'Inspirating' with Charlie Bobus

Charlie Bobus: HARDEST-WORKING MAN IN THE DUB POETRY BUSINESS

The following are excerpts from an interview with poet-entrepreneur Nicardo ‘Charlie Bobus’ Murray by Karin Wilson of Jamaican culture blog, Yard Edge. The interview in full is available at www.yardedge.net
How did you first become a dub poet?
Charlie Bobus: I first became a dub poet through the writing of poems while attending Wolmers High, especially after starting English Language and English Literature classes. I used to first DJ in public since around 1993 appearing on community stage shows, going to studios and talent shows, but I always wrote poetry.
Disgusted with the dancehall fraternity heading towards glorifying guns and sex, the lack of motivational lyrics that weren’t necessarily religious and seeing the need for the upliftment of the youths I stopped writing certain lyrics and started writing only positive lyrics.

What do you see as your “mission” as a dub poet?
Charlie Bobus: My mission is the empowerment of minds and the upliftment of youths for the betterment of mankind. The mission is to use dub poetry to spread a positive message while building the poetry industry to be viable commercially, changing the view that poetry is not a viable occupation.

What inspires you in your work?
Charlie Bobus: The love of dub poetry and the purpose that the Almighty has given me that I have dedicated my life to, the dedication that lead me to give up working 9 to 5 and everything and start Inspirator International.
What drives me is the dedication to working with youths and bringing the positive messages to them knowing the situation they face growing up having come from a volatile community and having faced hardship.


How have you developed your skill?
Charlie Bobus: I have developed my skill through my long experience in the performing arts, having started writing and performing on stage from an early age; through years of self-education, online courses, reading and preparation. Learning from the elders in the dub poetry movement and having a strong consultation network.

How would people who know you describe you?
Charlie Bobus: I am being called by the poets and poetry events promoters in business as the hardest-working dub poet. I am described as a high energy motivational dub poet who is always out there supporting the poetry scene and poets’ careers




What exactly is “Inspirator International”?
Charlie Bobus: Inspirator International is a company formed by Nicardo Charlie Bobus Murray, August 13th 2005. It is now a home based business and was formed after Charlie Bobus saw a need for the people to get motivational products and entertainment and he had certain plans that he saw no other organization or company inside the dub poetry industry providing the way to achieve.

Inspirator International is a licensed book publishing company and has produced the “Creative Energy” book of motivation and poetry, as well as the “Creative Energy” video that has premiered on Hype TV and the “Creative Energy” CD and is a therefore also a dub poetry record label. I have also edited a number of books and poems for other authors and will soon be publishing the works of poets from Jamaica and Trinidad.
Inspirator International is a events promotion company specializing in dub poetry events and keeps an annual show in the Grants Pen community that is going three years this June 28. We are also organizing the first Dub Poetry Festival for August 2009 and Jamaica’s first Poetry Lounge to be opened early 2009 which will also be the offices and store of Inspirator International.
We also have launched the Inspirator Dub Poetry Sound System. We work with the youths, volunteer with youth programs and schools to teach dub poetry for the National Festival programs, offer workshops and motivational speaking sessions.