"Face of Africa Artist Series" presents M.anifest w/ I.B.E. in concert

Yours truly, has been diligently working to bring something new and refreshing to the Midwest. On September 18, 2011 I will be putting on an event called "Face of Africa Artist Series" which will be kicking off with a bang! The Ghanaian hip-hop artist, M.anifest will be bringing us his latest album, "Coming to America" that is set to release September 20, 2011. His first single off the album "Suffer" is profound and lyrically soaked with images and experiences straight from the motherland. The purpose of this event is to highlight and showcase artist of African decent who have the passion to be different and go against the grain. There is much rich culture and artistry that stems from Africa and yet even throughout the diaspora that still goes unseen, unacknowledged and unappreciated. It is my goal to awaken people and bring awareness of the beautiful gifts and many talents through the arts. So get ready for a night of music, dancing, partying (you know how we Ghanaians do!) Chale, go purchase your tickets now, $10.00 at this link: http://faceofafricaartistseries.eventbrite.com
Other special guest performances will be by myself and Elevated Thinkin.



check out his website: www.manifestmc.com

This event is sponsored by:

Larimar Ent.
The Perfect Image PR
Ghanamusic.com

Resignation

So long story short, I resigned from my job yesterday. It was an accumulation of various things all jumbled together that led to my decision but at the end of the day, when I walked out of the building, I got that sense of peace and freedom. I was reminded of what happened two years ago and reflected on how much I have accomplished over the past two years. I tell you folks seriously, I'M NOT EQUIPPED TO SETTLE...and no longer will I do that and I don't care how much the job is good and the benefits are great. You can hate my mentality but I strongly believe that THE CREATOR who blessed and gifted me with my talents intended for me to operate in them and that is what I intend to do. So as I begin this new journey, pursuing my passion, evolving my writing, and figuring out this thing called "LIVING"...I ask that you come along for the ride. Here is the first poem tracking my experience and my most recent intimate thoughts. Vulnerability is a virtue...at least to me. I'm not ashamed of who EYE am.

8/17/11

Yesterday I gracefully bowed out
I politely resigned from slavery
I gathered the pictures of Akia's doll baby eyes
And Ej's sparkling smile and
Rushed towards the door
Thirsting for air, breeze cool
Calm and collective
I gathered my tears in the palm of my hands
Anointed my forehead with prayer
And compassion
Reinvented the possibility
of cultivating creativity
and gently reminded myself that
The first step to dreaming
Is to deny denial
acknowledge the power from within
and LIVE
Mediocrity is sin

How To Build The American Dream

This weekend I will get the opportunity to stand before thousands of people who are passionate about human rights, and truly ensuring that the voice of the people will be heard here in the state of Ohio. The organization "Stand Up For Ohio" will be hosting a statewide festival in Columbus, Oh and amongst the line of some amazing talent will be the beautiful poet, Nikki Giovanni. I had the opportunity to hear her speak once back in my sophomore year at The University of Toledo where I studied English and it was such a treat so many years ago. Now to be able to share the same stage and platform speaks to my growth and I'm humbled...A good friend of mine told me a saying once that reads, "Dreams don't come true, they simply are true..." And I have never forgotten those words for they inspire me to believe beyond my circumstance. With much of the frustration and fear that is floating around, People truly have stopped dreaming and have lost sight of the simplicity of life. My nerves have of course set in but I would like to share a poem that I just wrote for Saturday's event. Half the time, I feel like my words blend together and don't make any sense...but I would be re-missed if I did not share. So please take a few minutes and enjoy "How To Build The American Dream"...now if only I can memorize this by Saturday :)...Peace and poetry


I suppose God created hands to hold objects, to feel with fingertips, to write powerful poems to heal
And I suppose that God created eyes to stare into souls, eyes that allow us to be transparent, a human mirror, and I suppose God created lips to love language, courageous tongues to pass down history and to speak our futures into existence. I suppose that God created our feet as guidance to guide us when we will feel lost, to remain simple and to put one foot in front of the other, one step at a time moving forward.

