pOETiq was born December 3rd, 1976 and raised in Oakland, CA. As a child, he had a passion for music. After his studies, he would listen to music with his mother and friends, reading record covers as he listened. In the beginning, pOETiq had aspirations for designing for the Lego Toy Company. As he got older, his calling for music grew stronger. In 1991, pOETiq received The Lord in his life and joined the Paradise Baptist Church with his mother and siblings. Around the same time, pOETiq began to have a desire to play music like the other musicians in the church. He started surrounding himself with musicians and studying new styles of music. After pOETiq received his second keyboard, things began to slowly take off for him. This self-taught songwriter/producer got his first taste of the stage in a talent show held at the church. The crowd response he received was all he needed to light the fire to continue on in music. Being a young Christian, pOETiq wanted to hear more than the traditional choirs and gospel groups/singers. He began to search for gospel rappers who fed his taste for the hip-hop he loved so much. When he couldnt find what he was looking for, he started to write songs and rap himself. He would draw from a wealth of influences including De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, The Wu-Tang Clan, Busta Rhymes, Gangstarr, and a host of others. Currently using an arsenal of drum machines and sound modules including the MPC-2000, an Expanded Emu MP-7, a Roland R-70, and a Korg 01/W as a controller, pOETiq knows no limits to what he is musically capable of. As a producer, pOETiq has created a sound that makes it hard to put a single style. His production influences are practically innumerable, able to produce music styles from 20s era jazz, contemporary R&B, a number of different rap/hip-hop styles, as well as his experimental blended production style. Musically, pOETiq has been compared to a number of producers including Dr. Dre, Jay Dee (of Slum Village), DJ Hi Tek, DJ Premiere, and more. pOETiq has worked on a number of albums since he started working professionally in 96. He has worked on projects with En Vogue, Kiraly Linda (Hungary), Savina, Jaslyn Carter, and others. In Rap/Hip-Hop, he has done work for The Team, Bill Stack, Lady Lust, Planet Asia, Rasco, Verbal Tactiks, and a number of others. In Gospel music, pOETiq has worked with Kathi Mills and Lawrence Matthews and even produced a song for the Childrens Choir at the Paradise Baptist Church where he is one of the choir directors. In the past couple of years, pOETiq has formed a partnership with Knocademus and helped create the collective of producers and artists called Tha network. Collectively, Tha Network is on the verge of introducing music back to a public that has seemed to lose its ear for it. Recently, pOETiq has produced an alternate version of the Jay-Z Black Album in which had been entitled The Read Album which showcases the many production styles of pOETiq. pOETiq is also working on his Gospel Hip-Hop album entitled Son Rise which is a collection of songs that has been working on throughout the years and new songs based on scriptures from The Bible and from his experience in his Christian life. Soon After the release of the Son Rise album, pOETiq will also release music from the Truth, Game, and The Gospel project under his other moniker, P.O. As P.O., pOETiq chooses the secular route of hip-hop and creates a darker, more aggressive approach to music. This side of pOETiq show an unprecedented array of versatility in both rap and music styles. pOETiq showcases his ability to turn songs into instruments with his sample chopping with near surgical precision. Even with all that is pOETiq now, he continues to evolve musically. Get prepared, for pOETiq is on the rise to becoming the resurrection of urban music.
My Influences come from a wealth of sources. Artists who have been instrumental in my growth are De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Gangstarr, Reflection Eternal, Slum Village, Jay Dilla, Quincy Jones, Wes Montgomery, King Curtis... I could go on for days, so i'll just leave it at the few for now...
Just Me, my MPC-2000, MP-7, and Logic Pro 7
