Aisha Raison-spoken word artist, photographer and producer-has recited poetry all through the south since 1997. Starting off in Memphis at the Firehouse on October 24, 1997, she emerged as a developing writer with a curiosity for making the audience...well, comfortable. On April 9, 1998, Aisha created Afrodeesiack Press in order to publish on her own and help others as well. Her first chapbook "Afrodeesiack:African-American Erotic Poetry" set the stage for her as an erotic writer, helping her emerge on the scene not only as a poet, but as an independent woman who wasn't afraid to open her mouth and say what she wanted. With her feminist image and her sexual words, she won and toured several southern poetry slams and readings, including the 1998 and 1999 Southern Fried Poetry Slam. In 1999, she and several other established Memphis poets created Animated Souls, where the poets did plays such as "Day in the Life" and "Suspended in Animation". She later moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and worked with several other poetry groups and winning placement on the Winston-Salem Slam Team in 2000 and 2001. Aisha created "Eclectic Thoughts" in 2000, the chapbook that said goodbye to the sexual creature and hello to the feminist slash mother slash human. Her most recent work, entitled "Ghetto Anthems...and other beats to dance to",introduces the audience to a wider spectrum of her experiences, thoughts, and characters most women have found themselves playing at one time in their lives. Aisha had the opportunity to introduce the chapbook during Venus Envy in Memphis and at Broads Off Broad in Winston-Salem in 2002. She was also one half of Wordsicians of Winston, which gave a performance in dedication to June Jordan and on the behalf of breast cancer awareness. She was given the opportunity to perform "Eulogy of a Suicide Victim (to jane)" for the domestic violence prevention play "Weep No More". Since then, Aisha performs in coffee shops and college stages, retelling stories that influence and inspire those that have yet to have a voice.
The Firehouse, 1997, perfomance poet
Master Bakers, 1997-1998, performance poet, Slam Poet
P & H Cafe, 1997-1999, performance poet, Slam Poet
Animated Souls, 1999, performance poet
Java Cabana, 1998-2002, performance poet, Slam poet
Memphis State University, 1999, Performance poet
Wake Forest University,1999, Performance poet
Broads on Broad, 2002-2003, Performance poet
Thea's House of Jazz and Blues, 2002-2004, Performance poet
National Black Theatre Festival, 2003, Performance poet
I perform wherever I can! I love performing with hip-hop deejays, but the african drums do someting to me. Jazz is nice to use, especially...all you need is bass...I've performed everywhere that invited me in the beginning, and I'm still the same way. And as far as special moments...Nothing was more special than performing at Precious Cargo Exchange in Memphis back in '98-99. I have love for many places, but none have ever lingered and made me miss Memphis more than that spot. Saul Williams, Tony Medina, Sonya Sanchez...so many have entered through that red door over the years, and to be a part of that is honorable.
Jill Scott, Last Poets, Moby, Jessica care Moore.
So far, I've fallen in love with Cool Edit and Acid. I'm more of a computer dee-jay than anything. To be able to take loops and beats and turn them into my own music...it's addictive.
