Riptide
Poets of MayhemTuesday, February 28, 2012 By Jay Smith
Remember The Mayhem Poets? That assembly that got people laughing and listening? Well I know it got me listening and it opened my eyes too. I finally saw people who could have their poetry and raps relate to things that matter and sound awesome at the same time. After the assembly I said to myself, you can’t often find people who could reach out to students like that. The Mayhem Poets were talked about the rest of that day, and even the day after I still was hearing positive thoughts and comments about these poets. I never heard poetry or rap that actually deals with things that matter in life. So I decided to get the full story. I started out with the basic first question many people don’t really think of. Riptide: I’m curious, how did you feel when you started? Did you feel like you made it, and that you were doing what you loved to do? Mayhem Poets: We loved performing and writing so much that we would rock anywhere. To be able to actually do it for a living on top of that is a dream come true. But we had to work very hard in the process. Then I asked the real questions. Riptide: What did you think of poetry, like in English class? Was it interesting, enjoyable, or did you think nothing of it like some people do? Mayhem Poets: We all enjoyed playing with language. Some of the books in English class were hard to relate to, but we all learned to enjoy reading. As far as the academic side of things, a lot depended on the English teacher. A good teacher could inspire you to enjoy even the most mundane material. Riptide: What's it like to get up on stage in front of students and rhyming about things that actually matter, un-like other people who rhyme mostly about doing drugs and all. Mayhem Poets: Well... Just getting up on stage in front of students can be nerve racking. We are aware that young people really set the trends and keep things fresh. Also that y’all pick up on bullsh$#t very quickly. So we treat y’all with much respect and try to express things we wish someone would have expressed to us when we were in school. Riptide: Do you guys rap about anything else, like other rappers do? (It’d be cool to hear some of that stuff). Mayhem Poets: Yes... we do all kinds of shows. Our college shows can get pretty edgy with material. Also Kyle Rapps has a couple records out. One called Re-Edutainment (on iTunes) and the other called ON AIR (free download) and is about to drop a full length album in the spring so keep your eyes peeled. Riptide: Are you three still dreaming to get bigger? If so, how much does it take to do what you do, school wise, and what's it take outside in the real world. Mayhem Poets: We all three have dreams of doing more things. For example Scott has dreams of being a major actor in films and television. Mason wants to run his own animation studio, and Kyle is on his way to rap fame. As a group we would love to put up a Broadway show with our material, as well as get on Conan O'Brien or Jimmy Fallen. There you have it. Three men who are enjoying a dream, still dreaming, still having their dreams grow. They are working hard, giving meaning to a rap and to a poem, and also putting it in terms that a teen would find interesting. But more than that, it’s something we can relate to. As a student who witnessed the Mayhem Poets on stage, I can tell you they can be funny and can be serious and have a moral to each rhyme they spit. They opened my eyes, and I left that auditorium with those poems and raps in my head. That’s the power of their poetry. http://mayhempoets.com/ |