In the beginning there was the word, the foundation of all forms of art. And when it comes to the art of Poetry or new age Spoken Word, J. Ivy has truly served as a poetic pioneer. Not only was the Chicago bred poet one of the first to grace the stage of the Award Winning HBO Russell Simmons Def Poetry Series , but he was asked to return to the show for two encore performances, where he received standing ovations on each of his appearances. From there , J. Ivy has gone on to receive a Grammy for his participation on Kanye's West "College Dropout" album, where he followed Hip-Hop legend Jay-Z and the ingenious Mr. West, unleashing one of the most memorable and heart felt verses of our time on the classic song "Never Let Me Down." But the poetic journey doesn't end there.

J. Ivy has managed to allow his craft to drive him to many creative avenues. Whether it has been on-camera work for networks such as ABC, NBC, VHI, B.E.T., FOX, MTV, and HBO , voiceovers for the sports world on shows like HBO's "Costas Now," "HBO Boxing," or MTV's "Who's Got Game." His on-camera opening tease for 30million viewers during the "Fed Ex Orange Bowl," the "NBA Finals," or the introduction of NFL superstar Mike Vick for "Monday Night Football." Whether it was thru photo shoots that were taken for national print ads for Mecca and LRG , concerts that were performed along side artists such Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Bo Diddley , Patti Labelle, Dougie Fresh, Chuck D, El Debarge, Roy Ayers, The Last Poets, Bob Dylan, Erykah Badu, Carl Thomas, Jill Scott, Mos Def, Kanye West, John Legend and Tarrey Torae , who he has recently formed a music group with called J. Torae, which was introduced on the Emmy Award Winning Drama Series, "ER" ( www.JTorae.com) . Or guest appearances on national albums for artist such as Kanye West, Miri Ben-Ari, Lil Mo , and John Legend , who J. Ivy nick-named, J . has truly served as a voice for the times taking poetry to places it hasn't quite gone before.

With a strong ambition to add his name to the history books, J. Ivy has taken his talent and his message, which encourages listeners to believe in them selves to a point where obstacles become obsolete, and in doing so he has moved the minds of millions! "Some laugh, some cry, some think deep, some are inspired to pick up there own pen, some stand and clap, scream and holler, some heal, some are thankful for moving them, for giving them hope, for delivering the right message at the right time, for putting a smile on their face, or for putting a desire to become a better them in their hearts. No matter where I go, whether in my hometown Chicago, to New York, to Jamaica, Toronto, Los Angeles, or even in Paris, 99.9% of the time I receive a similar reaction. And I don't know why I have been the one chosen to touch them that way, with a gift that is definitely not of me, but please believe me when I say I am thankful!" says J. Ivy in a recent interview. And it is the attitude of that quote that pushes J. Ivy , allowing him to touch the world thru television, radio, concerts, literature, and college tours, allowing him to move closer to his goal, allowing him to reach the unreachable, allowing him to change the world one poem at a time. So in the words of J. Ivy always remember "Dreams Don't Come True, They Are True!" Dream Big!

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