How did you get started writing?
I started writing out of boredom. I used to write poems about skateboarding on the paper bags I used as book covers for my 8th grade Math textbook. I began to keep journals where I could do and say whatever I wanted without the fear of being persecuted. Throughout high school, I began to notice I only wrote when I was stressed or confused about things in my life. Writing became therapy. It feels great to connect to other people through the written word.

What’s your advice for other writers? Write. Carry a journal around. Do some people watching in public places, like parks or cafés. Memorize your favorite hip-hop lyrics. Read a lot of different books from different authors who each have different backgrounds. Go to poetry slams and observe the way writing and performance blend together. You can be just as inspired to write by going on a bus ride or watching a film, than by reading someone else’s poem. Realize that writing is an extension of yourself. I guarantee that by writing, you will discover who you are as a person and realize the potential of what you can be. Be patient and keep writing.

How do you deal with pressure in your life? Obviously writing is a great outlet, but when heavy stuff is going on in my life, writing is usually my last ditch resort. I’m a shy person who bottles up stress to the point where I have to vocalize my feelings. I’m fortunate to have some good friends and family in my corner. Music is also a huge and integral component in my life. But when the real pressure hits, I try to relax and rationally assess the root of the problem.

What advice would you give other teens about drugs? Regardless of drugs or peer pressure, I think the most important advice I can give young people is to have an independent mind. Take the time out to learn about who you are and what you believe in. Individuality is a necessity to becoming a wise, intelligent, and creative person. In the end, follow your gut instinct, and always remember that every decision, good or bad, has a consequence.