Today we’d like to introduce you to Marcus Benoit.
Marcus, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started off as a regular old guy who was just looking to join a non-profit organization that was based around giving back to the community. A very close friend of mine then introduced me to a 501c3 performing arts non-profit called Writer’s Block led by CEO Aj McQueen. This organization is full of various types of artists, rappers, singers, poets, musicians, authors, etc. But for me, I was just a member doing my duty in the community. One of our consistent events we have is our Writer’s Block Open Mic every other Thursday and I remember one night the vibe was beyond amazing. All of the performers gave some of their best performances, the crowd intensity was excruciatingly high, and if you’re a fan of the arts, this night would’ve set the bar high. With that night happening, I put my foot in my mouth making a joke to my fellow Writer’s Block members telling them that I’d write a poem and perform it. I didn’t mean it, it was really just a joke. But what I had to learn quickly about this amazing group of people is that they hold you accountable for what you say you’re going to do. So, I kept being asked by different members when was I going to perform the piece that I wrote. So, after being asked for a couple of months, I decided to finally write a poem and perform it at one of our open mics. That night changed my life. The crowd reaction was beyond my belief. I had many people come up to me telling me what I great job I had done and that I had a way with words. From there, I decided to keep writing and performing which has helped me grow into the poet that I am today.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It started off smooth, but then came the struggles of being an artist. Some of those struggles are beginning a project and having no clue how to finish it, or the drought where you can’t figure out a project to start. This is a major struggle because being an artist you end up building a fan base, and that fan base wants more of you and sometimes, you have nothing to give yet.
Please tell us about Ben Speakz Poetry/Spoken Word.
My goal is to make people feel the words that I speak/write. Sometimes, words and how they’re put together to create a story can make people feel their past or present. I’m proud that I can constantly use my God-given gift to touch people’s lives.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I’d do nothing differently. I’m a firm believer that everyone has to start their path in a certain way. And that way is just as it happened. Going back and changing it would ultimately change the path in which you’ve been on which could change how you’ve grown as a person.
Contact Info:
- Email: ben_speakz@yahoo.com
- Instagram: Ben_Speakz
- Facebook: Ben Speakz
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