In Part Two of the Season One Finale, Philasifer raps the other seven of the ten Milkcrate Monologues. His poetic influences combined with the message he's determined to share with the world make RJ Wayne's book turned stage play a piece of writing that needs to be seen, heard, and performed as an integral part of Hiphop culture. Here we listen to Ron discuss more about his roots, inspiration, struggles, and how he has overcome those struggles in order to create something that's bigger than all of us. Don't be fooled my friends, let yourself jump into the cypher and discover the truth within the system, while cultivating the power of collaboration, and most importantly, reiterating the necessity of storytelling now more than ever. ****** The Milkcrate Monologues by Ron Johnson (RJ WAYNE) AKA Philasifer  ****** Pieces shared on this episode: ****** 1) INFINITE 2) 80 Life 3) Untitled 4) Somebody's Gonna Die Today 5) They Be Illin' 6) Poor Man's Front Door 7) Robots for Breakfast ******** Here we explore the heartbreak of growing up, the nostalgia of our childhoods, and the hand we're dealt before we're even born. The themes are potent and the realtability is palpable. As with the greatest rappers and Hiphop artists of all time, you have to speak the truth. Even if your voice shakes. But no worries about that, because Philasifer? He's definitely not shaky when it comes to spitting those truths. Original music by Philasifer “A Proper Introduction” ***** @philasocial  @townestreettheatre @poetsreturn @capnbooey --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/poetsreturn/support

Poet's Return - The Poetry Podcast

Part Two: Convergence

Hiphop culture requires participation. RJ Wayne, (Ron Johnson) aka MC Philasifer, knows that more than anyone. Here is the first part of our SEASON FINALE! You'll get to hear about Ron's history from him, as well as how the Milkcrate Monologues came to be a play. Tune in for PART TWO with the rest of the 7 monologues recited by RJ Wayne himself, as well as a brief history of Towne Street Theatre, and a projection of where this amazing content is going next.  Tracks recited by PHILASIFER tonight: 1) Don't give me that weak shit 2) Love or something like it 3) Marching to nowhere ********* HIPHOP is a culture of participation, accountability, and passion. Hiphop and rap are not the Webster's Dictionary, they're WIKIPEDIA. **** That means you're required  to ADD something to the message, and contribute your voice, without pretending that this is a spectator sport.  *** Speak the truth even if your voice shakes.  *** @poetsreturn© @philasifer @capnbooey @townestreettheatre  ***************************   --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/poetsreturn/support

Part One: Don't Fear the Cypher

The Milkcrate Monologues is a play written by Ron Johnson, known in the acting world as RJ Wayne, and known in the rap world as MC Philasifer. Milkcrate premiered with the Towne Street Theatre in October of 2019 at Stella Adler in Hollywood. After getting to sit down with Ron, who was the mastermind, creator, writer, director, producer, AND a part of the incredible ensemble, he was kind enough to invite me to by a fly on the wall during their cast album recording. There, I got to steal away cast members between recording tracks during their first session in the studio, and with the gracious help of everyone involved, I almost got to sit down with the entire company of actors. I wasn't able to meet with every single member of the cast, which I would have loved, but I consider myself very fortunate to have gotten to speak with seven members of the Monologue crew.  They shared their origins, their relationship with Hiphop and Hiphop culture, (which evolved after their education in rap, as given by Philasifer) and also shared how this piece has inspired them. Talking to each of them, I found that it has impassioned all of them to not only own their voices as rappers, but even more importantly, to continue participating in the dialogue. That is the most important thing that Ron stresses: that Hiphop culture is about respecting your responsibility to participate,  enter the cypher, join the circle, and spit some truth.  ************************************************************************* Now, to kick off our two-part season finale, here is the bonus episode where you get to meet these amazingly talented actors, profound poets, and steadfast proponents for truth.  ************************************************************************* Original music by Philasifer "A Proper Introduction" © ************************************************************************* Cast of the Milkcrate Monologues (in order as interviewed on this episode) Shayla Riggens (Hudson-Williams)- MC SHAYTIME @shaylamicole1 Scotty Crowe- MC SEGA @scottycrowe Jacqueline Castaneda- MC LA MALCRIADA  @post_moderngirl  Cairo Spencer- MC SIR ELOKUENT @theelokuent8 Khaila Monet- MC KILLA KHAI @khailamonet Carlos Diego Mendoza- MC KID TENACIOUS @carlosdmendoza  Akshaya (Akshe) Pattanayak- MC A.G.B. (AKSHAYA’S GOT BARS) @imagineaks (writer/featured in finale) RJ Wayne/Ron Johnson- MC PHILASIFER   @philasifer  ***Cast members not featured on today's episode: Ariella Amar- MC LIONESS  Shamari Hudgens- MC B-FLY ***Special thanks to Andrew, Dan, and Estrella  @poetsreturn Poet's Return Podcast 2019© @capnbooey ************************************************************************* ************************************************************************* ************************************************************************* --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/poetsreturn/support

