Justin McCain Films Spoken Word Poetry For HBO And The CW

Justin McCain is a senior English major who enjoys helping with his family’s embroidery and apparel company. Justin took a liking to writing and began creating poetry at age 14. He has since performed at several venues in St. Louis, his hometown, and here in Columbia. After nailing auditions for a spot on national television, Justin filmed his spoken word poetry for HBO and the CW for shows set to air in fall of 2012.
 
Her Campus Mizzou: When and why did you get into writing poetry?
Justin McCain: I started writing poetry in Mrs. Reinch’s eighth grade science class while neglecting taking notes one day. At 14, I knew a very small amount about poetry besides the Harlem Renaissance, Langston Hughes and the poetry that we were taught up to that point in time. I wrote a poem called “Nothing Lasts Forever,” and after I showed it to my teacher, who encouraged me to write more, I continued writing poetry with story lines or lessons behind them. One of my older pieces, titled “ Little Robby,” spoke on a high school teen who died in a car crash when he failed to wear his seat belt. Lesson: Seat belts save lives. Of course as a teenager growing into his own, I also had a great deal of poetry that was simply about how I was feeling at the time. Between the years 2004 and 2005, I wrote about 150 poems that remain in my old, ripped-up purple poetry folder to this day. By the time I reached high school, I constantly challenged myself to write newer and better poems, which also served as a part of my motivation to continue writing.
 
HCM: What topics do you usually write about?
JM: The subject matter for my pieces spreads far and wide. Honestly, it really depends on how I’m feeling when I write and the purpose for my writing. Those reasons are usually one of the following: as a means to express an emotion or how I’m feeling, or as a means to spread a message or to make a point. So far in my recent years, my poetry has revolved around spirituality, love, family, what it means to be a college student. At the same time, I’m always challenging myself to create newer and better poetry. The most recent poem that I wrote and performed spoke on domestic violence and how much of an issue it is in our society, so you can always look forward to something new from me.
 
HCM: What's your favorite piece? 
JM: Some of my favorite poems are the ones that speak to my life directly, such as “Letter To My Unborn Grandson,” which really touches on my feelings about family and how important it is to build those relationships. “Airplanes” speaks on my relationship with my mother and how her work situation affected me as a child and how that situation plays into my psychological makeup today. I think the poem that speaks to my audience the most so far when performed is “Monster” because it speaks on power-based violence or domestic violence in an entirely different way while creating a call to action to every person who should ever listen to it. 
 
HCM: Where are some of the venues you’ve performed in?
JM: I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to perform in a plethora of venues in a short amount of time. In St. Louis, I regularly perform at Legacy Books & Café and most recently took first place in their December 2011 Poetry Slam. I have also been the featured artist in several Columbia venues including Kappa Alpha Psi's Annual LyriKal Detonation in the spring and fall of 2011, MU Rock Against Rape; NAACP Presents: Spoken Word Nights 2009; Black Programming Committees: Poetry In The Park; GOBCC & Impact Presents: Gospel Extravaganza; MUTV’s: The Prowl, Delta After Dark 2012; and NAACP’s Image Awards 2012.