Spoken word artist Luka Lesson is owning his language

Spoken word artist Luka Lesson. Courtesy Luka Lesson

Luke Lesson is a man of many hats. As well as being an internationally acclaimed spoken word poet and published author - his debut collection of poetry The Future Ancients was released back in 2013 — the Australian is also an adept MC. Lesson's recent second album, Exit, blends all his literal and music flair together. He talks about the creative process surrounding the album and his quest to change perceptions of spoken word poetry.

Exit has been a departure from your debut album due to the eclectic and heavy instrumentation. What prompted the change of direction?

I decided I wanted to let go of any preconceptions I had about what this album should be, and how it should sound. After making something intensely political and pretty obviously hip-hop with my first album Please Resist Me, I felt like it would be hypocritical of me to not make something that questioned myself, was vulnerable and honest and that actually did what I was calling others to do — to take risks and self-reflect. I wanted to make something that was an 'exit' from my comfort zone of outward looking social commentary and take a closer look at my inner geography, write songs with gut reactions and not a perfectionist or musically conservative mentality. So the production does the same, it takes risks and steps into the void not really knowing what with come out the other side. I wanted to make Exit from the perspective of a poet, not a rapper. I wanted people to not know if they were listening to a poem or a song or an interlude or a pop single. I believe we did that, I think we've made something striking and powerful.

Exit also has you digging into your Greek heritage. How did that inform your writing on Exit?

I travelled to Greece in the middle of making this album and came back with many more answers to the earthquake that is migration and my family’s diaspora to Australia. It was hard and incredible to feel foreign and so at home in my own homeland at the same time. I collaborated with the best Hip-hop crew in Greece, Active Member, and felt much more comfortable letting Greek language and themes become a stronger part of EXIT as a result. Greek, as a language, rhymes inherently; singular and plural, verbs and tenses as well as genders all need to line up with the vowel sounds at the end of each word in so many instances. So I learnt a lot about how to make that happen more by writing alongside poets and rappers and just staying immersed. It lead me to embed my heritage in Exit.

The standout track for me is the powerful tribute For Our Women. How did that come about?

While I was touring I met a great man from South Africa who has become like an older brother to me. His name is Bob Nameng and he runs a centre in Soweto called Soweto Kliptown Youth. We are both inspired by many things but especially each other’s passion to make community work happen without government funding. He doesn’t take government funding because of the fickle nature of South African politics and how funds can be promised and disappear in a matter of minutes. He said to me once: “You know, when we had Apartheid, the government was white and things were terrible. Now we have a black government and things are still terrible. Not until we have all women in leadership will things get better” I don’t know the answer, and I also don’t want to stereotype anyone, but I think it is a question worth asking.

You are presently touring Asia with spoken word performances and workshops. What are the aims of these workshops?

I get employed to make poetry be something more than dusty books and old irrelevant quotes by dead authors. Schools teach poetry but kids generally aren’t that keen, so my job is to help facilitate writing and the performance of students’ own work, some of which are as young as 13 year olds. It is actually much easier than people think. Young people of all background are yearning to be heard, and stamp their authority and name on this era. I’ve taught from the Bronx, to Soweto to Athens and everywhere in between. Some of my favourite poems ever have been written by students, someone in every class makes something world class every time.

In your experience as an international touring artist, how would you describe the perception of spoken word poetry?

I think the word ‘poetry’ is a tough thing to push. People envision boredom more than anything when they hear that word. But the scene is huge, powerful and vibrant from New York to Cape Town to Melbourne. I’ve seen incredible things happen all over the world because of it. And it works to change perception, and in some cases, lives. I think people generally don’t like it as an idea, but when they see a live event, they’re hooked for life. We just need to get them to a show. Then the power of the writing and performing can’t be argued with in most places I’ve been.

Do you think spoken word poetry is experiencing a revival?

Definitely, it is becoming linked with the roots of poetry from African traditions of Griots to Homer’s Iliad and Oddysey, to Chinese philosophers and Japanese Haiku. It has always been here, since man and woman could speak. It is just being given a new name and a better framework to work for today’s age and international audience. It is getting very popular, very quickly.

What about the stigma it carries about being a somewhat bourgeoisie exercise?

Yeah I think poetry in general has suffered from that. The irony is that so many poets are or at least start poor. It has always been a free and powerful tool of the oppressed. Look at the use of poetry of Subcomandante Marcos in the Zapatista movement, the poetry of Martin Luther King Jr.’s speeches or the rebellious slang and dirty English of Shakespeare. Although taken as ‘classic’ and ‘proper English’ now, Shakespeare was doing then what spoken word and rap do now, fully owning his language and using it in whatever way he felt fit, capturing the slang of lay people from the streets, not the bourgeoisie who have since claimed him as their own. The stigma is falling though, thanks to the work or great and powerful poets practicing their art form and talking about current issues worldwide.

Finally, any chance of a performance or workshop in the UAE?

I’m working on getting my Greek passport sorted and then a European tour, I’d love to stop into the UAE and connect with poets and people in the region. It would be incredible I’m sure.

For details go to www.lukalesson.com.au