Today we’d like to introduce you to Natasha Hooper.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I started writing poetry early on in high school, inspired by my older brother who is a rapper (I thought I also wanted to be a rapper, but quickly discovered that it wasn’t particularly my gift.) Soon after, I found spoken word poetry videos on Youtube and was further inspired to write pieces that could be performed on stage. My first performance was at a school talent school, and after receiving a lot of positive feedback from that, I decided to become a little more dedicated to the craft and consider myself a “poet.”
Please tell us about your art.
My art form is spoken word poetry. I try to create pieces that will inspire others, spark conversations and give listeners a relatable insight into things that I feel and/or care about. I believe that spoken word poetry is an effective way to introduce tough conversations to wider audiences. Spoken word makes otherwise tough subjects, palatable. Each poem has a different message, but the goal is always to provoke a thought that will evolve into a conversation. I speak about social issues, loss, relationships, love and generally the world around me.
Given everything that is going on in the world today, do you think the role of artists has changed? How do local, national or international events and issues affect your art?
As far as the role of an artist, I always like to quote Nina Simone who says “an artist’s duty, as far as I’m concerned, is to reflect the times.” I don’t think that role has changed much over the years, but I do think that, more recently, poetry (and spoken word specifically) has received more visibility and attention with the advent and popularity of social media. I think national and international events have always had a place in my art, but more recently I’ve been focusing on mixing in some personal narratives and experiences.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
Most of my poems can be found on Youtube by searching my name. In terms of support, sharing poems on social media goes a long way.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thenatashadee.com
- Email: booknatashahooper@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/thenatashadee
- Facebook: facebook.com/thenatashadee
- Other: instagram.com/natashadeepoetry
Image Credit:
Diego Cruz, Jay Styron, Brother Jeff Photography
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
