J. IVY CELEBRATES TOM LEE PARK
The celebration of Tom Lee Park’s opening continues with a new work by GRAMMY-winning hip hop poet J. Ivy that pays tribute to the new park and its namesake. The poem, Tom Lee Park, was inspired by the transformed 31-acre park and by the heroism of Memphian Tom Lee who saved the lives of 32 people in 1925 from a sternwheeler capsized in the Mississippi River.
“We can’t ask for more than what we received from J. Ivy with his creation of his poem Tom Lee Park,” said Carol Coletta, President & CEO of Memphis River Parks Partnership. “J. Ivy captures the park’s essence and the countless, memorable experiences enjoyed at the park. It’s beautiful and emotional. His portrayal of Tom Lee took my breath away.”
“This park touches my soul. It brings truth to culture, and meaning to sacrifice and existence,” said J. Ivy. “Here’s a place that stretches along the Mississippi River that brings joy and renewal, but also love, and respect, in honor of its namesake. Great inspiration for a poet!”
The new Tom Lee Park, opened on September 2, dramatically reimagines 31 acres on the Memphis riverfront. It was designed by internationally honored Studio Gang and SCAPE as a symbol of a new day for the riverfront and for Memphis.
Ivy’s tribute to the park comes seven months after he won a GRAMMY in the category of Best Spoken Word Poetry Album. He was the first poet to win a GRAMMY in 20 years and joined Maya Angelou as the only poets to receive the award. His work has garnered numerous awards and has taken him to stages with Prince, Sia, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Mos Def, Lauryn Hill, Dave Chappelle, and others.
Tom Lee Park is the first national commission as part of the Mellon Foundation’s The Monuments Project grant to Memphis River Parks Partnership. The grant also funds the annual Tom Lee Poetry and Spoken Word Contest for local high school students and funded the park’s new artwork A Monument to Listening, by internationally acclaimed artist Theaster Gates.
About J. Ivy
When it comes to Hip-Hop Poetry, J. Ivy is the first of his kind. He is a pioneer, a trendsetter, one who has knocked down impossible doors, taking the art of poetry directly to mainstream music and television arenas. His motivational motto, “Dreams Don't Come True, They Are True,” has guided him from his native home, Chicago, to becoming a GRAMMY®, Peabody, Clio, Telly, and NAACP Image Award winning poet and artist.
In February, 2023, 30 years after his first performance, J. Ivy won a GRAMMY® for his latest album, THE POET WHO SAT BY THE DOOR, becoming the first poet to win in the GRAMMY® Awards’ new category, Best Spoken Word Poetry Album. Not only is he the first poet to win a GRAMMY® since the great Dr. Maya Angelou, but he also won a GRAMMY® for his work on the Tennessee State Marching Band’s The Urban Hymnal, which won in the Best Gospel Roots category. From his breath-taking performances for people of all ages to his appearances on countless television networks, J. Ivy’s passionate delivery always leaves spectators transfixed in a state of inspiration.
From his work on the classic song "Never Let Me Down" with Kanye West & Jay-Z to performing a poem for NBA Hall of Fame Legend Michael Jordan, to MC'ing and performing at events for Deepak Chopra, to voicing openings for sporting events including the NFL’s Sunday Night Football on NBC, ESPN’s US Open, National Spelling Bee, the 2017 NBA Draft, and The Undefeated's Dear Black Athlete, to co-starring in and narrating BET's award winning film Muhammad Ali: The People's Champ & Martin: The Legacy of a King, and John Stephens’ (who J. Ivy renamed John Legend) feature on Oprah’s Next Chapter. When the world shut down due to Covid-19 in 2020, J. Ivy wrote and narrated Beyoncé’s Black Is King promo for the Return of the NBA.
Not only is he a poet, writer, and voice-over artist, who has shared stages with the likes of Prince, Sia, Doug E. Fresh, Jim Carrey, Sway in the Morning, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common, Lauryn Hill, Dave Chappelle, and many more, he also collaborates his poetry with music and is humbly a superb photographer.