Behind the Scenes with the Milkcrate Monologues

Ron Johnson is a rapper, beatboxer, producer, actor, playwright and teaching artist. Originally from Gilroy, CA, Ron AKA Phlasifer, is known for his thought provoking lyrics and instrumentals. Heavily rooted in the time-honored traditions of Hiphop as a culture, Phlasifer also joined the fraternity as part of the Conscious Rapper wave of the Mid 90's. His credits include albums distributed by SONY BMG and Universal Music Group, and is currently a part of the Music Divisions of Utah-based label, Ellie Beetle Entertainment, as well as CATO CREATIVE in Glendale. His first book , “The MilkCrate Monologues” (out soon) was recently turned into a stage play in association with Towne Street Theatre in Los Angeles. Above all things in his work , Ron hopes to promote awareness, keep authentic Hiphop Culture alive, and continue to be a more complete human being. ***************  Original Piece from "The Milkcrate Monologues" titled "The Infinite" performed and written by Philasifer ************** Original music "A Proper Introduction" by Philasifer from his title album ************** Copyright Poets Return Podcast © all music and poetry belongs to the artists featured in the episode. No duplication of any kind is allowed without written permission from Melissa Booey or Ron Johnson  ************** Ron Johnson AKA Philasifer @philasocial  Hosted by Melissa Booey @capnbooey Poet's Return @poetsreturn --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/poetsreturn/support

A Proper Introduction to Philasifer *TRAILER for SEASON FINALE

Mental health is still a widely stigmatized topic everywhere, and knowing you are not alone and that help is available to you is more important than ever. This week’s episode “Taking Your Power Back” features poet and creative, Megan Turoci, a writer, actress, and advocate for the mental health community. Megan delves into her personal experiences and the stories that have formed her, while speaking on her own journey to share that story in the hope of helping others in similar times of loneliness, struggle, and despair. Her online platform “We’re All a Little Mad” gives others a safe space to find connections, feel supported, while also giving Megan a place to share her words and stories with the world. Today Megan shares three poems, titled: 1) What is Love 2) The Precipice of Love 3) Never Alone The third one she and I discuss and were interested in eventually visualizing as it has absolutely dynamic imagery just begging to be seen. Megan’s website wereallalittlemad.com has an amazing mission statement with positivity and merchandise that’s not only filled with encouragement and empowerment, but is also trendy and fun to wear! Megan’s writing can be found on her website as well as her instagram @wereallalittlemad @poetsreturn Poetry Podcast bringing you the best storytellers you haven’t heard from Original music by tbc.records “This Feeling” with DeShawn Cavanaugh, Ravel Ward and Christopher Schuchert @tbc.records  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/poetsreturn/support

Taking Your Power Back

Cocoa Rigal is a multifaceted, multitalented artist living in downtown Los Angeles. She works with many mediums including animation, video game creation, set design, costume design, acting, poetry, music, and more. She is a crafty and resourceful talent to have on set, behind the scenes, and in front of the camera. Today we delve into her process, and creative ideology while also learning a bit more about her improv-based poetry album, "The Myst: Wisdom of the Serpent" and how it came to be. We give you a sneak peek by featuring two of the tracks on today's episode: 1) Reality 101 2) Far Beyond Myths @cocoarigal Original music by @luckybeaches @poetsreturn @capnbooey --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/poetsreturn/support

Whiskey Cigarettes (Content is King)

***Hello Poet's Return listeners! We hope you're staying inside and staying afloat during these COVID-19 times. We're releasing some extra content during this time of isolation and semi-hiatus, and we'll be sharing some teasers for season two with you on our social media pages! We know that times are tough, but if you're able to donate in any way, please go to our page on Apple Podcasts, or see the link to our Anchor profile on our instagram @poetsreturn. Any donations, subscriptions, likes, or reviews will help us to also stay afloat for you during this crisis! Our listeners are most important and we want to keep sharing artists and their stories with you :) Now, for the fun stuff... We're back with Daniel Botello for Part Two of the Proof is in the Process. Daniel shares two more of his poems as we talk more about process, writing styles, and differences in how writers edit. (Host Melissa and Daniel both agree you need a good friend/mentor to help you edit things, or you'll never get anywhere.) The first poem Daniel shares today, he wrote a few months back, titled: 1) Bad Sagittarius  Host Melissa Booey (like many listeners probably will be) was deeply affected by the themes in this one, highlighting how timing can affect everything, and even if you love someone sometimes you can never quite make the connection work. It just misses.  The second poem he shares is one that he wrote some years back. Tell us if you agree with Melissa that this poem is perfect just the way it is, and it needs no further editing! 2) Love like Jazz Daniel is a romantic by nature, and he discusses  the excitement of falling in love and the electricity of feeling that attraction to someone and not yet knowing if they reciprocate.  "With love it’s like jazz, it never really resolves." @danielbotello @poetsreturn @capnbooey Original music by RJ Wayne, Ron Johnson aka PHILASIFER. "That Magic" featuring Otis Johnson.  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/poetsreturn/support

