I'm also motivated by the challenge to get better, to be better as a person, writer and performer. I love what I do, so I want to be the best I can be

Q: What do you think makes a poet “great”?

I think that's an individual thing. the artist has to know and be comfortable with who they are on and off stage in order to elevate their artistry. what works for me doesn't necessarily work for the next person and vice versa. I will say this, staying true to self is not an option. if you cant do that, you cant do anything

Q: Do you sit and think through every word of every stanza or do you just write freely and allowing the words to flow?

all of the above. sometimes the flow or cadence comes write out, sometimes i have to put it together like a jigsaw puzzle. it all depends on how its coming out and that is always different. Usually it starts with an idea, and then grows from there. sometimes I have written the end of a piece before the intro. its new every time

Q: Your top five favorite poets are…? Why?

# 1 - I LOVE LOVE LOVE Sunni Patterson (New Orleans LA). She has a genuine realness about her that can not go unappreciated. She takes simple subjects and relays them to the crowd with a passion you almost NEVER find lol and she never raises her, shes like a silent train wreck. you don't know its happening until its too late

# 2 - 13 of Nazareth (Alexandria VA). 13 to me is a perfect blend of lyricism and content. His material is so layered you can listen to his work over and over and its new every time. Conceptually he may be the greatest. he also has the ability to stretch a metaphor past one, two or even three lines which is very hard to do without being redundant.

# 3 - One Truth (Cleveland OH). I love One because he is old school meets new school. He has the wisdom or writing style of generations past, but his delivery is definitely hip hop influenced. Not everyone can be both clever and insightful at the same time, its a joy to watch

# 4 - Will Bell (Miami FL). Will was the first "feature poet" I heard in my career. If not for meeting him in Washington DC at my first feature ever, I may not be doing this interview right now, seriously. He taught me what it meant to be simple and effective. He was like the voice of the streets in poet form. I never would have expected this hard dude to be a writer, much less aspire to help people through his work. He changed my whole view on what my art could be for me so, I have him 4th but he will always be a part of "Future History" if you will.

# 5 - Q Boogie - I don't know where he is now or what he's doing, but he opened my eyes to word play. he is what I call a phenomenal lyricist. I haven't heard words twisted by any artist like I have heard from Q. I liked wordplay from jump, but Q made me love it. He made me want to break down my writing under a microscope when I thought I was hot because i could break it down to puzzle pieces.

Do you consider yourself a poet, lyricist, artist or all of the above? And why?
all of the above. every poem, piece and show has a different feel. I'm a poet by writing in verse obviously, but lyricism is something else. the ability to construct a rhyme scheme with words in a manner of using code, cadence and content is a serious task. especially when its all linear and cohesive. you hear rappers rhyming whatever sounded like the last thing they said, bouncing from subject to subject. To do it all in a straight line, with no hook or hole in the story, that's a talent all by itself, that's a part of writing that turns me on off stage, trying to put the puzzle together and layer it with double and triple meanings, its like scrabble on the mic. The artist in me is a tough one. the artist cares only about art, not business, the artist wants to say what he wants to say at all times in the face of all people, like a mustang, cant break it, can only try to direct it. the artist is also versatile, wants more than just poetry, wants song writing, acting, modeling, the artist is creative in all ways so, yeah lol

Q: If you could collaborate with anyone right now - be it producer, poet, artist -who would it be?

Andre 3000, Nas and Lupe Fiasco. (you said 3 right?) I love them all as lyricist and artist. From their content to their deliveries. It would be great trying to stand next to them and create my own space as opposed to people saying, "yo, you're the dude that did the show with Nas right?" lol that's still happening today as a result of a show I did with Common

Q: Do you have to write in special conditions - e.g. indoors, after a meal, mornings or afternoon? Do you have a poem-writing routine?
there's no special way it goes down. whenever the feeling hits me, i hit it back.

Q: What are some words that describe you and your poetry?

intense, tough love, hard truth, exotic

Q: Do you prefer to freestyle or write?

Write

Q: As of right now what is your best poem? Why?

whew, usually its always the last piece I wrote. since i am currently in love with the piece I'm working on now, i will choose what the people have chosen as a classic piece of mine called "Mirror Mirror." Its a hard truth about the state of black men and how we treat each other. it hits close to home and everyone can relate to it

Q: Do you remember your first poem?

whew, you know what...I don't lol

Q: What is a normal day like for you?

I wake up, cook breakfast, check emails, face, twitter, text messages, voice mails, hit the gym to workout, cook lunch, check emails, facebook, twitter, eat again, relax, watch movies, hang with fam, book shows, network. I'm blessed to have a pretty open day, but working out and eating are a big part of it. I write and work on show booking endlessly so, just depends on how much action I'm getting at a given time, oh, and whats new in the theater

Q: What does it feel like to perform in front of a nice sized and/or large crowd?

its beautiful! to see a ton of faces who showed up to see/hear me. I usually think to myself, "wow, am i really about to do this?!" and a little smile jumps on me, then its showtime! Having control of an entire theater or arena or what have you is an amazing feeling. When the crowd responds with standing ovations and screams and shouts in agreement..ahhh...there aren't words for that. It's a kind of love you feel in your chest, like when your man or lady hugs you hard or tells you that they love you, or your parents telling you how proud you make them, or someone in tears telling you that what you said to them changed their life. I guess I can say it feels tingly lol in the chest and stomach, warrior butterflies

Q: What has the most influence over what you talk about in your poems?

hmmm, mostly things that would be considered introspective. I like to look within myself an assess a situation from my own views and actions before i point fingers. I like to talk TO people, not AT them. so my shows are like a conversation with family and the stage is my living room. Therefore, I'm comfortable talking about any and everything, i don't write one type of way, or about one specific subject more than others, i just write what i feel and I feel I'm here to be a GREAT artist and influence in and on my craft. God blessed me with this gift to be a blessing to others, so I'm focused on completing that purpose

Q: What are some words of encouragement you would say to anyone else trying to make a come-up in the poetry industry?

work hard. stay true to yourself and your beliefs and your craft. out of 6.8 billion people on this planet, there's only one you, be you. network like there's no tomorrow

Q: What can we be looking out from you in the near future?

I'm currently writing for a new album. i may try my hand in modeling and acting more so, stay tuned

Extra Question just for my personal entertainment: Where was your best and/or favorite show performed? Why?

Mississippi State University! There was an energy down there that was as close to perfect as I have ever felt. it was a large crowd full of people who didn't quite know what was going to happen, but they were open. They ate up EVERY word! It was one of those shows where I could do know wrong, where every letter of every word comes out perfect and the audience doesn't miss a drop. Ask any artist, not just poets, any artist, that's what we call a dream show! When you leave sweaty, tired, drained, and you don't wanna do anything but eat and get some water in you, but you stay to sign autographs and shake hands and the hugs and kisses don't stop. I sold out of Cd's, people just wanted to be close to me, to touch me, like i was special for some reason. It was a rock star moment, the moment where I felt larger than life, but also realizing that it wasn't about me as much as it was about how the people felt, and that is whats most important. If I'm not relevant to the people I'm standing in front of then I'm not doing my job, PERIOD.