“My goal is simple…I just want to move the world one poem at a time.”
Boston-based Nigerian-American performing artist and award winning poet Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo is at the forefront of creating a new artistic genre that gracefully interweaves spoken word poetry with jazz, blues, gospel and neo-soul influenced song.
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Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo is a Poet/vocalist, the 2nd place 2009 Individual World Poetry Slam Champion and a recipient of the 2008 National Performance Network/NCCC Artist of Color Residency Award. A 3x National Poetry Slam Individual Finalist, IYEOKA is the only poet in the Nation to have earned her position on A NATIONAL POETRY SLAM TEAM A RECORD 10 CONSECUTIVE TIMES REPRESENTING HER HOMETOWN OF BOSTON.
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A first-generation Nigerian-American, Iyeoka was a practicing pharmacist before launching her career as a poet, performer, activist and educator. Among Iyeoka’s individual lists of credits is performing at the Kennedy Center for an award event honoring activist and actress Mia Farrow, being commissioned by Discovery Channel for their 2008 brand campaign, being commissioned by a top-twenty ad agency to write a piece for a diversity training tool, receiving a Massachusetts Industry Committee Hip-Hop Award for Spoken Word Artist of the year, and a New England Urban Music Award for the Best Female Spoken Word Poet. Most recently Host and PRESENTER for the Youth Showcase at the BOSTON BOOK FESTIVAL in 2009, Iyeoka is currently partnering with selective arts organizations to present the ART AS LIFE Professional Development Workshops on a 2010 nationwide tour.
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MUSIC
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Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo is the founder and lead singer of the music group The Rock by Funk Tribe. Iyeoka is at the forefront of creating a new artistic genre that gracefully interweaves spoken word poetry with jazz, blues, gospel and electronic soul. Iyeoka & the Rock by Funk Tribe is one of the most sought after supporting acts for touring artists showcasing in New England. As a dynamic sensation in the Boston music scene, Iyeoka and the Rock by Funk Tribe have been chosen as the supporting act of choice for touring artists including son of Afrobeat FEMI KUTI, popular “World Music” group ZAP MAMA at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston and SLICK RICK @ Harper’s Ferry.
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Iyeoka can be seen once a month on a PERFORMANCE RESIDENCY with her band the Rock by Funk Tribe at The Alchemist Lounge where she presents a FREE concert for her fans she nicknames her TriBE where she encourages those in the crowd to come out meet new people and fellowship with a friends and strangers.
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Iyeoka is building more than just mandatory music, she is building a movement which she testifies is designed to be bigger than her and her success and accomplishments and one to unite those who demand more from that which is currently offered by the mainstream.
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Embracing the power of words from writers such as Sonia Sanchez, Patricia Smith and Alice Walker, Iyeoka is a powerful songstress whose lyrical prowess invokes the spirit of the renowned soul-shaker Nina Simone.
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A story teller to the core, Iyeoka’s hope-filled poems come from within and build momentum with truth transformed into songs that reemerge as unique, emotionally complex gifts to her audience, touching on a wide range of issues-love, women, culture, struggle, relationships, among many others. In 2008, Iyeoka’s vocal talents on a cover of U2’s 1988 hit song “Desire” was showcased on a compilation of U2 covers Produced by Shawn Amos and Paul Heck, In The Name Of Love: Africa Celebrates U2 features Grammy Award-winning/nominated African artists including Angelique Kidjo, Les Nubians, Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars, Vieux Farka Tour, Vusi Mahlasela and the Soweto Gospel Choir where proceeds benefited the Global Fund.
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A gifted performer, Iyeoka’s acting prowess has been featured as the title character in a PBS documentary on Harriet Tubman, as well as an off-Broadway play produced by Dr. Thema Bryant Davis (Expert Guest on Dr. Phil Show). Iyeoka's poem on Rwanda is featured in a documentary film “Rwanda Rising” from Executive Producer Andrew Young, the former ambassador to the United Nations.
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The buzz surrounding her poem-songs has garnered her national attention through performances at the TBS Trumpet Awards, the Sullivan Honors Awards at the Kennedy Center, the CBS hip hop show The Source All Access and Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry Jam airing on HBO. Iyeoka also has opened for the Tony Award winning Def Poetry Jam on Broadway tour at the Colonial Theater in Boston. Sharing the stage with recording artists Chuck D of Public Enemy, Musiq Soul Child and Vivian Greene to poets Gil Scot Heron, Sonia Sanchez, and Amiri Baraka—Across the nation, at venues ranging from universities, concert halls, and neo-soul clubs to venerable spoken word haunts like the Nuyorican Poets Café in NYC and the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge; Iyeoka’s warm spirit, stirring lyrics and passionate performances leave audiences not only entertained but transformed with empowerment.
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Iyeoka lended her coaching abilities as a spoken word expert on the syndicated PBS KIDS GO! TV series FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman. For her most recent project involving the youth, Iyeoka was invited to develop a workshop for Brave New Voices, Russell Simmons’ HBO docu-series about teenage slam poets.