The Proof is in the Process: Part Two

Forgive the ridiculous accents and antics, but these two have clearly been friends for a while. Daniel Botello is a versatile writer, not only dabbling but fully investing himself in his poetry, playwriting, and music. Along with touring solo through the United States performing his own music, he's also published, produced and performed his own plays as well as continued to perform his poetry and share it visually through social media. In this two-part episode, Daniel and our host discuss writing disciplines, artistic philosophies, inspiration, and how to write when you're happy. The pieces that Daniel shares today are as follows, with more poetry to come during part two: 1) "The Water’s Too High, She Says"  2) "Jellybean" or "Languages Before You" @danielbotello @poetstreturn @capnbooey Original music "That Magic" by RJ Wayne AKA Philasifer @philasocial and Otis McDonald  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/poetsreturn/support

The Proof is in the Process: Part One

During our last installment of the miniseries featuring playwright, poet, and novelist Conor Turoci, we give you a sneak peek into the play "At the Edge of the Wilderness," a play that Conor and host Melissa Booey have been working on for years. We discuss emotional resilience, the power of story, and how specificity is crucial to creating strong characters and conflicts. **During this time of COVID-19, we ask that you help us keep everyone safe and healthy, by practicing social distancing. We know it doesn't make collaboration or community easy, along with all the other very urgent and real-life obstacles happening right now, but we can all find ways to work together during these adversities. Also-just as Conor and Melissa convey by their struggle to finish their onstage western, it's important to FINISH THINGS. Even if the world is in Pandemic!! Don't feel pressured, only feel encouraged in the sense that you are not alone, and there is a community of people ready to support and help you create that story you've been trying to tell. @ronocicorut @capnbooey #playwrights #poetry #podcast #poets #collaborate @poetsreturn At the Edge of the Wilderness is  property of Conor Turoci and Melissa Booey Original Music "Depths of the Mind" by Richard Martinez **SNEAK PEEK INTO MUSICAL PROJECT UPCOMING: "PSYCHOACTIVE BOOEY" AN ALBUM WRITTEN, NARRATED AND MUSICALLY CURATED by Anarchist Pirates --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/poetsreturn/support

Minisode 3 with Conor Turoci: Collaborating in Adversity

Alicia Beck is a Los Angeles film actress with a background in stage and musical theater. Throughout her past six years performing and creating locally, Alicia has also cultivated her love of writing and sharing poetry. Her poems are filled with heartbreak and hope, time and people lost, gained and remembered along with all the in betweens. Her grippingly visceral words are visualizations in and of themselves, as we're transported through our own former experiences and future potential as listeners. Her poetry can be found on her own social media @aliciareneebeck, as well as on her own poetry page @thewindandtheshadows. She recites the four following pieces featured on today's episode: 1) (The first, and final pieces are untitled) 2) "This Version of Me and You" 3) "Living in the Box" @aliciareneebeck @thewindandtheshadows @poetsreturn Hosted by Melissa Booey @capnbooey Original track featured today is titled "Patagonia" by musical artist Lukapotamus ***All original poetry and music copyright of the artists who share them, and all rights reserved by the Poet's Return Podcast property of Melissa Booey  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/poetsreturn/support

Staying Inspired

"At the Edge of the Wilderness" is a four act onstage western Conor and I have been writing since 2013. In this episode, we discuss the power of persevering when you have the right person to collaborate with, (even if you've been writing this play for 7 years, now) and how having an artistic community,  regardless of how big or small it is, can make all the difference  in a writer's journey, specifically during their most vulnerable and formative moments.  @poetsreturn @ronocicorut @capnbooey Original music by Lukapotamus  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/poetsreturn/support

Minisode 2 with Conor Turoci: Community

We're switching gears a little this week, with Part One of a three-part release of Minisodes featuring Conor Turoci. Conor is a versatile writer, delving into such forms as playwriting, screenwriting, short story, essay, poetry and full form novel. In this small featured mini series of episodes, Conor and I discuss the ins and outs of writing process, how it evolves, and how to balance the highs and lows of inspiration and consistency. Today we focus on writing every day, knowing that sometimes inspiration isn't enough, and that effort, time and belief will change and fluctuate within our journeys as writers. Ultimately, amid the highs and lows of the craft, the most important thing you can do as a storyteller? Just finish it. @ronocicorut  @poetsreturn @capnbooey Original music by Lukapotomas "RDWCTHTGV" or "Robots don't use Condoms (that's how they get viruses)" Tomorrow Part Two of this Minisode series will be released, featuring more in depth conversation, self-deprecation and technical analysis with the intellectual and worldly Conor Turoci.

