Live on BC Radio

Here is footage from my in-studio performance at Brooklyn College Radio.  I had a great time discussing the New York Poetry Scene and performing "Heartbreak Through the Eyes of a Candy Addict" and "You Deserve More" at the end of the set.

Thanks to Kerri Byam, Jake Brace & Dashler Guillaume for having me on the show.  It is always an awesome experience being in-studio and having the opportunity to hear your words come to life.

Missed the show and want to hear it in its entirety?  Podcast will be coming shortly...

Tune-in to "The Kickback" live, Mondays from 2-3 P.M. Eastern @MyWBCR.com.

One Man Gang (Video)

Here is the video for my latest performance of "One Man Gang," live at Columbia University's "Food For Thought." The event was a joint effort, put on by the Columbia University Society for Hip-Hop (CUSH) & the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF).

As an educator and a poet who didn't find the performance side of the art until graduate school, it is great to see college students putting events like this together. A big thank you to all of the talented people who performed and supported the event.  I had a great time rocking out for the crowd as one of two featured performers!

Thank you to Catherine Curtis for filming the performance.

Shout-out to Fab4Music Blog for the t-shirt.

"Yo Kickstarter!"

As many of you know, I launched a project on Kickstarter. The goal of the project is to raise funding to publish my first collection of poetry, "One Man Gang." Hitting my target goal would cover the costs associated with designing, editing and printing 200 copies of the book.

For those of you who don't know, kickstarter is the largest funding platform for creative projects in the world. It works on an all-or-nothing system, in which 100% of an artist's goal must be met for them to collect any funding. It also works on a reward-based system, in which donors receive rewards for funding projects.

Over the past seven weeks, I have worked tirelessly on this project. I have spent the majority of my days--and many nights--preparing for this launch. I am happy and proud to say, that the time has finally come.

When I first moved to New York two years ago, it was to attend graduate school, in the hopes of finding a high school teaching job. While I was unable to find my own classroom to teach in this past Spring, I have spent the past year working as a poet and a teaching artist, teaching in classrooms across the state. Although I was initially disappointed by not having my own classroom, I was able to combine the stage and the internet to teach and reach people across the globe. I have used my performances and videos from poetry slams and creative writing workshops across the country to reach live and digital audiences alike. With your continued support, I hope to replicate this success and reach as many people as possible with this project.

As I mentioned above, I have put my heart, soul and everything tangible I had to give, into this book. All I ask of you, is your support, in any form possible. Spread the word, donate to the cause if you can. Just know that together we will make a difference. I have invested too much of myself to stop reaching people across the country. My goal for this project is far more than success, it is education of the masses. I hope this is a common goal we share and one we can work together to reach and achieve.

The most basic goal of the project is to raise enough money to fund the printing of 200 copies of my debut collection of poetry. The real goal of the project is to reach and teach as many people as possible.

I hope to see you all at my book release party, as soon as possible!

Portrait for Alisa

"Memories of you are the glue that holds our broken hearts together."

Just over five years ago the World dimmed, as one of it's brightest lights was extinguished. A few days before Halloween senior year of college, Alisa Naret, one of my close childhood and high school friends, was taken from us in a freak car accident. Alisa was a beautiful, bright, funny, loyal and caring young woman, headed to Medical School to study obstetrics. We pray that she is in a better place now.

With the fifth anniversary of her passing upon us, my heart and prayers go out to her friends and family and everybody who was fortunate enough to have experienced the radiance she emanated on a daily basis.

Last year, on the fourth anniversary of Alisa's death, I asked my friend Jason Kanel to fill me in on what Alisa had been doing in those final weeks leading up to her untimely end. I took the information and put it together to form the following poem.

Rest in Peace Alisa. We will never forget you.

First Kiss (Video)

Sometimes a kiss is just a kiss.
                                                Sometimes, it is so much more...

Welcome to the world of "One Man Gang" Poetry...

"You are Entering a World of Inspiration"

When I first moved to New York City just over two years ago, it was as an incoming graduate student studying the teaching of English.  Two short years later, I am teaching part time and trying to make a go of it as a professional poet.

Up until now, Facebook and Youtube have been the core avenues I have utilized to reach my fans.  I post live performances on youtube whenever I finish new pieces and I update my Facebook Fan Page often.  Recently, I got back on Twitter and am planning on using it often as another tool for reaching people via my writing.

While I do not have my own full-time classroom this year, I have made stages across New York State and California my classroom over the past two years.  I spend time teaching creative writing workshops to future teachers, for use in their classrooms.  I spend time leading workshops for students in classrooms across New York City.  And I spend the majority of my nights in front of microphones, spreading the words and emotions seeded deeply in the fibers of my mind.

My goal is to one day have omgpoetry.com be an all-access, full media hub.  A place where friends, family members and fans alike can come and see all of my photos, writing, videos and products for sale in one place.  Until then, I decided to start this blog as another way to reach people (especially those not on Facebook).  In addition to posting my writing and my thoughts, I also plan on posting at least one video a week on the site.  This will either be a new piece, or a "Throwback Video of the Week."  (Any articles that I write will also go up on this blog, instead of on robbinsrants.com, where they have been going up until now.)

I am currently embarking on one of the most exciting periods of my fledgling poetry career.  I hope to use this blog to keep you all posted on my progress and announce new project launches as they occur.  One day it will be the media hub I have been dreaming of.  In the meantime, I hope you enjoy everything you see posted up here.

In the poem, "Dear Principal," I wrote the line, "My classroom comes with the disclaimer:  You are Entering a World of Inspiration."  I will do everything in my power to justify the same disclaimer for this blog.

Thank you all, for all of your continued support.

-Joseph D. Robbins-

a.k.a.

"One Man Gang"