This certainly is an interesting time to be alive to say the very least. Without even looking outside our nation, there is an element of Galatians five in our media, education, arts, politics, and even our churches.

Somehow in the midst of this debauchery we still have a God to serve and a charge to keep. We are in such a need for a modern day Daniel or two, and I am not talking about just being fearless in the lion’s den, but the bible says that Daniel and his friends had, “an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom.”  This unusual aptitude was only unusual because not many people functioned (nor desired to) in a manner that was pleasing to God. Daniel and his friends were very Kingdom Minded individuals who pursued purpose no matter what.  We too must realize that this is not a carnal war we are in. Granted, it sure looks like a vast amount of carnality on our televisions, but weare not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Since we are not battling the flesh, or better yet the natural tendencies of the flesh, then we must be ready to fight beyond our natural capabilities. Here comes Jesus to give us a hand, and it’s not His death that is our weapon, but His Word. As soon as He comes out of the wilderness, He delivers the Sermon on the Mount. This sermon is full of so many seemingly unnatural demands starting with the beatitudes. Jesus says we are “blessed” in every circumstance that points to the contrary, He says forgive even when they are wrong, give so you can have, go down so you can go up, and be humble so all men can see you. This is also known as non-rational paradox: supernaturally overcoming natural opposition. This is where even the disciples missed it as they were expecting Messiah to come and naturally overtake the Roman Empire and restore a natural Israel. Jesus came though to restore to us our authority which allows us to love our enemies to victory, give our way out of debt, allow us untouchable joy in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, and ultimately consummate bliss in a world cloaked in greed and discontentment.

How can you really tell if this is going to work? Are you saved? If you answered yes, then it worked. God so loved that he gave, we did wrong and he forgave, weeping endured for a night…Your life is proof that this works, we just sometimes forget how He wants the battle won. Live beyond the natural, live Kingdom Minded.

Education is also important to Knight Krawler as he has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Jacksonville University. He uses his education and business skills in his career, as well as in his public appearances.

The poem “Amplifier” is his signature piece and one that has affected many poets through-out the years. “Amplifier is my baby! It informs people that just because you get on the stage with a microphone in front of an audience, that doesn’t define who you truly are. Just like the non-violence movement, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. are well known but there are other people who did a lot in the movement that didn’t need a stage or a mic but made it happen behind the scenes. “Even though Amplifier is a branded and copyrighted piece, Knight Krawler loves the fact that spoken word artists are creating their own lyrics to recite at open mic events with the Amplifier hook ‘my heart’s my amplifier, I don’t need a mic.’ Taking his philosophy to new heights, Knight Krawler has established Get Amplified, Inc., a non-profit organization designed to uplift society via live music performances, spoken word and literature.

Knight Krawler’s first CD ‘Wordsmith’ was a collection of poems released in 2008. His second and latest CD ‘Amplifier’ was released on February 27, 2012 and consists of hip hop with some of the hottest producers around. There is also a music video for one of the songs on the CD called “Perfect Woman.” His music is currently being showcased on various mixed tapes as well as terrestrial and internet radio. His songs are all copyrighted, mastered and registered with BMI under his publishing company “I Don’t Need A Mic Publishing.” A few of his songs can also be found on ITunes and he has recently obtained ringtone distribution with major cell phone carriers worldwide, an accomplishment Knight Krawler is very proud of. He has published two books, Endless Night which is a collection of 50 poems and short stories, and The Rules of Poetry which offers tips on how a person can overcome lack of confidence and pointers on how to become a great poet. Knight Krawler has performed all over Jacksonville, along with other cities outside of Jacksonville, such as Miami,Atlanta and Tampa, to name a few. His favorite venues to perform at are colleges, high schools and community service events, such as the HIV Awareness Forum. “At one of the community service events I performed at, one kid raised his hand and said he sees Knight Krawler as a hero. That touched my heart that I am inspiring others.”

Recently Knight Krawler hosted his own event at 3 Layers Café in Jacksonville, Fl. entitled ‘My Life and Times in Spoken Word.’ This was a recollection of his travels through poetry and it featured videos, interviews and some of the hottest spoken word artists in Jacksonville and beyond. God is an inspiration to this talented artist, however he also attributes his city Jacksonville as being another big inspiration in his life.

When asked what message he wanted to leave to the readers of NtoU Magazine, he smiles and says, “Sometimes people aren’t going to like you but you can’t let that stop you; you should use that negativity as fuel to make you want to continue.”

If you would like to learn more about Knight Krawler, book him for an event and/or purchase one of his books or CDs, you can contact him via facebook at www.facebook.com/knightkrawlamusic, email him at knightkrawlerproductions@gmail.com or visit his website at www.knightkrawla.com

]]> http://ntouonline.com/2012/03/08/knight-krawler/feed/ 0 http://ntouonline.com/2012/03/08/moses-west/ http://ntouonline.com/2012/03/08/moses-west/#comments Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:23:49 +0000 Angell Davis http://ntouonline.com/?p=821 When people think of poetry in Jacksonville, Fl. the first name that comes to mind is Moses West. With his suave style and character, wicked sense of humor, desire to say what’s on his mind and his ability to draw in a crowd when he speaks, Moses West is a force to be reckoned with. Growing up in Jacksonville, Fl., Moe’s first desire was to become a rapper. “At that time rappers like LL Cool J and Kool Moe Dee were on the scene. Rapping was cool and seemed like the life to live back then but somewhere along the line it became a little too gangster for me, so I had to steer away from that desire and find something that fit my personality better.” As an only child, Moe found himself being raised in several family households through-out his childhood, which exposed him to a lot of different religions and beliefs. “It taught me to be tolerant with people and judge them only by the person that they are.”

