About Me
I-Timothy artist, poet, teacher, historian, MC, writer, lecturer and philosopher has been performing since 1981. A modern-day Griot, I-Timothys singular spoken word style fuses the Rastafarian teachings of H. I. M. Haile Selassie I, Marcus Garvey, and the Prophet Gad with the messages of Bob Marley, Gil Scott Heron, Tupac Shakur and KRS-One. Also influenced by poets such as Nikki Giovanni, Gwendolyn Brooks, Langston Hughes, Paul Laurence Dunbar and Countee Cullen, as well as Stevie Wonder and George Clinton & P-Funk, I-Timothy presents a lyrically unique Pan-African vision in a contemporary context.Born in Warren, Ohio, in 1958, I-Timothy was raised from age 8 by his mother, an auto worker, after his father left the family. Timothy graduated high school and went on to attend Bowling Green State University for two years before relocating to Los Angeles in 1980. Reconnecting with his father in Los Angeles coincided with the birth of I-Timothys Rastafarian consciousness. Through his father, I-Timothy met radio announcer Tony Tony Gee Garnett, former road manager for Bob Marley and member of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, an organization that grew to be a profound influence upon I-Timothys life and work. Garnett became I-Timothys mentor, encouraging the young artist to perform his poem Free the Land for the first Bob Marley Day Celebration at Los Angeles MacArthur Park in 1981.I-Timothy went on to perform as opening MC for Ja Rasta poet Mutabaruka, Los Angeles spoken word legends the Watts Prophets and Kamau DaOoud. He was a contributing editor for the original The Reggae and African Beat (The Beat) magazine and served as guest editor for the classic RASTAFARI LIVES and Dub Poets special issues. I-Timothy was also responsible for ensuring that speeches by Emperor Haile Selassie were included in every issue. He has performed his poetry at Twelve Tribes of Israel events in New York, London, Los Angeles and Jamaica.I-Timothy has published two books of poetry, Six Weeks and It Continues, and has released a spoken word CD entitled I. T. I. S. T. I. M. E. (I Timothy, I Speak To Illuminate Minds Everywhere). I-Timothy continues to write poems and is currently recording his second CD, Its About T. I. M. E. (The Inner Man Experience). Twelve Tribe of Israel public meeting is held every third Sunday of the month, for info please call (323)550-1194........................................... Orthodox Muzik The official record label of the Twelve Tribes of Israel Music Body Worldwide.
