Here I Am: Then & Now oleh J. Ivy

Time has shown that history repeats itself and poetry is the written and spoken beginning of Hip‐Hop... A starved musical world waited patiently on the making and release of the poetry & musical album experience of J. Ivy’s “HERE I AM” and in that time it proved to be worth the wait. Now the album experience of “HERE I AM” is extended into the transcribed format and philosophical journey titled “HERE I AM: THEN & NOW,” which deals with the connectivity of all races, genders and religion. “HERE I AM: THEN & NOW” also speaks to unifying the universal human race in the content and substance of living in the “Now.” The context of this experience uses past events to create a world that can do better because it knows better. It challenges the historical meanings of past struggles and the effects of it on our world today. Surely the inspiration of the album now matches the beautifully extended meanings of the albums song lyrics and additional poetry, giving it further emotional depth to the powerful messages and truths revealed in the poetry and it’s music. It will uplift and inspire the spirit of the reader from whatever place they are standing in. An unlikely weapon to combat negativity would be poetry in everyday domestic wars, but at it’s best it is the most lethal and courageous weapon to choose. The musical form of this book has been given the Moniker as a 2010 – 2011 Independent Classic that the truest of poetry and music critics have said is one of best albums ever made by a Poet/Hip‐Hop artist. Hip‐Hop’s Favorite Poet, J. Ivy, transformed his epic poetic musical gifts into life lessons that can be read and absorbed authentically in it’s literal form. It is sure to re‐bridge Poetry, Hip‐Hop and The Art of Reading.