Artist Statement
I am, without doubt, an educator before anything else. My youth are my life’s work. It is the highest honor to guide creative hearts and inspire the great minds of this generation. My students call me Kuongoza, which is Swahili for guide. I call my students Mwaza, which is Swahili for creative person. It’s that simple. I’ve been where they’re trying to go and I want to help them navigate their journey.
Performing taught me about courage. Writing emotionally charged poetry was initially a way for me to vent. When it came time to perform, I honestly wasn’t prepared for everything that came along with sharing such personal parts of myself with strangers. Performing at open mic events taught me to confront my vulnerabilities; it also taught me that I am not alone. I realized there were others that had been through the same things I was dealing with. It taught me to stop pretending to be made of stone, and embrace my humanity. I taught myself to read when I was four years old. All of my books were primarily Dr. Seuss. Since those were the only books I read, whenever I wrote things down I naturally assumed they were supposed to be in rhyme. When I was 10, Tupac Shakur gave me the courage to write out my demons. For lack of access to production, my words were forced to conform to the context in which they were drafted rather than to a musical composition. This is how poetry chose me… on purpose. I am whole and complete.
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BooksThe Random Happenings
November / 2019 As a writer and fan of comics; the older I became, the more it appeared to me that super heroics for the most part was a career path reserved for white men. Even Superman, who is an alien, was depicted as a white male. If there were women, they were side-kicks or after thoughts...mere spinoffs of the real heroes. I aspired to tell a story about a strong woman of color who only wanted to save her children but instead ended up saving the world. From this dream, The Random Happenings of my Universe was born. The Random Happenings is Book 1 of an original graphic novel trilogy conceptualized and written by Ebony Payne-English; illustrated and colored by Jonathan “Jono” Norville. Performance Art |
Plays
On Purpose
April / 2017 |
On Purpose marks the playwright debut of Ebony Payne-English. Performed as a one woman show, the narrative is told from the diverse perspectives of nine women. Payne-English weaves monologue, song, rhyme and colorful vernacular into an exceptional coming of age story. The performance offers a raw and provocative stance on fear, honesty, and success.
"On Purpose" is another example of Payne-English's ability to deliver. To paraphrase A Tribe Called Quest, Payne-English doesn't half step because she's not a half stepper. If Payne-English is attaching her name to a project then you can rest assured that she's going to bring to the table her time tested ability to infuse that project with heart, style, and authenticity." |
Albums
Kuongoza
March / 2021 Know Love
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School Beats
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EbEnFlo
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Struggle's Embraced
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