The slam poet, who commonly goes by his stage name, “G,” was born in Durham, North Carolina in 1990 and was raised in a Buddhist family. He has spent many years of his life writing poetry, is a slam poetry champion, and has toured college campuses and stages in the United States, Europe and Japan.
His culture and family history are the face of his poetry, as the majority of his life was spent fighting a difficult battle: trying to fit in to an American society while still staying true to his family’s culture.
“Oftentimes, you feel very confused as to who you are and where you belong,” said Yamazawa.
Slam poetry is a form of poetry recital that closely resembles the rhythm, rhyme scheme and tone of most modern hip-hop and rap songs. The main difference is that slam poetry is usually recited without any beats or sound in the background. Some of the poems that Yamazawa recited included “Growth,” “Asians from the South,” “Unforgettable” and “After Twenty-Two Years, I’ve Finally Found an Asian Girlfriend.” In addition to these poems, Yamazawa recited various raps he wrote.
One poem in particular from the performance, “Home,” was once aired on national television via Verses and Flow, a program which highlights extraordinary performances from singers and poets. Influenced by his upbringing as an Asian-American, this poem highlights Yamazawa’s lifelong discovery of self-worth and his purpose in life. In this poem, he expresses his belief that home is one of the most important factors in any person’s life.
“I think that the first step is realizing that wherever you’re from, you’re from there; whoever you are, you are who you are. And you have to learn to understand that that is a good thing in nature,” said Yamazawa.
Yamazawa appeared comfortable during his performance. He used his conversational tone, friendly demeanor and upbeat attitude to encourage audience participation. In between each poem, Yamazawa spoke about many of his personal experiences, both on and off the stage.
“In North Carolina, we like to say that poetry is not like golf. So if you hear something that you like, feel free to make as much noise as you like,” said Yamazawa.
Yamazawa managed to maintain a conversational tone and a personal atmosphere with his audience. He avoided announcing the names of his poems before reciting them. For example, before reciting , “Win,” a poem dedicated to his father who battled cancer, Yamazawa asked the audience a question about fathers. After a few answers from the audience, he seamlessly transitioned into the poem’s first line. The manner in which Yamazawa transitioned between each conversation and each poem was a standout aspect of his performance.
Following the performance, Yamazawa gave writing tips to various writers in his audience. He encouraged them to continue to pursue their goals and to find communities that can help them expand their possibilities in writing.
“Poetry, rap and writing are such solitary forms; you can grow by yourself, but you are limited unless you can find other people to grow with,” said Yamazawa.
Yamazawa inspired his audience – both writers and non-writers alike – to embrace their culture and their future.
“You’ve just got to keep trying – keep trying to push those boundaries,” said Yamazawa.
