professional bio for recording artist allen poe -words by KC Orcutt
As published here, reposted below:
With a diverse artistic output spanning two decades, Allen Poe has molded his career around his multi-faceted creative interests within music. With roots as an emcee, the Frankfort, Kentucky-born recording artist has expanded his talents to include shooting & editing music videos, launching a videography business and writing about his local scene and music at large for several publications.
Being driven by a small town with little hip-hop culture, Allen Poe was inspired by the sounds he heard growing up, citing Jay Z, MF Doom and the Wu-Tang clan as early influences. By placing a conscious focus on incorporating his own experiences into the framework of the genre to mirror his genuine perspective, he was successfully able to create a sound akin to his own distinctive style and background.
Cultivating themes such as magnifying the mundane elements of ordinary life to build a relatable common ground and exploring universal emotions and attitudes lyrically, the music he creates is reflective of much more than his tactful songwriting, perfected over time and practice. For Allen Poe, both as a listener and as a rapper, hip-hop represents a cultural education that hits deepest when it holds substance and is clothed in artistic expression. Taking a responsibility to contribute in a direction Allen Poe feels is crucial in an oversaturated industry where entertainment and shock value often holds presidency over honest art, the rapper often builds his songs from poetry first, working to bend his words into rhymes that fit his selectively curated beats.
Both a veteran of the rap game and of our country, Allen Poe has built up an impressive resume with milestones including creating a plethora of projects under his belt, sharing stages with Lupe Fiasco, Rick Ross and Juvenile and collaborating with a growing list of artists including, J57, honorary Cunninlyguist member Sheisty Khrist, DeeJay Element, Hannibal King, PJ Katz, Denmark Vessey, IV The Polymath, The Other Guys and more.
Balancing his music with his family life and being the best husband and father he can be has also been a crucial component to his work as a well-rounded emcee.
From coaching his daughters softball team to mentoring other artists, Allen Poe is enthusiastic to pass on what he’s learned first hand, aiming to provide a soundtrack that celebrates growth, regardless of whether its an inch or a foot is irrelevant to this emcee. Allen Poe is celebrating how far he’s come, not how far he’s yet to go and overall this approach is yielding his best music to date.