Brandi Fleury

The significant attention that the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Arts movement attracted from the nation demonstrated the demand and
appreciation for Black art and literature along with admiration for
those that spoke out at a time when black voices were easily silenced.
This was an immediate inspiration to Brandi Fleury to become a force
to be reckoned with and a voice for the voiceless.

Her writing style is reminiscent of her upbringing. Born, bred, and
fed in New Orleans, Brandi uses a dialect representative of her city
and highly influenced by its music. "In New Orleans, we pass by your
house, make groceries, and ask how's ya mama en 'em," said Brandi, "so
it is a must that I represent that with as much accuracy as possible.
Just as Langston Hughes wrote with jazz and blues rhythms, Brandi
incorporates the bounce flows of Tarius "Juvenile" Gray and Michael
"Mystikal" Tyler to express the fatigue of an undereducated
lower-class, to address the political corruption on every level of
govt. and to speak for those who otherwise wouldn't be heard.
Although her journey to poetry began on her elementary school soap box
at recess, Brandi continued to get local acclaim from her esteemed
classmates, co-workers and family.

Her first appearance on the New Orleans poetry scene was at the Hard
Rock Café on world famous Decatur St in 2003. She was too nervous to
perform an anti-war poem for fear of angering the audience. When she
got to the chorus, "mothers shed tears of blood as they buried their
daughters and sons'. Blood is thicker than water, on the coffin place
a rosebud to the horrifying sound of twenty-one guns," the audience
began placing money at her feet. That was the one and only time that
listeners showed appreciation monetarily. It was there she learned
that the perfect balance of political incorrectness and humor will
bring joy and anger to audiences around the country.
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