Minisode 1 with Conor Turoci: Just Finish It

Elena Scarlett Murray is a local Los Angeles poet who has performed as a featured performer at the Kingdom of Pavement as well as several other venues and has never failed to impress with her powerfully beautiful and sometimes potently painful words. Continuing to pursue her passion for writing, Elena has seemed to grow right before the eyes of the poetic community, her spoken word poems hitting people exactly where they seem to always need it. She has created a visualization of her first poem featured today, titled, "My Magnificent Body," and you will get to hear not only the meaningful words she shares, but the journey, inspiration, and ability to find humor in love, life, and all the obstacles that come with them.  Pieces performed: 1) My magnificent body 2) 3 Haikus: a series of dumb love haikus 3) What I should have written 4) I call bull shit This episode focus on understanding that you are enough and you often don’t need the flowery language, only the raw relatable truth. From the fire of ending old relationships to the ease of finding love, the subject matter is truthful, vulnerable and relatable. “What I should have written was the absence of questioning how you feel about me has unbound the knots in my stomach and freed space to fill with love for myself…” from her poem “what I should have written.” @elenascarlettmurray @poetsreturn @tbc.records original music

Knowing You're Enough

This week's episode "Knowing You're Enough" features Elena Scarlett Murray, whose poetry has a wide range of topics, colors and styles. Listen to the trailer to hear a small excerpt from one of Elena's poems titled, "What I Should Have Written", and also hear us goof around for a bit as we're known to bring levity to just about any topic. A true poet knows not to take themselves too seriously!  Follow Elena at @elenascarlettmurray and follow us at @poetsreturn DM us if you'd like to be on the podcast! Or if you have any feedback :) Original music by tbc.records visit their social @tbc.records featuring DeShawn Cavanaugh, Ravel Ward and Christopher Schuchert ?? HAPPY MARDI GRAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Knowing You're Enough TRAILER

Cairo Spencer is a 23 year old, Bay Area Native with a background in dance and theatre. Although he has primarily focused on film since his move to L.A, performing the Milkcrate Monologues in October encouraged him to continue his acting onstage, and on another level, to continue writing and sharing his poems and raps. (Especially through the support of his fellow cast mates' group text titled "bad raps crew" wherein they tell each other not to overthink their rhymes and just spit.) Since then, Cairo has actually filmed and starred in NYR Banter, which is the first poem you will hear recited.  At only 21, he worked an internship where he got a taste for the fast-paced, high profile world in L.A, and realized that it only reaffirmed his long time knowledge that he would eventually pursue a career here.  As he says in this episode, his process of becoming a writer has been “built up in phases…”, and as part of Cairo's philosophy as an artist you can't force anything, because it "all comes together naturally." The young wordsmith has a tendency towards spoken word, but his poetry has vivid imagery and rhyme schemes  compelling for any audience. Delving deeper into rap and poetry has been rewarding and challenging for him, since, like many artists, it's often difficult not to put ourselves in a box.  Pieces Cairo shares on today's episode:  NYR Banter (check out his Instagram to see this visualized and acted out) Bff’s NO TITLE (intro to rap: One of the first raps he ever wrote. Also the piece he used to audition for Milkcrate with.) Cairo's Instagram: @theelokuent8 Original music by @philasocial AKA Philasifer. Copyright of RJ Wayne/Ron Johnson Follow us on Instagram @poetsreturn or on Facebook at Poet's Return. Message us if you're interested in being a featured writer on the podcast! And remember friends: use your words well. 

How it All Comes Together

Poetry is one of the most visceral and vulnerable forms of artistic expression. Although still seen throughout pop culture, playing it safe through other social mediums has certainly become easier. Meet some of the best, newest, and most evocative upcoming poets from all over the United States. Experience their raw, and sometimes painful origins while getting to know them as artists sharing their most vulnerable stories and most palpable poems. We will discuss process, inspiration, and the potential visualization of their words by bringing these poems to life.

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Poet's Return - The Poetry Podcast

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