POETREE Chicago

About POETREE Chicago

POETREE began in February 1999 as a collective of artists, actors, poets, emcees and singers who were faced with a cloud of negativity, exploitation, and redundant rhetoric that plagued each of their respective art forms. POETREE is an acronym meaning, Peoples Organized Entertainment Teaching Righteous Education Everywhere. Their message has reached all types of audiences, from the open mics, to the theater, to the schools, to the studio, and most importantly to the people. Phenom, Brother Mike, Isa Starr, and Rhythm, collectively, strive to create positive music that entertains the mind and the soul. The group has continued to work throughout the Chicago community and the country. They have performed with some of the greatest artists in poetry and music such as: Common, Mos Def, Amel Larrieux, Sonia Sanchez, Talib Kweli, N'Dambi, Cee-Lo, The Roots, Roy Ayers, Erykah Badu, Dead Prez, The Last Poets, KRS One, Big Dady Kane, John Legend, and Floetry. POETREE released their first (independently-produced) album entitled "Positive Pollution" April 2004 which sold out of local stores in 5 months. POETREE has been nominated the Chicago Music Award for Best Spoken Word/Poetry Performance in 2002, 2003, and 2005. They were also rewarded a position in the Illinois Arts Council traveling Roster for their Artistic Expression Workshop which targets at risk youth. The workshop teaches youth to implement hip-hop culture and African empowerment as a means of violence prevention and to obtain knowledge of self and history. POETREE wants to spark a revolution in music with "Positive Pollution".