Meet Dre Cruz | Writer, Poet, and Spoken Word Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dre Cruz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dre, let’s talk legacy – what do you want yours to be?

In The Crucible, the character John Proctor and his wife are accused of witchcraft. In the climax of the work, to avoid being hanged, John falsely admits to the charges against him. This all crumbles, though, when he is told he must sign a confession in order to finalize the deal. He refuses and is hanged. The reason for his refusal?

“Because it is my name. Because I cannot have another in my life… How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name.”

I believe that for most of us, the most powerful entity we possess is our names, and the traits we attach to them. A name can evoke love, or fear, or anger, or warmth. Our names give us access or deny us from privileges and resources. The right name could grant one an audience with the right people… important people… game changers and dream makers. Have you ever heard someone say “I saw Thriller performed live!” ? No. Because they most likely said “I saw Michael Jackson live.” Now, Thriller is great! There’s no doubting that. However, Thriller was just the mechanism that delivered what was desired … The Name. Michael Jackson. And no matter how that name makes you feel, it makes you feel something.

As my living and dying legacy… I leave you my name.

I leave you everything attached to my name. My poetry, my short stories, the videos on my YouTube, the post on my social media, the direct message and voicemails I have sent, and the voice notes I have recorded.

But not just that. I also leave my love, the truth of my words, my loyalty, my persistence, my passion, my growth, my faith… all those things attached to my name; so that when you hear my name, you feel something.

And that doesn’t have to be the same for everybody. There isn’t one particular thing I would want people to remember me by. I would hope that my name would spark something unique in every soul that I touch.

My name is Dre Cruz the MouthPeace.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

If I were to describe my poetry, which I rarely attempt to do, it would probably be black emo suburbanite mixed with lesbian neo-soul storytelling and a generous dollop of Jesus on top. All of my work comes from my experiences, and I have lived a very colorful life.

I grew up an Army brat so I’ve been blessed and cursed with all the things that come with that. I came out as lesbian at an early age. I have struggled with substance abuse, physical health and mental health issues in some capacity for as long as I can remember. I have experienced great wealth and even greater poverty. My parents have been divorced and remarried a couple times. All of these things have culminated to make what I write all mine. When you hear my poetry, you know that’s a Dre Cruz poem.

From the beginning of my spoken word journey, I was more so focused on getting to open mics and being heard. This definitely hasn’t been easy. I’m not a full time creative yet, so getting to weekday shows, creating flyers for marketing, and editing videos of my live shows has been a challenge, especially since I haven’t been generating income. But the beginning stages are all about doing that hard work, scrapping those pennies together, and being constant, so that’s what I’m doing. Now that I feel a foundation is laid, I’m excited to put more time into the business side of things. This year, I will be focusing on my brand , Cruz Thru Poetry, including merch, writing services, and releasing a collection of my poetry to print and audiobook. I’m still more than down to jump on anybody’s stage, though!

The biggest lesson I’m learning through this process is timing and preparation. There was a time when not seeing the follows on my IG, or not seeing the views on my YouTube channel, CruzTube, going up made me upset. I wanted to give up. I would think, “They aren’t feeling me.” But then, when I wouldn’t expect it, I’d be called to perform out of nowhere. And in those nights and the days following, my views and likes would skyrocket! So, even though you may not see it in a moment where you are broke and haven’t got a new follower in a week and you think all 100 of the views of your last post were you watching your own video on repeat, just know that somebody heard you or saw you. It may not be today or tomorrow or the next, but one day you’re going to get that email or text or dm that says, “We have a spot for you.” You have to prepared.

More than anything, I just want the world to know that Dre Cruz the MouthPeace is here, that Cruz Thru Poetry is here, I’m raw, I’m real, and I will make you feel.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

Sunday funday would start early on the east side with some Refuge Coffee Co. Then to L5p we go. Lunch at Planet Bombay and a visit with the vendors. Then, over to Ponce City Market to end the day at Skyline Park. 

Monday would be Crave for Slick Talk Poetry and $5 hookah.

Tuesday is The Circle Poetry Night at the Delowe Loft, to get my therapy session in.

Wednesdays are all about the Artormiss Prime Show. You never know what you’re gonna see. They showcase everything from trumpet players to magicians and everything in between.

Thursday we would have to hit The Love Below Speakeasy. Black woman owed business, and Nya, the owner, is one of the best people you could meet. The vibe at her spot is top notch. Just have to get there early! Sexy poetry… yes, please.

Friday, I’m checking out whatever Atlanta Art Events or Art Crew ATL have going on. Two different art groups, both showcasing the best creatives and small businesses in the city and from surrounding areas.

To wrap up the week, I’ll have to go with Soulful Saturdays at ApacheXLR, hosted and produced by Kia Comedy. Live band and dope performances, great vendors and a amazing atmosphere.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

I wouldn’t be where I am if I wasn’t constantly being encouraged and given edification, as well as opportunities to share my craft by Papadook the Poet and Artormiss. As a masculine-presenting Black woman, it can be very difficult to find a place to fit in outside of LGBTQIA+ spaces, so I was very nervous when I first started my spoken word journey. I have been immersed in the lesbian scene basically my entire social life, so interacting outside of that was completely foreign to me. So, when Papadook hit my dm’s and asked if I wanted to perform, I was shook. But after seeing her perform (which is amazing btw), and seeing how the crowd was still down to interact, it made me much more comfortable. After that, the only thing I was worried about was going after her. She’s a hard act to follow.

Artormiss has an event that I regularly attend called The Circle. This is only one of MANY MANY events that Artormiss curates, but it’s definitely my favorite. Between the atmosphere that he has cultivated every Tuesday night, and Baba Sol, the show’s host, teaching us breathing techniques, it gives me a feeling somewhere between church and therapy. I appreciate that he provides a space where all types of creatives can express themselves freely. I am grateful for his sacrifice and passion.

Website: https://linktr.ee/CruzThruPoetry

Instagram: @drecruzthemouthpeace

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drecruzthemouthpeace/

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCVSmkwEVrCceUQDAo1hARCw

Other: Email Cruzthrupoetry@gmail.com

Image Credits
For the feature image please credit Art by Lauren Gray.