A Black Man Has 9 Lives

Ramses Osiris Martin wasn't like the typical black kid growing up in America. He had it made in life. He lived in a good neighborhood in Southern California, with wealthy parents and went to the best schools money could buy. However, even with all of that, he still faced a challenge that no doctor or amount of money could cure. That was simply trying to face the reality of what it is really like to be Black in America. Separated from his culture due to where he grew up, the young 16 year old is now on a journey to see who he really is. A simple trip to unfamiliar lands will test him to the very depths of his soul. Throughout it all, it will take him through hell and back. From the football field, to the country, the inner city and beyond, what lessons will stay entrenched in his soul for all eternity? What is the price that he will pay to see how deep the melanin roots are in his skin?

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Joe McClain Jr., a.k.a. JoeMac was born and raised in the Harborside section of East Chicago, Indiana. He faced the perils of gangs, drugs and death, much like all inner city youth. Add the fact that he also grew up in a broken home, and you would expect his story to turn out into one of the many sad ones we read coming out of the urban environment. However, Joe adapted and overcame to turn his story into a successful one. Staying active in the Boys and Girls Club, he channeled his expression through art and sports. However, it wasn't until he began his second semester at East Chicago Central High School that he would find his true gift. "I took a poetry class so I could get one last credit. I thought it was a whatever class that I would just breeze through with little to no effort. It turns out it softened me up," he says with a chuckle. From there, he began to write, and it didn't cease. After graduating in 2002, he enlisted in the United States Navy, relocated to San Diego, where he continued to write. In 2008, on a third tour to The Middle East, he began to perform for fellow Marines and Sailors on board the USS Peleliu. Upon his return to San Diego, he befriended DJ Redlite, a nationally known DJ who played at a local open mic called Train of Thought. In mid 2009, he gave his first spoken word performance. "I thought I was good, until I heard everyone else." Unphased by his lack of expertise in the craft, Joe continued to work and perfect his craft until his big break came. "I was a co-host on a syndicated radio show in 2011 when I got a call from my barber at the time, asking did I want to open for Joe and Jon B. in San Diego. He knew the promoter of the concert and they needed someone to open for them. I took that gig and the rest is history." Indeed the rest was history. Leaving his mark in front of a crowd of over 6,000, his performance sparked numerous opportunities. Since that February 12, 2011 day, he has shared the stage with fellow Def Jam poets Black Ice, Ise Lyfe, Rodzilla and Paul Mabon to name a few. He has performed nationally in California, Texas, Indiana; and internationally in Asia. At just the age of 31, the quote on quote "50 cent of poetry" is one of the most powerful voices in spoken word, telling raw, unedited tales of the problems that plague this world and all subjects in general. He is indeed one of the top tier performers in the spoken word craft.