Moody Black is a TEDx performer, an ALL DEF POET, comedian, Smart Arts Teaching Artist, spoken-word and visual artist, actor, chess instructor, story teller, and photographer from Spartanburg, S.C.: Now, residing in Greenville, S.C. Moody Black is electrifying audiences across the country with his original poems and energetic performances. Fusing a blend of Hip-Hop, Soul, and Poetry, this talented artist delivers a unique rhythmic message in which each new listener finds common ground. Moody Black has been a performing artist since the age of twelve, and has become a prominent force on a multi-regional poetry scene through his enthusiastic live shows and strong work ethic.
Moody Black has a created a buzz in the following achievements:
Second place winner in the University of South Carolina-Upstate Talent Show-February 1998 and 1999; Winner of the Coffee Beanery Freestyle Contest in Greenville, S.C- June 15, 2001; Spartanburg Poetry Slam Winner- January 10, 2004; Member of the Upstate Poetry Slam Team 2004-present and Slam Coach from 2006-present; Featured poet for Band-Aids (AIDS Awareness Program) in Spartanburg, S.C., Featured several times in Spartanburg Herald Journal and The Link; Performed at several elementary, junior and senior high schools, universities, and colleges; Poem published in Still Home(Book of Spartanburg Poets); 2009 Poetry Slam Instructor for USC-Upstate’s Upward Bound Program; Competed in The Southern Fried Poetry Slam Competitions 2004-2013; Competed in PSI’s National Poetry Slam 2004-2008; Special Guest performer at the 27th Annual Evening of Talent Expressions at the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium; Featured artist at the Travelers Rest Arts Commission annual Arts Festival October 6, 2007 in Traveler Rest, S.C./ featured poet for the North Charleston Arts Festival May 2008, Stone Soup Story Telling Festival in Woodruff, S.C. in 2009 and 2010/ Featured poet for the Annual Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, S.C., The Peace Day Festival in Charleston, S.C. 2008 and 2009/ 2010 and 2011 featured poet for the annual Chautaugua Festival, and was one of the opening acts that opened up for Trey Songz at The Carolina First Center in Greenville, S.C. and at The 3rd Annual Millican Festival in Sumter, S.C. Moody was one of the presenters at the 2011 TedX Greenville SC Event, and the 2011 Pecha Kucha Greenville SC. In addition, Moody Black is the Coffee Underground Grand Poetry Slam Champion of 2010-2011 and 2011-2012. 2012 Poetry finalist in the 1st Ignite the Mic Talent Show at TD Convention Center, and Champion of the 2nd and 4th Annual Slam Madness Poetry Slam Competition, 2012 Grind Flu Magazine Spoken Word Artist of the year, and tied for first place in the Southern Fried Poetry Slam Slam Master's Slam (2012 Tampa FL and 2013 New Orleans, LA), and co-host and co-organizer of the 22nd Annual Southern Fried Poetry Slam; 2015 Annual National Poetry Awards Best Open Mic Host and Open Mic Venue Award winner, and 2015 Annual National Poetry Awards nominee for best Spoken-Word CD (Rebuilding Hope), as slam master coached the Say What?! Slam Team (4th place out of 32 teams in the 25th annual Southern Fried Poetry Slam 2016 in Greensboro NC/ 10th place out of 72 teams in the National Poetry Slam in Decatur GA/ tied for 2nd place at the annual Southern Fried Poetry Slam 2017 in Louisville KY/ 11th place at the annual National Poetry Slam in Denver CO, 10th Place out of 32 teams in the 27th annual Southern Fried Poetry Slam in San Antonio, Texas 2018, and 6th place out of 72 teams at the annual National Poetry Slam at Chicago, IL), 2016 GANSPA Awards for Best South Carolina Poet, and certified Smart Arts Teacher Trainer through the Metropolitan Arts Council of Greenville, SC, and 2017 ALL DEF POET, 2017 GANSPA Award for National Best Male Poet.
Contact info- 864.357.7148, iammoodyblack@gmail.com, facebook.com/iammoodyblack, instagram@iammoodyblack, and twitter@iammoodyblack
