Who is Tshaka

She said....If I placed singularly on a piece of parchment
was joined by three more I.'s
Supporting each others slouching statures then
we would Double you (W) initially
Subsequently,
we would complete the cipher
if three more I.'s were added.
Comforting each other,
entwining together within one another,
for 360 degrees
Till E joined doubled U
and WE prevailed ....


As you close your eyes and ponder the pictures that are being painted in your head with each word, you realize that as soon as one has come to light, full with color within your senses, another brush stroke is on its way from TSHAKA spoken Word Artist and Griot reincarnate.

Tshaka Menelik Imhotep Campbell is his Full Name. However, he likes to be known as simply a "TarMan Celebrating his Natural Kink".

He has been known to conjure the power of Nyamah (energy of Words), as did his ancestors before him. As a reincarnated West African Griot, he attests to the importance of oral traditions. The need to pass on stories, history, thoughts and passion, through the art of written and spoken word. "Imagery is what Poetry is about for me," he says. "I feel the need to paint a picture for the listener, reader or audience and take them on a journey; have them experience the place or situation that I am writing/performing about. I want them to go home and write afterwards, kiss their Momma, or hug their baby, kick their roommate, slap their landlord or whatever...As long as it invokes emotion action/reaction afterwards."

Originally from England, Tshaka moved to the United States at the ripe old age of 10. Raised on his father’s teachings of solidarity and brought up on the teachings of greats from Garvey ‘Pan-Africanism’ to William Churchill, he adopted his father’s intense love of language. As a performer, Tshaka is recognized as an accomplished artist and performer and was voted one of the 25 people to know in San Francisco. Performance accolades include not only being a member of the 2004 Nuyorican Poetry National Poetry Slam Team and the 2006 Hollywood National Champion Slam Poetry team, but he also earned the Grand Champion title at the 2005 San Francisco and 2007 Hollywood Championships. Similarly, his writing reads as well of the page as it does in his live performances. Tshaka has toured internationally, and has been featured at theatres from the legendary Apollo Theatre in New York to the poetry Cafe in London England; as well as numerous colleges, city fairs and creative venues throughout the United States. He also conducts lectures, teenage and adult workshops in creative writings, spiritual verse and a number of other related topics.

Tshaka's debut CD 'ONE' was released in 2006, and sophomore release Bloodlines in 2009 both receiving great responses across the globe. He has published a collection of poems entitled TarMan and has released a collection of short stories, prose and poetry in 2007 entitled Muted Whispers that is currently available in stores and libraries.

Tshaka now resides in London, England and continues to change the world by asking everyone to LISTEN DIFFERENT Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.