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Iyeoka is available for performances and workshops. To book one that fits the needs of your event, school, group, or organization, please email her Booking Team at: bookingiyeoka@gmail.com
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Cd's available online www.iyeoka.com: Black and Blues 2004 Phanai Records/ Hum the Bass Line 2007 Phanai Records/ In the Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2 2008 Sony Records
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need press photos? i have 2 locations for you:
http://www.sonicbids.com/IyeokaIvieOkoawo (select photo gallery)
http://iyeoka.com/headshots/
higher res. available upon request
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(Forward mastered by Gabrielle Bouliane)
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This is the subtle joy of enjoying the familiar things IN EVERYTHING...
The parts of ourselves we recognize in others.
The old friends staying true...allowing YOU to make room for more friends.........
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Hey y'all,
We've just finished putting the near final touches on our Facebook Music Page and we couldn't be more excited to have you guys check it out.
View Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo's FACEBOOK FAN PAGE
This is our way of getting in touch with everyone and inviting them into our world. You can become a fan and stay connected, know when all our shows are, what we've been up to, check out photos, videos and mp3s.
We're so pumped right now!
We just uploaded a handful of new recordings from a live radio show we did in Honolulu last week.
Thanks so much for you love & support,
be.well
Iyeoka
SOMETIMES I LIKE TO REMIX POEMS:
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..Want to HEAR MORE UPDATES from IYEOKA? LiKe about how Iyeoka is the 2007 Mass Industry Committees SPOKE WORD ARTIST OF THE YEAR.
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Love & Blessings To You Sista Iyeoka:-), Nice To Hear From You. Have A Blessed Week Ahead & Remember Despite The Credit Crunch, There's A Ras In Every Country, Any Where You Go ,So Touch My Hand
Hiya, thanks for being a friend - I enjoyed visiting YourSpace :-) Keep it up May your life be full of love, light and fun... hugs SOREN - Beats for change - NYERTUN
Michael Brunnock's in depth interview with journalist Suzanne Connolly is uploaded and available to watch. It can be seen either on Michael's front page www.myspace.com/michaelbrunnock or on Fairplay Collective's video page http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=64241695
BostonVipList.Com+Cloud 9 Productions+STM Boston + Leading Edge Presents The Event Boston Has Been Waiting For!
BIRTHDAY SEX FT. JEREMIH & Surprise Celebrity Guest Host After The Show Its The After Party Monday October 26th 2009 At The Greatest Bar 262 Friend St. Boston
Doors open at 10PM 21+ Event | Proper Dress & ID Required (If you have to ask then don't wear it)
4 Floors / 5 DJ's Music By:Dj Vicious+Dj Breeazy+Dj Stix+Dj En|Vy+Dj JT
WHAT'S UP I'M INVITING YOU TO DOWNLOAD MY NEW MIXTAPE "DYING TO LIVE" FOR FREE JUST COPY AND PASTE THE CODE IN YOU BROWSER http://www.mediafire.com/?n22wenqzmzn
(J-reel) I know the Freedom Through Music project will break the glass for Poetry and Spoken Word Artists everywhere. It will bring Poetry to the living rooms of people all across the country and over seas. This album will change how people view Poetry and Spoken Word and will be set as the Genre of a new generation. Volume #1 set the foundation of our organization. Volume # 2 opened doors and took Poetry Over Music Internationally. Volume #3 broke records and caught the attention of people everywhere stirring a Poetry uprising. The way I came up with Freedom Through Music, is I envisioned the essence of Spoken Word and Poetry and what it can be. As a fan of Poetry, I understand the power poets have with their words. Poets have the power to talk to a young girl who is on drugs and make a difference in that girls life. Poetry and Music has the power to change all of our lives. It will open your mind and heart to something new. My definition of a poet is someone who speaks the truth. A Poet writes from there soul, free from hooks and gimmicks. A Poet is Free. That's how I came up with, Freedom through Music... Poetry Over Music Volume # 3 had close to 100,000 downloads in one year. It ranked as the Number One free online download CD for 2008. As a total of all three CD's Poetry Over music has 287,623 downloads and over 170,000 CD's distributed world wide. I want this album to stand for something. This album will be ageless, universal, and will touch all no matter the race, creed or nationality. I want this album to change peoples lives and for that reason our submission requirements will be changing. As always P.O.M CD's are always 100% free. We allowed anyone to submit and be featured on our albums. If you just write poetry for fun and have no desire to build something with your poetry. Then please don't take that opportunity away from those artists who are trying to make it.
Change is inevitable and constant. Not getting the "CHANGE" you expected? This is my two cents. (NEW SINGLE 4-QUARTER CHANGE COMING SOON!!! -- Check SpiritualHipHop.info for Updates)
Greetings and Blessings Sista Love,Come show some love and support Touch My Hand Is Now Available On JAMAICA SHINES EVERYWHERE VOLUME 2 The CD is ready, and should hit the shops this week (http://vibrationsmusic.com/collections-vibrations
Online Now!
