“Encourage the youth to pick up their pens and to tell their stories because everyone’s story deserves to be heard.”
Mistah Wilson: Greetings, Usolosopher! Honored to have you here with us for this exclusive Q&A w/ ThaWilsonBlockMagazine! How ya’ been?
Usolosopher: I have been blessed to have made it this new year bro. It’s a honor to be on ThaWilsonBlockonce again. I just thank you bro for your endless support for my poetry.
Mistah Wilson: No doubt! First off, we commend you for your hard work. Your consistency does not go unnoticed. You came out to The Element and The BringingItTogether Gold Carpet Photo Shoot in Pasadena, CA and shared some poetry. What other cities have you managed to book performances at?
Usolosopher: I had my first ever book signing this past November in Montebello, CA at the Daily Brew Coffee Bar. I knew about that place because they have this open mic called Eastside Poetry hosted by Nicole Serratowho is a poet, model, and a great friend of mine. I have also been at multiple open
mics in Long Beach, Whittier, Los Angeles, Inglewood, Sylmar, Hollywood, Compton and Carson.
Mistah Wilson: We had the opportunity to see you perform as a featured artist at Shades of Afrika/ Griot Café in Long Beach, CA. You did awesome! How was the experience for you?
Usolosopher: The experience of my first feature at Shades of Afrikawas exciting and nerve racking because I didn’t want to give a mediocre performance so I prayed to the Most High before I went up to do my feature. Yet, once I was up here, I can feel the energy of the people being so captivating and healing as I got relaxed later on into my feature. I loved it. Being at Shades of Afrikafor the Griot Cafe is a great experience with great hospitality.
Mistah Wilson: How do you develop concepts and subject matter
when writing new poems?
Usolosopher: The way that I develop the content and subject matter of my poems are of observation by looking at what I see everyday by watching documentaries, listening to music, reading books, and to also talk about things that people rarely talk about but in my own style and point of view.
Mistah Wilson: Let’s talk about your poetry book “Diary of a Mad Uso”. What led you to publish a book and what did it take to accomplish it?
Usolosopher: What led me to publish my book “The Diary of A Mad Uso” is that I wanted to leave a legacy for other Polynesian poets and writers. I wanted to break away from the stereotypes of Polynesians being just big, stupid, lazy, and can only make it in wrestling or football. I wanted to show the Polynesian youth that we are more than that and that the Most High blessed us all with talent and a purpose in this life. It took a lot of courage and inspiration to accomplish being a published author.
Mistah Wilson: What are some of your personal favorite poems in the book?
Usolosopher: Honestly fam, I love all the poems in the book because I felt that each poem is different in subject and
captures the reader in different ways. Some of favorite poems are Queen because women deserve to be treated better this world having to suffer so much. I like the poem I wrote for my girlfriend Jolita, The Love of The Life in which I give simple metaphors with imagery to capture how I feel for her. My other is favorite poem is If I Was President because I had this image of people of melanin coming together to overthrow the puppets and the shadow government in a fun way where have Black, Mexican, Samoan women walking around freely with their natural beauty, barbecue going on outside, me as the president and Jolita as my wife and first lady with the white house becoming the house of melanin with nothing but love.
Mistah Wilson: In your book, you discuss everything from social issues to Polynesian heritage. What overall message are you trying to send to your audience?
Usolosopher: The overall message that I am trying to send to my audience is that we need to be critical thinkers and to come as one of people of melanin by educating ourselves on who we truly are. The school system here isn’t going to tell us that we once were of royalty who built majestic cities and pyramids, who navigated the seas, who were one with the Most High in our spirituality and why they don’t want us to know about it and by occupying us with frivolous things to aid our destruction.
because I felt that each poem is different in subject and captures the reader in different ways. Some of favorite poems are Queen because women deserve to be treated better this world having to suffer so much. I like the poem I wrote for my girlfriend Jolita, The Love of The Life in which I give simple metaphors with imagery to capture how I feel for her. My other is favorite poem is If I Was President because I had this image of people of melanin coming together to overthrow the puppets and the shadow government in a fun way where have Black, Mexican, Samoan women walking around freely with their natural beauty, barbecue going on outside, me as the president and Jolita as my wife and first lady with the white house becoming the house of melanin with nothing but love.
once were of royalty who built majestic cities and pyramids, who navigated the seas, who were one with the Most High in our spirituality and why they don’t want us to know about it and by occupying us with frivolous things to aid our destruction.
stories because everyone’s story deserves to be heard. To also have places for kids to express themselves through poetry because poetry is a form of art and art can heal communities and people worldwide.
Mistah Wilson: Hey, Uso! It’s been awesome having you for this exclusive interview w/ ThaWilsonBlock Magazine. We are proud to have you a part of the movement and we look forward to supporting you in your future endeavors. If you have any shout outs, let’s hear em’…
Intervarsity Christian Fellowship at DH, my brothers and sisters in Baltimore, Whitney and her sister Brittney, Adam, Freedom, the whole island of Samoa, Long Beach, Ann Van Wellman, Melania Williams, October Blu, my bro A Kold Piece, and shout out to all of you who I couldn’t name but you know I love you all and much love to my Ebony Queen Jolita for always being there for me to encourage me and continue to be supportive, loyal, and loving.
ThaWilsonBlock Magazine 