Speak.

photo: Kenneth Jackson

These days I haven’t been in the mood to talk or speak much. This is an interesting place for me because for about 15 years I went by the stage name “ Speak Williams”. I really felt during this time I came into my identity or the core elements of it. A few years ago I legally changed my name to Kaleem, which mean also means speak(er) in Arabic. I’ll flesh that out in later posts.

As much rapping, poetry, performance, and workshops I’ve done up until this point, my energy has shifted. I still write and record and sometimes will teach. However, I have less of a desire to be heard, and more of a desire to hear.

I’ve always been more introspective than outspoken. My speaking out comes directly from the swelling up of thoughts and connections in my mind and heart. I am never quiet. The voice(s) in my head are always speaking, always connecting concepts, always exploring.

Over the course of COVID I’ve found it necessary to return to writing. Social media is draining AF mainly because every thought expressed doesn’t require a conversation or comment. I recognize that some of my thoughts and reflections are extremely valuable to certain people but the medium of social media is not the place to have those exchanges.

I developed the platform of Speak For Myself to do just that. The views expressed are my own lol. I spent the bulk of my time speaking for others- the lost, the youth, my neighborhood, friends, businesses, organizations, and even God (as a prophet). In all of this lifting of my voice I can’t distinctly recall speaking for myself and on my own behalf often. Even my journal and rhymes became tainted over time. Some thoughts even in my own reflection were not my own.

An individual is not only a part of a collective but is comprised of collective parts that make them unique. I’ve had so many iterations of myself over 36 years and all those pieces are with me and in my voiceprint.

I see the value of that and I glad you do too.