How to build The American Dream-

In my own personal
Bubble of reality
I find this much to be true

Dreams don’t come true
They simply are true
What would happen if we must changed our perception
And choose to Reject the deception that is forced down our
Throats…I refuse to swallow
Or digest disease and stress
Dis ease or regrets

I am here to remind you that your small voice has big POWER
If anything
Don’t be fooled because you have control over YOU

Your presence is a blessing
Look at your neighbor and speak life
Acknowledge the warrior
And your ability to fight
With hands that heal
And a voice to appeal for rights
Proclaim victory
Not victim

Watch our lives take shape and form
Nurture the minds and thoughts
Who no longer see beyond here and now
Tomorrow find something worth smiling about
Be diligent in our efforts to live
And not merely exist

Try harder, and push a little longer
Fly higher, and grow a little stronger
Deviate not to the point of desperation
But mount up on the wings of eagles
In preparation for the harvest…
To reap what you have sowed.

Life is a beautiful struggle
Faint not but…fly.

When is the last time you
Wrote your visions on paper
Or whispered your desires into the breeze
When is the last time you believed in
That which you couldn’t see?

Faith is not religious. It is a practice
A habit of exercising your belief
In something beyond your human
Capabilities.

Think outside the box.
Return to your mother’s womb
And swim in a pool of creativity
Reach for your reality
And don’t settle for an illusion

The dream is beyond this
Sweet bliss, remember your first kiss
Close your eyes and build
Your wish list

No need for candles or cake
Just a will to make do
The intention to go beyond
Mediocrity.

Power rest in the hearts of the people
Wisdom in the people who heal broken hearts
And today may similes and metaphors
Anoint your souls, may this poem

Ignite color and shapes and blueprints
Of your American dream
Today I declare that I am a surgeon
Rightfully equipped to operate

On your despair, I pray to cut deep
To your core, transform you
Behold you are a new thing
A new creature full of love and light
Don’t just dream
Dance on clouds
And double-dutch in the heavens

Innocence of a child
Strength of our youth
Solidarity of our old age

There is strength in numbers…
There is strength in you.
Go forth and build
The foundation of our future.

She's Royal...

Midnight hour burning
she dreams in gold
shiny imprints of oiled
hands that massage her temples
anoint her crown
ignite her fire to heart his soul
no longer slave nor victim
Empress to impress
upon hearts shattered
she heals those who have been
broken
the dimmed light sparks bright
shinning seeping through the cracks
she measures long and sturdy
back full of stitches and scars
she loves through fingertips and bars
nothing keeps her from reaching Heaven
GODis is Goddess
transforming lives through language
she speaks in soft whispers
her tone is as sweet as a baby's laughter
piercing eyes read to the core of a soul
no secrets that she does not see
her intuition priceless
a gift Yahweh deemed as a necessity
her price is not cheap
she is worth far more than rubies
knowledge immeasurable
she waits with patient and pose
lady lover loves life
one spare rib
master peace
mastHER piece
she's royal
eye am...

I'm going to 9ija...The African Poet

Hey peeps...I have been so busy working and planning and working and planning but it's some major things moving my way. I can't release any info at this point but stay tuned and I will be sure to give you an play by play update. If you get a moment check out this website: www.tapng.com....

Let me know what you think!

