Spotlight: Alex Tha G.R.E.A.T

Last April I did Spotlights on some of my favorite small businesses! This year I will spotlight people and businesses that have made an impact on my life.

I want to share about one amazing artist! To many she is Alex Tha GREAT – and she is GREAT – to me she is that and so much more- mostly because she is one amazing sister to me and a fantastic mommy to my gorgeous niece!

I am so excited to share with you about what she does.

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Please give us a little background information about yourself:

Name – Alex Gurley

Age- 33

Where are you from? East Palo Alto, CA

Where do you currently live? Dallas, TX

What do you do for a living? I work in higher education as a Career Planning Specialist and Spoken Word Artist

How do you seek out opportunities to share your work? I find out about them from other poets, social media has become a very great tool.  I search them out myself with google honestly sometimes

What are you the most passionate about? I am passionate about living out my love for Christ, raising my daughter to be the best she can be, and continuing to live out my dreams through my poetry, as well as learning about/teaching/advancing the needs of African American people.

What are you most proud of in your life? My daughter Keilene

I know that you are a poet! Which is so cool! Can you share with us what got you started into poetry?   I started writing poetry at age 14.   It was just something that I did to wrote out my feelings, kind of like journaling.  I didn’t share my own work until I got to college at an own campus open mic, but seriously pursuing it as an art form came when I moved to Texas in 2011.  I googled open mics in the area and met other poets on the scene here and it progressed from there.

Now I just a few more questions for you:

1. Why do you do what you do? I love it. Poetry is a great deal and big part of my life.  It is therapeutic at times, a great release, meditative, freeing, fun. If I wasn’t performing, I would most definitely still be writing.
2. What does your poetry aim to say? Is there one focus? Many? Please share. My poetry tells my story overall.  I write about my own experiences mainly. I also seek to educate with my words and write about certain events in history or current culture.
3. Does living in Texas impact your work? Do you think where you live has an impact on your work at all?  I feel like living in Texas impacts my work.  I think it influences the content of my writing because where I am physically is going to connect to what my personal experiences are.  The experiences I had living in California are not totally congruent to those I am having in Texas because certain factors play out more.  I am more comfortable here with the cost of living for one.  Being in California was stressful financially so there wasn’t really time to pursue my art that hard in my opinion because I was trying to figure how to live.
4. What role does the artist have in society? The artist gives voice to the voiceless, tells stories that are otherwise unheard, sparks change, and amplifies the sound of unrest.
5. What has been a seminal experience for you? Competing in the Women of the World Poetry Slam in 2017 and making the final stage ranking 9^th place of 96 total competitors.  That was also probably my biggest crowd to perform in front of so far, about 3000 people.
6. Who do you look up to as an artist? Who are your biggest influences? My biggest influences are poets Aja Monet, Dominique Christina, Janae Johnson, and vocalists Goapele, Raheem DeVaughn, Lyfe Jennings, Tank, Anita Baker, and Patti LaBelle.
7. If you could work with any artist (any field) who would it be and why)? I would work with the singer Goapele.  Her voice is like pure gold to me.  I always admire something about her energy.  It would be amazing to collab with her in some way.

 

Do you have any books? Can you please share where they can be purchased?

I have self-published 6 books, only 2 of which I actively promote now:

Sticks and Stones Don’t Break My Bones (2012)

Black Souls Dance On Beat (2015)

 They can be found on my website: http://www.alexthagreat.com

 

Are you on social media? Please share how we can follow you!

Facebook: alexthagreatfans

Twitter: alexthagreat1

Instagram: followthagreat

Hergreatness.tumblr.com

YouTube: the1greatpoet

 

Can you share two links for us – one of you performing  so we can all hear your work on the blog and one of someone you look up to in your field!

Alex Tha Great-The Struggle

 

 

Aja Monet-Is That All You Got

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc29PkUm-nw

 

Finally – if you can share any words of wisdom with the world about life – what would it be ….

1: Focus on God and he will keep you focused. 

2: Take self-care breaks. 

3: Love yourself first. 

4: Follow your dreams. 

 

Thanks for joining us on the blog! I wish you all the success and joy in your career! You are absolutely wonderful and deeply loved. To hear the heart of an artist is beautiful. Thank you for changing the world with your work!

I miss you so much and I am not sure where I would be without you!!! I love you!!!

You are #BlackGirlMagicDefined

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#FearlessinShanghai #Thankful #joychangeslives #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJoy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #BlackInShanghai #BlackInChina #BlackAmericanInChina #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla  #KarlaGirlJoy #BlackGirlInShanghai #eatsleeppartyrepeat #givingisgood #givingisfun #WakandaForever #ShuriAndNakiaAndOkoye #MelaninMagic #Blessed #FaithfulIsMyGod

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”  – Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE