We caught up with the brilliant and insightful B Anderson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, B thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Any thoughts about whether to ask friends and family to support your business. What’s okay in your view?
One of the most difficult parts of my journey has been, to ask anyone to support me, especially friends and family. I feel like love and support is essential for growth and success. Knowing that the people who love me most are in my corner is an added confidence booster. I understand that everyone has their own things going on in life so they may not always be able to make it to events. I also understand that money is tight. Not everyone can afford to buy my work. My rebuttal to that is, we live in a social media era where people spend so much time on at least one of the apps. It takes two seconds to hit the share button. It’s free to share with a friend what I’m doing. There is more than one way to support someone other than financially. Those who really support me don’t need to be told to support me.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I am an award winning author, poet, spoken word and recording artist, and host of The Mic Drop with B. Anderson.
The Mic Drop with B. Anderson is an interview platform, to give artists who use a microphone the space to share all things them. Guests promote their current projects, dive into their journey, and look at what’s next. Guests can range from authors, poets, singers, rappers, DJs, comedians, podcasters, etc. I am close to wrapping up my second season. The Mic Drop with B. Anderson can be found on YouTube at https://m.youtube.com/@AuthorBAnderson. I started this platform because I love to promote others. I love to see people win. I also enjoy telling stories so I felt this was the best way to put all of those things into effect.
I’ve been legally blind since birth. I have been writing creatively since the age of 8. I began my poetry journey at the age of 15. It started because I was shy when it came to talking to girls so poetry was a safe space and a way to express the things that were on my heart without speaking out loud. Writing became therapeutic for me as I grew up. My experiences are very relatable and I touch on them in my debut book of poetry, A Penny for My Thoughts, and even more so in my follow up poetry book, VISIONoverSIGHT A Legally Blind Poet’s Truth. From my childhood to parenthood, ridicule, stereotypes, beliefs, and mental illness, I walk you through my journey. These things almost destroyed me, but finding my way back to God, and Poetry saved me. VISION (internal) always beats sight (physical sense). If you love poetry that expresses raw emotions from the heart, you’ll love A Penny For My Thoughts and VISIONoverSIGHT A Legally Blind Poet’s Truth.
My debut spoken word album, A King Pen Collection Volume 1, Here’s My Two Cents, was released in September 2022. I was inspired to explore the realm of music because having multiple avenues to relay your message is essential to expanding your audience and it gives individuals a new perspective. P.O.R.N. Poetry On Repeat Nightly was released February 14, 2023 and is a more in depth look into my sensual and romantic side. I have released several singles which are streaming anywhere you get your music. My latest project, A King Pen Collection Vol. 2: B4 It’s All Said and Done, was released in September of 2023 and is my best body of work from a musical standpoint in my opinion.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I’d love to share one of the spoken word songs that is streaming everywhere. This spoken word song sums up my entire journey. It’s the most inspirational poem I’ve ever written.
Two Mics
All I need is two mics.
I get to pay homage while being honest.
You may ask, why do I need two mics?
Because the first one got disconnected after I swung at the first pitch and missed, giving up after just one strike.
There was a problem before I ever saw light, before they took my weight and measured my height, before I took my first bite.
It was downhill from there after the doctor delivered the news of my diagnosis.
Nystagmus was the case, which meant my eyes would never be able to focus.
Realization set in that I’d never be the dopest because I was too afraid to plug the mic back in.
How was I ever going to be the example I expected to see in other men?
The date changed but tears flooded my pillow case every night.
Confidence was as bad as my sight.
I started believing the odds were something I could never defy.
As a result, my work ethic deteriorated and I became as lazy as my right eye.
Opportunities were presented but I refused to give any of them a try.
We all have a choice.
God put me in position to be the example, but I couldn’t locate my voice.
My first mic was permanently unplugged.
I felt unloved.
Depression controlled my every movement like a drug.
My entire being was on do not disturb.
When I was able to utter a word, it was literally the worst thing I ever heard.
I embraced the fading light.
With a ton placed on my shoulders, I couldn’t get my hands up to defend myself during the fight.
I was out after one strike.
That’s why I needed two mics.
All I need is Two Mics
All I need is Two Mics
Two Mics
All I need is two mics.
The second mic was full of life.
It made me feel like Mike.
Animating the words that I write.
It stayed on my mind all the time, I thought about making her my wife.
We already talked everyday.
She challenged me to speak to her soul in every way.
My vision was 20/20 but that second mic saw the furthest.
I thought I finally made it. Little did I know, I hadn’t even scratched the surface.
This mic serves more than one purpose.
My weapon of mass destruction, my protection, my sword.
No issues with connection because this mic didn’t require a cord.
In a sense, this was my gift from the Lord.
Confidence soared to an all time high.
With this mic in my hands, I actually believed I could fly.
I spread my wings, no longer timid when stepping to the stage. I forgot about my imperfect eyes.
My second mic became my third eye, making me Legally Blind to the haters, doubters, and competition. My disposition alone won the prize.
Me and my second mic have soul ties.
This train is on a collision course with success. The mic is my token.
A bond that could never be broken.
When it’s all said and done, that powerful three letter word will be the reason why every truth has been spoken.
Life lessons caused the second mic to have a different perspective than the first.
Now a seasoned vet and well versed, I no longer stumble around feeling like I’m dying of thirst.
I’m able to proudly walk to the stage full of love and confidence. I feel restored. I feel brand new.
As I step up, I reiterate that I’m doing this all for YOU.
That YOU I refer to is mic number two.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
I wish I knew how to properly market my books on social media when I first released them. I didn’t know that I had the option to boost posts and promote my releases. It would’ve resulted in my books getting into the hands of more consumers. I self published my books so marketing is vital to success.
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Image Credits
Brian Anderson