Stay Tuned

Many are "Called" but few are "Chosen"~ A Tribute to Ms. Lauryn Hill

listening to: a Lauryn Mix...
mood: at peace with life

Last weekend, June 4th I was blessed with an opportunity to see Ms. Lauryn Hill in concert. Many have complained and expressed their frustration with the artist as of late due to her tardiness, revamped classic songs in which they can barely sing along to and or even recognize. As I waited with the crowd of maybe 1,000 at the Chene Park venue, I waited in angst and fear hoping that the rumors of her not showing weren't true. I waited knowing that anything is possible and nothing in life is garaunteed. I waited in hope to see the one woman who I felt wrote music that mirrored every inch of my life. I waited with excitement just to get a glimpse and send her good vibrations from the audience. I sat there amongst naysayers and rowdy women ready to chew Ms. Hill's head off if her performance was lacking or below their standards and or expectations. What I realized sitting there and waiting was that this was a great example of what I have to prepare for as an artist who is chosen. Lauryn Hill has by far the most authentic and prophetic lyricism that I have studied, and I'm still doing my research, but she`to me is genuis and I commend her on her journey. She chose a path that many negated and despised...Her being a mother and tending to her responsibilities paved a way for mothers with gifts and talents to see that priorities must be in order and if they aren't there are consequences. I don't knock her one bit for any decision she has made. Her two albums to this day, 10+ years later are still classics, timeless, capturing the TRUTH that is all knowing and universal and here to be passed down years from now. In my hopes to see her come back to the scene, I understand that before being an entertainer, Lauryn Hill has been nurturing her seeds. As a writer and poet I strongly believe she never stopped, she just stood for something, which was LOVING SELF FIRST, and kept true to her passion. She is still an artist, and musician, an entrepreneur, unique, divine, a mentor, a mother, a lover, a friend, her spirit is felt and understood by me and if she ever lays eyes on this blog, I want her to know that I will never be a "LOST ONE"...

sending love and light to Ms. Lauryn Hill...831

signed,

an aspiring MC, and die-hard poet,

MIZ NAKI

Sometimes I forget what it is like to purge...

Greetings my fellow followers (do I even have any?), I pray this post finds you all in good spirits. It has been waaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy too long and I have so much to catch up on, I'm not even for certain where to begin. So much has transpired in the past three months alone it would take me hours to recap play by play, so just to give you a brief synopsis of what has been going on with Miz Naki is this...My trip to Ghana was A*M*A*Z*I*N*G...what else can I say but "life changing". I miss Ghana soooo much and it truly is home for me. The experience is one that I will never forget. But there is so much more in store for what's to come there! I'll continue to update you...even if it's just a post a week. I have to honor my commitment. Tonight I attended Akia's soon to be new school for Kindergarten orientation, and during the presentation I started to tear up because my baby is about to get on a bus, wear a uniform and learn how to read (beyond what she already knows) and I just can't believe it's been five years already since I popped her out! I miss her sooo much as her and Ej visit their father for a few weeks. Anyways outside of that school is almost done, I still have a few assignments left to complete my course work and I'm applying for a Fullbright Scholarpship to potentially do some research in Ghana (that's the GOAL)...but none the less this summer will be spent on organization, starting the creative process of the book, and finding my flow in the midst of what all I have going on. My recent move back home to Columbus, Ohio has been a good a one. It's been quite intense these past few weeks and I'm grateful to God for allowing this transition to be such a smoothe one. Although I'm quite fatigued I give it a few weeks for my body to readjust to waking up at 6:30 am for work. My new job at Verizon is quite exciting and overwhelming but I truly believe that I'm there for a purpose. And on top of all of that in about two weeks I will begin the studio recording for my new album 9iceTransition (9 is my spiritual number this year, I'll explain) and I'm uber ecstatic about this project....it deserves a post on its on but I'm really excited about the entire process of this album. It's different (cliche') but it's nothing what anyone may expect from me and I can truly say that my visit to the motherland inspired and sparked some crazy things outside of me(great things of course). I personally want to send a shout out to Yasmeen who is a phenomenal singer, inspiration in my life presently. She lives in Ghana and I was introduced to her work by a good friend (Love your Rich) but her blog is what truly inspired me to post again, and I figured well sense it's been a page I've been promoting as a temporary website into the world of Miz Naki for those curious...I might as well update it. I'm dedicated to my life, no longer afraid of the possibility and excited about my journey that God is unfolding daily. I pray until the next post that you are blessed with peace and clarity and in the meantime... be WHOLE, be JOY, be PEACE...just simply BE.

much love,

Miz Naki

p.s.
I'll post some new poetry later this week. and pictures from Ghana too...