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the itch season 1 episode 3: Craft-D

17/05/2017
Rife Editor

the itch, our new video series spotlighting local Bristol talent, continues with Craft-D performing ‘Earthquakes’.

the itch is a collaborative film project between Rife Magazine and the cheeky cactuses at Clockwise. We come across some of the most exciting talent in Bristol, working here at the magazine, and we want to celebrate everything the city has to offer. So, working with Clockwise, we will be shooting and uploading intimate performances, brash outlandish artistic pieces, stand-up, poetry, music, dance, whatever, in the coming months.

An interview with Craft-D

Describe Your Poetry.

I guess my style draws influences from both hip-hop and traditional page poetry, so my performance and writing style is some kind of fusion of the two. I try to write about things which are hard to articulate in everyday life and conversation, whether that’s speaking about anxiety and vulnerability, trying to counter oppressive and challenging societal expectations around femininity, masculinity and achievement, or just generally attempting to make sense of our surroundings.

Where Was Your First Gig?

I can’t even remember, though I do think it was a rap set. I remember feeling nervous and having a really bad microphone technique compared to other performers – I think I’ve improved since…

What Makes Bristol Special For Spoken Word?

Its diverse talent pool with an exciting mix of styles, filled with positive movements and community oriented people. There’s also a number of really exciting live events which all offer something different.

Which Poets Have Inspired You?

It’s hard to pinpoint stylistic influences from spoken word as that came later for me. I may attribute inspiration to a combination of rap influences such as Lupe Fiasco, Eminem and UK guys like Lowkey and Ghetts, as well as page poets dating back to Shakespeare and John Donne. People who inspired my passion for spoken word poetry when starting out around Bristol include Steven Duncan, Buddy Carson and Dizraeli.

What Inspired Your Piece For the itch?

Near where my Dad is from in Amatrice, Italy, there was a horrendous earthquake last year which left a lot of areas ruined. It’s strange seeing somewhere you’ve walked through many times as a child on a perfect sunny day, destroyed so suddenly, covered in rubble and snow. It made me consider the earthquakes of our everyday lives, from sudden political change to living with unpredictable anxiety.