The Poet & The People

DJ, Radio Host, Communication Professional and Yoga Instructor DJ She Beatz sits down with Gregory Maurice for a conversation that spans across what it was like entering into the media and entertainment industry. Her efforts to bring an alternative outlook on getting your talents seen by your own city.  DJ She Beatz shared a story of her father getting her into mixing songs at family gatherings before she was interested in becoming a DJ.  Performing on tour and becoming a yoga instructor during COVID, it led her to giving tremendous sound to her own voice and then to a community of artists that need more resources. The conversation touched on multiple points from her early college days to finding her sound exploring while working for a bar mitzvah company.  DJ She Beatz talks about her journey around Saint Louis and talked about working with local legendary DJs around Saint Louis.STLPR NPR Audio Clip: https://www.stlpr.org/show/st-louis-on-the-air/2024-07-26/she-was-such-a-light-to-us-st-louisans-remember-media-veteran-tammie-holland

Poet, Author and former Councilwoman Aja La’Starr Owens sits down with Gregory Maurice for a conversation that spans across what struggles she had to face while running to be the City of Jennings Councilwoman and her efforts to bring change by having conversations first with Saint Louis County Police Dept and the residents. Aja shared a story of how she was influenced by her aunt to start writing books and doing poetry at a young age. Performing poetry and becoming the poetry facilitator of Poetry For Personal Power, it led her to place her voice on community change to become an councilwoman for the City of Jennings. The conversation touched on multiple points from her early poetry books to doing a youth workshop on getting kids published to the struggles of some spaces among the LGBTQI+ community. Aja talks about her journey around Saint Louis and talked about her children’s book that is spreading fast across the country.Audio Clip Played: https://www.stlpr.org/show/st-louis-on-the-air/2023-11-17/lisa-clancy-says-st-louis-county-is-facing-tough-budget-decisions-with-a-40-million-deficit

Entrepreneur, Music business coach and creative Julian Keaton sits down with Gregory Maurice for a conversation that spans what downtown Saint Louis needs to do to make office space more vibrant and diverse to going back into the archive to speak on his first music collab project “Rise”. Julian shared a story of how he was influenced by Nas “One Love” and the storytelling of it made him realize it would be a craft he wanted to participate in. The conversation touched on multiple points of his career from being a poet to starting a radio college station to managing some of the dopest Saint Louis artists to starting a tech startup. Julian talks about his journey of social change in the community and how music could be a catalyst to impact change. Give some tips for artists to market themselves to the audience they are targeting. Audio Clip Played: https://www.stlpr.org/economy-business/2023-11-03/why-downtown-st-louis-needs-more-than-just-office-space-to-bounce-back-from-the-pandemic

Activist, musician, actor and political prisoner Olajuwon Trials Davis sits down with Gregory Maurice for an exclusive conversation that spans from his mother introducing him to music and his father teaching him how to make his first song using his whole birth name, which he has 7. Olajuwon shared a story of how at 5 years old he saw a movie on MLK that changed his life that made him want to share his art and acting with a political voice. The conversation touched on multiple points of his artist career from college sparking his interest with his political mind set to reparations for Black Saint Louisians to his study with learning the law and his first police encounter that led him to join the New Black Panther Party and how acting saved his life coming home. Olajuwon talks about his mental health and getting caught up in an FBI Sting that placed him in prison for over 6 years to how his children and wife were affected by his sacrifice of being an activist. Audio playedhttps://www.stlpr.org/race-identity-and-faith/2023-11-17/evanston-ill-reparations-champion-says-repayment-is-happening-and-hopes-st-louis-is-next

Hip Hop artist, creative and entrepreneur MC Tres sits down with Gregory Maurice for a conversation that spans from his mother being a teacher at his son's school to how his music career developed into what it is today. MC Tres shared a story of how his  late grandmother was a very influential person in his life and he’s gearing up to be more of a political advocate. The conversation touched on multiple points of his artist career from college to being apart his girlfriends family started band Root Mod to how he is dealing with grinding and grieving in a world that never stops and demands a lot especially being a black father and staying positive.Audio played: Reported by Chad Davishttps://www.stlpr.org/arts/2023-10-24/cvpa-students-and-alumni-use-art-to-heal-a-year-after-the-shootingAudio played: Reported by Gayle KingJay Z Interview of  CBS Mornings Show Part 1

Activist, Educator, Creative and Curator Kris Blackmon sits down with Gregory Maurice for a conversation that spans from missing black women to getting her mother and aunt mixed up on the phone because they are twins. Kris shared a story of the time she wanted to be a B-Girl and dabbled in DJing that connects her to the 50 yrs of Hiphop and the art Kris curates with the background of Hiphop. The conversation touched on multiple issues in Saint Louis from homelessness downtown to reflecting on her efforts of find Phoenix Coldon to making sure she shows representation of Black Queer and Trans folx in spaces they aren't always seen.Audio Clips Played:https://www.stlpr.org/culture-history/2023-10-27/kdhx-critics-seek-leadership-change-as-listeners-confront-a-newly-unfamiliar-schedulehttps://www.ksdk.com/article/news/local/downtown-homeless-encampment-st-louis/63-18c50a43-89f2-427a-9d10-0e008307626c

Cultivator, sociologist and long time mentor and friend Mk Stallings, sits down with Gregory Maurice for a conversation that spans from Hiphop to having 3 growing children. Mk shared a story of the time he made an album with his older brother after participating in Christian hip-hop for a while. The conversation leads to history on Legacy’s Books and Cafe that lead to growth in the poetry community to reestablishing The Saint Louis Poetry Slam and further  talked about his work with art and culture nonprofit.Credit: Article Played By Chad Davishttps://www.stlpr.org/arts/2023-09-08/music-at-the-intersection-aims-to-honor-50-years-of-hip-hop-with-st-louis-dj-tribute