I always wondered why kenyan celebrities were all people who either sing, sleep with someone and get caught, get into politics or take part in a reality show. rarely will you hear anything about literary 'celebs' who shape Kenya's literary scene and make it what it is.
In an attempt to start my own literary 'pulse' or 'buzz', I'll start with an interview i did with David 'Black Skillz' Oyuke late last year (2009)as he talks about his art and a few more things....
The art scene is an ever growing entity in society today with new forms of art being introduced almost every day. Among the many art forms existing today, poetry is one form that has stood the test of time. Having broken into several aspects, poetry still remains a major form of expression.
Spoken word is one form of poetry that has gained popularity all over the world and especially in Kenya. Poetry slams and festivals are being held in an attempt to embrace the art form. The youth are not being left behind. David ‘Black Skillz’ Oyuke is one of the few people taking spoken word and poetry to a whole new level. Having performed in various events such as Slam Africa and Kwani? Skillz is one enthusiastic artist and is working hard to let the world know it.
We talked to Black Skillz at Daystar University where he is pursuing a degree in Mass Communication.
Tell me something about how you first came to writing poetry and performing
I began writing when I was 12 years old. I should say I stumbled into it since I was writing just to express my thoughts, not expressing them in rhyme or any stylistic form. The first time I wrote something with depth and rhyme was when I was 12 years old. At that point I was a bit vain and I just did it to impress the girls. That’s how vain I was but as the years progressed I changed my perspective on writing. I ended up performing for the first time for Kwani?. I was 18 then and performed a piece titled Bound that I had been afraid to perform before.
Why did you choose spoken word as a means of expression?
I try to blend a little of everything. I remember when Imani (Spoken word artist) was trying to induct me into spoken word and I was telling her that it was hard for me because I was a writer and a poet. She however heard me perform my work and told me that I could do it because the only difference between spoken word and written poetry is the performance aspect. She told me that if I could muster my words and not just write and read from a book then I could make a transition from writing to spoken word. I however love writing and I am a writer – that’s what defines me.
When you write as opposed to spoken word, is your work in prose or verse, and do you follow rhythm?
When I write for spoken word, I follow rhythm as opposed to when I write as a poet or writer; it is not structured. My writing is usually a collection of thoughts between the pen and the paper. I do not structure it or use any means to make it attractive, it is just raw.
Art is an expression of one’s being or one’s soul. Your art speaks a lot about God and basic Christian principles; would you like to talk about this?
When I started writing, though I was born again, I could not express it. I had a lot of issues growing up and the rage that had accumulated over the years defined my music. Rage, hate and violence affected my work in that even if I wrote violence and the things happening around, I looked at things from a negative aspect. At some point I started questioning my style and if it really defines who I am. I wondered if I sat down with someone younger I would be able to influence them positively. I wondered if I was to go anywhere in the world, be it a church or a mosque, if I would influence and inspire by virtue of God’s words and not mine, because that is what was lacking in my work. I was called the best lyricist when I was growing up but my work had content but no substance. I realized the need for substance in my work. As artists, we are God’s mouth piece. The only way we can appreciate art in its purest form is if we appreciate the giver of art. In the end, it is all about God.
In one of your poems you say, “I only love what I see and that’s why I love you….” Don’t you think this is a contradiction since claiming that you only love what you don’t see, yet your works proclaim your love for God, who we don’t and can’t see, is a conflict of terms and thus waters down your message?
No. This is how I look at it, there are two means of sight: there is sight with our eyes and sight with our mind. The main piece in itself is about anti-materialism. It is looking at love at a deeper aspect than the physical. That is why I said I only love what I see that’s why I love you, because I am not looking at the person in the physical self, I am looking beyond that and I see with the eyes of my mind because our physical eyes are flawed and that is why I look beyond the physical. If you look at most of my pieces, you will notice I speak about seeing things beyond the stars and beyond the mind because I like to draw the blind and show the difference between the eyes we use to see physically and the eyes of our mind.
What then is the effect of imagery in art, and what is your role as an artist in ensuring the listener doesn’t get the wrong message?
The main intent is to pass the message across to the audience. There are various ways of doing this. I use imagery in an attempt to appeal to the eyes of the mind. I believe that what we see with our eyes is what doesn’t exist. What we see with the eyes of our mind is what truly exists. Thus I try to put an image in the mind of the listener to make them see what really doesn’t exist in actuality. This however applies to my music. In poetry, different individuals perceive things differently unless you talk about your piece and explain it to the reader or listener. It is all about interpretation. With imagery, you have to know what you want to achieve, but at the same time, try to trigger thought, because as a poet you want the reader to search for something to enable them to enjoy the beauty of finding something for themselves.
Your work resembles the likes of common, Talib Kweli and Mos Def (International Hip Hop artists and poets). Who would you say influenced your style to what it is today?
I have changed my style many times. Today however, my style has been influenced by a lot of people. I grew up listening to people who weren’t good for me. When I changed, I started listening to poetic stuff. By poetic I mean things that make you think. A good example is when an artist speaks about love in a poetic manner as opposed to in a way that depicts lust. People like Common and Mos Def have done this and it has influenced me. Another person who has influenced me a lot is KJ 52 and Daniel Beaty, whose poetry has greatly affected my spoken word. Most of it is as a result of what I listen to and the environment around me.
Was your skill influenced in any way by African artists, the African struggle or anything African?
Most of my work is inspired by African influence. One of my favorite African artists is Lagbaja from Nigeria. What I like about him is his identity. You cannot know who he is, yet he does so much. Our own cultures inspire me a lot. I remember one time I was on a trip to the Bomas of Kenya with my friend Chisomo, also known as The Advoket (hip hop artist), and we came across Luo drum beats that sounded so much like 808’s beats (808 is an American hip hop group). Most of my inspiration is African.
What is the relation between your poetry and your political commitment towards your country?
I like the part you ask about my country. I think most of us are always concerned about outside politics, yet we have not been able to pinpoint where the trouble is at home. My music is about anti-materialism and finding out what really matters in life. the majority want something, but the minority are the ones that gain all these things. The majority are trampled on by the minority. We see injustices everyday yet we do nothing. I try to use my music to inform people. If you inform the mind, you inspire the soul.
Where do you see the spoken word and poetry scene in Kenya today?
Spoken word and poetry have really grown a lot. This form of art was there but people did not know what it was. Artists would write down poetry and read it out in rhythm without knowing what they were doing. Today people have several avenues for expressing the various forms of art. I believe Kenyans, and I am insisting on Kenyans and not Africans, are seeking a certain truth right now, whether it is in performance or religion. We are tired of generic forms of truth that are not the real thing. We need to create environments in which our children will grow in art, because we are an artistic continent. We need to stop seeing artists and musicians as failures and stop embracing white collar jobs at the expense of art. I believe expression is the truth Kenyans are seeking.
What are the plans for the future?
Currently I am working on my album and I also working on publishing a book that was supposed to be published in 2006. I am planning on holding a few events plus I am working on recording a spoken word album. In the mean time however, I intend to publish my book. By God’s grace, I’ll do that in the next one or two years.
