Abyss Graham of the Live PoetsI linked up with Abyss at Sevananda Natural Grocery Whole Food store in Little Five Points. We sat down and talked about me comparing him to Gil Scott Heron, one of this century’s greatest poets and musicians. He informed me that he had just got done doing a show with Gil and he felt it was his best performance he has ever had. He was amazed at how Gil took such a simple band setup and made it into a smooth body of musicians on point and in tune with his every move. He was also impressed at how the crowd seemed to be in a trance following along to every song and knowing every time when Gil was going to hit them with a deep lyric that would make the music and the words fuse together like love and hate could never do in real life.

I laughed with Abyss, then I got serious and I told him how his music did the same for me and a whole lot of other people who follow him and wait to hear him sing songs like “If These Blocks Could Talk” from his last CD 'Acid Gospel', or do some poetry like the deep joints he has done on Def Poetry Jam. I first met Abyss about 8 or 9 years ago when he was a part of the Live Poets. It was him and Cocktails, you couldn’t see one without seeing the other. I used to laugh when I first met them because I would see them everywhere. I would say to myself “Them some hustling brothers.”

I know all the people I talked to about my meeting up with Abyss kept asking me to ask him if he and Cocktails had Beef. People are always interested in drama rather than news, unless it’s bad. I asked him the burning question, did he in fact want to kick Cocktails’ ass. Well maybe I didn’t say it that way but anyhow he immediately laughed off any notion that he and Cocktails were enemies. He assured me they were still brothers working together. We laughed about all the speculations but he said they were simply two intelligent businessmen who set goals and when the goal of the Live Poets was met, they just graduated and both came into their own. If you are looking for Cocktails, he is doing his thing at the Woodruff Arts Center with the poetry events. And if you are lucky, Abyss said it is possible to catch him performing with his old friend like back in the day.

I thought about Gil’s song “We Almost Lost Detroit”.  In it he says, “and we almost lost our minds.” I understand just what he meant and I am glad Abyss never lost his mind. He grew up on the worst side of Detroit in an area where drug selling and gunfire happens everyday. Abyss used his background and experience to enhance his music. He put lyrics and music together in a way that makes us think about where our struggle began and where it will end. His song “If These Blocks Could Talk” puts you in deep thought about the story them blocks would tell. I know I would be under the penitentiary if my block could talk. I also know the government would be exposed because them blocks would tell us just who brings guns and drugs into our community.

Who is Abyss Graham? He is the father of 7 children; he is divorced and has been doing poetry for over 13 and half years. He is in a relationship with a beautiful sister and they have an extended family. He Abyss and his Familyputs in time and effort with his sons and daughter. I met them all down in Little Five Points and I got to see him go from being a revolutionary to being a silly dad who loves being around his family. It is funny how with all the issues we have as human beings, with race and class, that at the end of the day we all just want to be able to take care of our families. I got to see the talent of his sons when I did the photography at the Malcolm X event (check TheRSVPReport Picture Gallery). If you were there, you can’t forget the little brother that came out and did the rendition of Eric B and Rakim “Paid In Full”. The young brother came out with a big gold chain and a full band behind him. The crowd went crazy as the youngsters moved the crowd. They played live instruments from the drums to the guitar. They didn’t just play, they showed out. His son put his t-shirt over his face and proceeded to play the drums blindfolded.

I asked Abyss how he felt about the state of Hip-Hop? He replied that he felt it was like a wayward individual trying to find its way back to its original essence. I thought to myself, “Wow, did you just describe African Americans or Hip-Hop?”

I asked how he felt about the state of spoken word poetry? He said if it doesn’t change your mind, you should change your grind. He said, “Artist always talk about how they got to eat,” he explained, “then after you eat, you shit, then what?” He spoke on how artists need to get back to doing what they do because they love it. He spoke about artists being real custodians of their craft. He said he really doesn’t like to critique artists by naming names because then you get labeled as a Hater. How is it, that when you talk about how untalented so many Artists are, people call you a Hater? He spoke about how people want to be like Black folks and sing about struggle but they are not willing to go through our struggles. How can you tell our stories like us or better than us if you haven’t lived them? I agree with Abyss, a lot of money might be made these days but the art itself is suffering.

We talked about how he taught himself to play the guitar. I asked him, “What kind of music do you listen to for inspiration?” Abyss told me he listens to all kinds of music from jazz to classical. He asked if I knew Beethoven was a Black Man? I said yes Sir. Then I said, “Did you know Jesus was a Black Man?” He said, “Come on Brother, I am from Detroit, you know I know Jesus was Black.” We laughed and I asked him how he felt about all the crime and violence in his city. He told me the educational system is just screwed up. He made a point that we used to get trained in school, now we just get educated. He spoke on how we need to get back to doing for self and believing in each other and our talents. He said even if people betray you, that’s still good because that meant they at least at one point believed in you.

I asked him his advice on life and he told me “Not to be a complainer, take more shit than you are Abyss Grahamrewarded for and try to live as an example”. Abyss told me, all this poetry and rap started with a word and it will end with a word, good or bad. His next project coming out is “Hydro Phonic Lyricism.” His next show is at the Apache on October 24^th at 8 p.m. He also does volunteer work at A.C.F.B. speaking to Paroles and is an Atlanta Food Bank Board Member. He lives in Gwinnett with his family and travels the country reminding us, that “The Revolution will not be Televised”. Until truth prevails my eyes will be watching

Information on contacting Abyss:

www.Facebook.com/Abyss1

www.Myspace.com/AbyssLivePoets

AbyssLivePoets@yahoo.com