Poet Laureate and songwriter-to-the-stars Wayne Thomas Montague Watson, II, a.k.a. “Breeze” will perform readings of his works, featuring the smooth, spoken-word artistry of his cool and electrifying poetry, offer comments on his recent world tour, and his work with famed artists Ciara and Usher, followed by a Q & A when he appears at the Fayette County Public Library on Thursday, April 19. This one-performance-only show is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Fayetteville library. The event is free and open to the public and light refreshments will be served.

The name is fast becoming known worldwide. A former member of National Slam Teams in Philadelphia and Atlanta, Breeze first stepped into the spoken word arena in 1995. A French-born, Bronx-raised wordsmith, who has been writing poetry for 18 years, Breeze has slammed open mics and poetry venues from New York to Oakland and Chicago to Atlanta as well as in the UK.

“My primary love is poetry,” he said. His performances have become legendary in poetry circles where he is known for his ability to cast verbal spells with his powerful use of wordplay. This has led to an increasingly growing number of followers as well as capturing the respect of his peers. “It has won him the title of Poet Laureate, in recognition for his performances at the legendary Farrago Poetry, Kent, England and presented by the British Arts Council,” said a spokesperson for Breeze. He recently appeared on the new Robert Townsend MBC television show “Spoken!”

About being, or becoming, a poet he notes “First is education. It is primary-to have a backup plan to support your talent. If you are a good poet, you are a good writer. Since the reality is that poetry doesn’t pay a lot, other writing mediums do, such as commercials, songwriting and script writing. This way you can incorporate your talent with your life.”

Following up on two previously published prose collections, Breeze’s much anticipated book, “Spitting Fire and Brimstone to Keep the Hounds of Hell at Bay” is already drawing rave reviews. He appears in several anthologies, including the upcoming "Poetry of Emcees," edited by Jessica Care Moore.

A registered songwriter with international BMI and ASCAP, he writes songs for the stars. Most recently he has worked on the last two albums for Ciara, a dance/R&B singer with a Platinum album, and a Grammy nominee; and Usher, a pop/R&B crossover talent. Breeze’s upcoming CD, “The Writing is On the Wall,” distributed by Sony, will feature TTD and Wyclef Jean.

When asked how he writes his music, he said, “First, I play my acoustic guitar to develop the melody. Then I go to the piano to expand the melody line into full musical arrangements.” He has written for, coordinated with, and produced works with numerous stars such as Roberta Flack, Gladys Knight, The Temptations as well as the popular European band Zohar and the internationally renowned reggae superstar Tony Rebel.

A man of many talents, Breeze is president of Smooth as Kappacino, Inc. (SAK), which he helped found in 2001. SAK provides management and development services for up-and-coming as well as established spoken word artists, writers, and vocalists. His non-profit Kappacino4Kidz organization serves disadvantaged and underprivileged youth through mentoring programs. He has been quoted as saying, “Tthe future will never move past us if we don’t take our present to affect it.” Visit www.smoothaskappacino.com for more info.

He has participated in a myriad of charitable and socially conscious events throughout the nation. His relationships with the NAACP, 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Brand Jordan, YMCA and Operation PUSH have allowed him to reach out across the globe. He has personally helped to raise $7.5 million for the building of a hospital for children and women infected with AIDS or HIV in Lagos, Nigeria.

Breeze has a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from Drexel University, Philadelphia, Penn. and a master’s degree in physics from Georgia Technical Institute’s School of Physics, Atlanta, Ga. He is also a former Naval Nuclear Propulsion officer.

The event is sponsored by the Fayette County Public Library and the Friends of the Fayette County Public Library. The Fayette County Public Library is located at 1821 Heritage Park Way. For additional information, please contact the library at 770-461-8841.

login to post comments