JCTC Conversations/Black Space Talk Series Ep.5 with Ibn Sharif Shakoor

JCTC’S TALK SERIES “BLACK SPACE” WITH ASHLEY NICOLE BAPTISTE CONTINUES WITH RAPPER, POET AND JCTC RESIDENT ARTIST IBN SHARIF SHAKOOR IS NEXT ON MAY 16

TALK SERIES HIGHLIGHTING THE EXPERIENCES, CHALLENGES AND IDEAS OF BLACK ARTISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD BEGAN MARCH 31

Baptiste’s next guest is the hip-hop recording artist, songwriter and poet Ibn Sharif Shakoor on Sunday May 16 at 2pm. Shakoor, who is a JCTC resident artist, talks about growing up amid drugs and violence on the mean streets of Jersey City, and his path into music and songwriting to process, cope with and overcome adversity.

Born in Hoboken in 1986, Shakoor grew up in Jersey City. He began writing raps at age 9 and always credits music and poetry as the means by which he has both survived and thrived. As a boy Shakoor witnessed his mother’s drug abuse, often experiencing late-night convocations on dangerous street corners filled with violence. He was introduced to the trumpet as a child and soon discovered that raps were an outlet for his identity as a creative person. Inspired first by Wu-Tang and Tupac albums, he released his first mix tape, “It’s Been War,” at age 18. Despite mixed feedback due to its conscience content, he continued to write, earning the respect of his rap peers. His latest projects display an intriguing versatility while maintaining his lyrical and soulful integrity. He is currently a resident artist of JCTC. Instagram: @ibnsharifshakoor

Webinar Link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89513963383?pwd=bkF6cEEzMFczMlhDOVhSWVNwdnFydz09

Passcode: 339042

Baptiste, an actor and a veteran youth theatre educator with the JCTC Youth Theatre and the Stories of Greenville initiative, was born in San Francisco. “I want to create an intentional safe space where black artists from around the world can come together and have a human-to-human exchange about art, race and life,” she says. “This series is about expansion, and pushing past preconceived notions of blackness.”

“As our city gentrifies while retaining its diversity, and indeed as the world is changing in fundamental ways, being right in the middle of these conversations is essential,” says JCTC’s artistic director, Olga Levina. “For us as a theatre company dedicated to sparking conversations that lead to deeper respect and understanding, we know we need to create a safe place to listen and learn and collaborate.”