Moe started writing since he was old enough to write; always making up stories and reciting songs. When he was in the 5^th grade, his teacher made him memorize a poem and he developed a liking to the poetry vibes.

Over the years he continued to write but didn’t get drawn into the art of spoken word until he attended one of poetry sensation Odd?Rod’s open mic event at The University of North Florida (UNF). “I heard people reciting real feelings and I just wanted to be a part of it.”

Moe has grown a lot since that first encounter at UNF over 10 years ago. He acknowledges that his poems represent a journey of where he is and was in life. “Something I wrote 5 years ago can’t be my favorite poem anymore because I’m at a different place in my life. That’s what I love about being able to document my work and record CDs. If I listened to my first CD now, it takes me back to a place in time and I remember when I felt like that or when I had that mind state. I am wise enough to know that if I was writing now the same stuff I was writing back then, there would be a lot of doors that wouldn’t have opened for me. However, I never look back and wish I wasn’t that person I used to be because I had to be that person to get to who I am today.”

“I am a loner but I love people. Secretly I’m afraid of disappointment, therefore if I don’t have any expectations of anyone then they can’t fail me.” Even as a self-proclaimed loner, Moe has created a following in the spoken word arena. As one of the hosts of Cometry (Comedy and Poetry) every Tuesday night at Square One in Jacksonville, Fl., the place is packed each week with a diverse audience of all ethnic backgrounds and everyone comes together. There is no particular label for this event because people are free to get up on the mic and speak about anything they feel like discussing and offers great highlighted features. Along with Cometry, Moe’s other event is The Poetry Spot every 4^th Sunday at Déjà vu.

The Poetry Spot highlights some of the best features in entertainment such as Malachi, Cuban, Seven Souljones, National Slam Champions, and Def Poetry artists such as Talaam Acey, to name a few. The great thing nowadays is that these open mic venues are starting to become more like an alternative to the club scene.

Moses West can be seen performing spoken word at all types of venues, including but not limited to open mic events, churches, colleges, rehabilitation centers and schools. His dream job would be to do a prison tour because that is his core audience; they are listeners, survivors and understand redemption. He states that his most memorable experience was at a rehabilitation center when one of the women in the audience called him a few days after he spoke. She revealed her heart to him and thanked him for blessing her with his words. Because of this ability to bless others, Moe has a vision that at one point in time Spoken Word artists will get signed to million dollar deals.

Moe has released three CDs, ‘No Booflay Poetry,’ ‘Welcome to Moe Town’ and his most inspiring CD ‘The Beautiful Mistake.’ The Beautiful Mistake was a journey of love and life told through the eyes of Moses West’s experiences. This CD features a poem called Resurrection which states “if God is on your team, failure is not an option.” And failure has not been an option for Moses West. He will be featured in different cities and also auditioning for an opportunity of a lifetime with AAPCA, a club of performers who travels to colleges and other large venues. Moe is constantly growing and refuse to let anything or anyone hold him back. “You gotta believe in something. I know my blessing comes from God and I must use these blessings to make the world a little bit more beautiful. I am proof that mistakes can be beautiful too!”

Well, I noticed something; I noticed that David mixed courage with activity.  He did not become intimidated just because of the odds of failure were stacked against him.  In fact, he rose up and determined that failure was not an option because God was on his side.  In verses 45-47, David boldly proclaims that the victory is his because of the God he serves.  Wow! What a moment in history.  David, unafraid, takes on the one who thought he could not be defeated and DAVID DEFEATS HIM!!  That is God working through humanity and achieving his purpose for greater glory!

I want to encourage you to not allow anything or anyone to cause you to fear and become paralyzed into inactivity.  In this season of your life, be willing to pursue fully and completely all that God has for you.  Courage then becomes a necessary trait to achieve God’s plan and mixing it with activity is an unbeatable combination. 

  As David went into the valley so must you and face your Goliath. Goliath is only the test of your faith.  So what is it that God is calling you to?  What is it that God wants to trust you with?  What is God staking his reputation on by putting it in your hand?  Why is God willing to risk his name because of you?  It’s awesome that God would trust you like this so go forth and refuse to be afraid.  Let me offer some helpful hints to reaching this next level in your life:

1.  Find your niche and trust it by executing it.  This means you must discern God’s uniqueness in your life and invest your energy and effort in being it.

2.  Risk possibility of public failure, humiliation, and criticism by pursuing what God has called you to.  This requires courage and faith beyond words.  So you must feed your faith with the Word of God daily so you can grow consistently!

Trust me on this one, if you go after God’s will and if you embrace your moment, whatever it is, you will be amazed that God always comes through.  Wow! What a great day to trust God for more. Refuse to stay wherever you are right now.  Choose the better part.  Have a Swagtastic Life.

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