Who All Gon Be There: Why The Grammys Matter with Mad Skillz

In this episode, Mad Skillz shares his journey from childhood to hip hop stardom, emphasizing the importance of preparation, authenticity, and resilience in the music industry. He discusses his early influences, the grind of building a career, and insights into the culture of hip hop. Mad Skillz shares his journey from hip hop artist to spoken word poet, his experiences with Grammy nominations, and the importance of authenticity and community in art. We explore the evolution of spoken word, the significance of representation, and the power of perseverance in creative pursuits.  keywords Hip Hop, Rap, Music Industry, Artist Journey, Creativity, Preparation, Resilience, North Carolina, Virginia, Hip Hop Culture Mad Skillz, spoken word, Grammy, hip hop, poetry, creativity, community, representation, perseverance, artistry Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Mad Skillz 05:01 The Early Days of Hip-Hop 08:03 First Experiences with Performance 11:07 The Journey of Self-Expression 14:07 Growing Up in Fayetteville and Richmond 17:06 The Turning Point in His Career 20:02 Taking Hip-Hop Seriously 23:16 The Art of Freestyling 25:52 The Journey to Success 29:00 The Reality of Fame and Struggles 32:43 Performing for the First Time 35:06 The Pressure of Freestyling 43:43 Transitioning to Spoken Word Poetry 49:19 Navigating the Grammy Journey 52:54 The Impact of Vulnerability in Poetry 56:55 Raising the Bar for Spoken Word 58:21 The Importance of Sustaining the Spoken Word Category 01:02:13 Transformations and Intentions in Poetry 01:14:27 From Loss to Inspiration: The Birth of 'Words for Days' 01:17:07 The Art of the Pivot in Music 01:18:04 Dreams and Aspirations in the Music Industry 01:19:06 Cultural Kinship and Representation 01:20:01 The Collective Journey to Recognition 01:21:09 The Significance of Awards and Acknowledgment 01:23:00 The Importance of Community and Support 01:24:07 Mentorship and Guiding the Next Generation 01:26:15 Manifesting Dreams and Future Goals 01:29:10 Freestyling and Creative Expression Freestyle Beat: Snake Beats PoetUp Crew:  Twitter/X: @PoetUpPodcast @MallChi @MrBluz @jayward2030 IG: @PoetUpPodcast @MallChi @bluzbluzbluz @jward 2030 Facebook: @PoetUpPodcast Email us: mailto:[email protected] Rate us, review us tell a friend to tell a friend about us. Thank you for listening