| About streetPoet007 | Recording Artist “streetPoet007” also know as “Shaum” by those dear to him, is a native of Camden, New Jersey currently residing in Baltimore, Maryland. His inspiration for recording, making and writing music had been divided in four stages through the course of his life; finally resulting in “Shaum” creating his first collection of musical work for a public audience. Shaum (whose entire given name is actually Shamsud Din Khatib Bey “Shom-sue-deen”), was introduced to his first “inspirational stage” concerning music at the influential age of five (5). Disco classic songs such as “Ring My Bell” by Anita Ward (1979) and “In My House” by the rhythm & blues group “Mary Jane Girls” (1984) stood to be a heavy authority to his appreciation to the complexity of music; with all the possible formulas and recipes to take inspiration from, those two songs “Ring My Bell” and “In My House” where the most paramount. Shaum (streetPoet) would not yet gain the actual love for the musical arts until the age of 14, being inspired by his older sister “Takeysha Bey” (Lady Therile). Takeysha would later become the proverbial bridge of the gap between Shaum’s love for visual art, story writing and lastly music. Including his many other talents, Shaum was most praised for his singing and dancing ability from the ages eight to fourteen (8-14). Though his dancing had remained a freestyle endeavor, his ability to sing was later nurtured and refined by enrolling in chorus classes at “Oxon Hill High School” - Prince George's County, Maryland; there he would learn the complexity of music in yet another paramount and “inspirational stage”. Although Shaum was tightly woven into the era of the New School Hip-Hop culture and it’s mainstream explosion, such rap groups such as Run-D.M.C. (1980’s) and artists like L.L. Cool J where very little influence. While growing up Shaum had a tendency to draw from inspirations such as the funk group and band Cameo, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson and soul, rhythm and blues groups such as Tony! Toni! Toné! Shaum would have a great appreciation for Rap – Hip-Hop music in his later life, but was never really fond of the unrefined nature of the songs produced at the time periods of 1980 - 1989. Around the time period of 1997-1998 Shaum was incidentally introduced to Rap – Hip-Hop music artist Jay-Z (Shawn Corey Carter) and his life had changed forever. Shaum, now dubbed “streetPoet007” would gain a love for Hip-Hop music he had never had before. On one memorable day of casually listening to music while routinely sketching in his notebook, the classic song titled “A Million and One Questions/ Rhyme No More” (produced by DJ Premier) had grabbed the attention of Shaum “the listener” and had never let go from that day onward; the visual artist “streetPoet007” who was never a rapper or had ever wanted to be one, decided to apply his writing ability to the genre of Hip-Hop in the effort to one day recreate a Hip-Hop song classic that would share the same greatness as “A Million and One Questions”. Through Jay-Z’s music, streetPoet007 would later be introduced to the work of producers such as DJ Premier, Teddy Riley, Cool & Dre, bands such as The Funk Brothers and other music groups such as “A Tribe Called Quest”, “De La Soul” and rapper – Hip-Hop artist “Nas”. “Takeysha Bey” (Lady Therile) had been the gateway to such influences in Hip-Hop music is tribute to her large musical library and own personal love for the art. Shaum (streetPoet007) would later follow the music career of his sister closely and learn the inns’ and out’s of the industry first hand. Always wary of producing music until he was certain he understood the theory of it as he did visual arts, he now shares his work with all who enjoy to listen. -Biography of streetPoet007 |
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