BLAQ ICE - CHICAGO, ILL.

 

Once in a lifetime, society is blessed with a rare spirit that brings forth cultural change, sets new standards of greatness and serves as a sacrifice for future generations.

 

Blaq Ice is an American poet, international Spoken Word life artist, entertainer, lecturer, promoter, producer, host, published author, mentor and activist. The contributions of this amazing artist to American and Chicago spoken word poetry is truly Monumental. Not only has he left an imprint in arts and entertainment but he has also left his footprint in communities all across America with an artist/activist movement, inspiring thousands of ordinary people to use their gifts to do extraordinary work in their communities. This is Blaq Ice

 

THE BEGINNING

Blaq Ice was born Tyrone De'Andre Hawthorne in the early 70s in the Englewood neighborhood on Chicago's south side. At an early age Blaq Ice developed a love for arts and entertainment, often times showing his dance skills at family gatherings. During his elementary school years, already a lover of the R & B groups of that time, he began entering talent shows, showcasing his entertainment skills. It was not until 1985 that he first fell in love with Hip Hop. After watching the movie Krush Groove and meeting local Rap group, the M.O.C. Rappers (Top Dog, Double C & Baby Fresh), Blaq Ice began to pursue a new passion, Hip Hop.

 

THE BIRTH OF ICE COLD

During his high school years, he began to establish his lyrical skills competing in historical lunchroom battles with members of C.O.D (Crew of Destruction). His skills became so undeniable that people who heard him began to say that he was ice cold, which he soon adopted as a stage name. He later joined C.O.D., which later changed their name to the Legion of Doom, which was their way of describing themselves as untouchable and that no other rap group stood a chance against them. The L.O.D. (Traxx, Pac Man, E.L. Radio, J.M.D. & Ice Cold) began to establish themselves as one of the best rap groups in Chicago. The group began to gain local fame with performances at Homecomings, Prep Rallies, Black History programs, park districts and political functions. Other opportunities began to pour in such as performances for the late Mayor Harold Washington's Inauguration. L.O.D. realized that they could use their gift to make a difference in their community and became the commercial act for BADD MIX or Body and Drugs Don't Mix and No Dope Express. L.O.D. made history by being the first rap group to appear on the all new cable T.V. station, CAN TV channel 19. Blaq Ice worked hard on his stage performance, being the youngest and knowing one day, the members of the group would graduate, being one year ahead of him, leaving him to pursue a solo career. In 1988, he changed his name to Ice Cold the Ultimate Warrior, adopting the name ultimate warrior from one of his favorite WWF wrestlers at that time.

 

THE FOUNDING OF P.O.E.T

Blaq Ice began his solo career and acquired Darrell Wilson ( Sax Preacher ), a world renown saxophonist, as a manager in 1989, acquired 2 dancers, Knowledge & Wisdom and his solo career began to sky rocket. He began a Chicago park district tour, a Chicago Summer-fest tour and had his own section in the Back to School and Bud Billiken Parades. In 1989 he began to be played regularly on Chicago radio stations WHPK 88.5FM and WKKC 89.3FM. One of the highlights of his Hip Hop career came in 1989 as one of the opening acts for Hip Hop Legend Ice-T and backstage encounters with Legends MC Light and Big Daddy Kane. In 1990 he won the Chicago High School City-Wide Jamboree, crowning him the best high school rap artist in the city. Blaq Ice continued his Hip Hop career throughout the 1990's as creator and founder of P.O.E.T ( People Of Extraordinary Talent ) established in 1990, touring schools in the Chicago-land area with edu-tainment programs.

 

FATHERHOOD & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

In 1993, Blaq Ice 1st child was born and he began to shift his focus to financial stability. He opened his 1st business, New Jack Jewelry, (jewelry store) in the Englewood Mall on 64th and Halsted in Chicago, in the same neighborhood in which he grew up in. The name New Jack Jewelry was inspired by the 1991 film, New Jack City, which inspired him to go into business. After the success of New Jack Jewelry, Blaq Ice began opening several other businesses such as record shops, beauty salons and clothing stores. His 2nd son was born in 1996 and he continued to thrive in business and tour schools with his P.O.E.T organization throughout the 90's.

 

POLITICAL CAREER

In 2000, Blaq Ice saw the need for change in his community and ran for political office in the 17th Ward in the city of Chicago. He was the 1st Hip Hop artist to run political office in Chicago. His campaign slogan read, " Tradition has gotten us where we are, change will carry us into the future". He gained city-wide notoriety as one of the youngest candidates to run for Alderman in the 17th ward or the city itself. After winning several debates, he came in 2nd, in what was a four person race to the incumbent Alderman. He would run again in the 2003 and 2007 Aldermanic elections and place 2nd in both. Although defeated, he understood that the real victory was getting involved, speaking out on the issues and being an example of an educated, loquacious young black man for the youth in his community to see.

 

THE INTRODUCTION OF BLAQ ICE

In November of 2000, inspired by a stage show he saw, produced by Strawberri Taylor (Queen of Erotic Poetry) earlier that year, he entered the spoken word poetry scene in Chicago. Not wanting to use his Hip Hop name he began to search for another stage name. A coworker, who knew of his Rap roots and who thought she was being condescending, one day called him black ass Ice. This sent off a light bulb in his head and Black Icebecame his new stage name. A couple of years later in 2002, Russell Simmon's Def Poetry Jam hit the airwaves and he discovered there was another poet using the same name so he changed the spelling of Black to Blaq and established Blaq Ice as his new stage name. In 2004 he was awarded the Spoken Word Award for Most Versatile Poet and from 2000-2008, Blaq Ice became one of the most successful open mic host, performer and promoter of Spoken Word in the Chicagoland area.

 

FROM TRAGEDY TO TRIUMPH

On September 3, 2008, Blaq Ice lost his eldest son to Osteosarcoma cancer at the age of 15, on his 2nd day of his Sophomore year at Urban Prep Academy in Chicago. This devastated him to the point where, he began to contemplated suicide. For years he would mourn the lost of his son, often shedding tears when performing on stage. Spoken word poetry and performing became his therapy and he recommitted himself to his activism work. In 2009, he established the Tyrone Hawthorne Cancer/Scholarship Foundation, a charity designed to reward graduating seniors at Urban Prep Academy, where his son attended, scholarships in the amount of $1000 to help with their expenses. The foundation has also helped families of slain teens with burial expenses and has granted wishes to children who are victims of violence and/or stricken with disease.

 

THE MAKINGS OF A KING

In 2009, a year after the loss of his son, Blaq Ice began to artistically create again. He created the Truth Hour Bible Radio Show co-hosted by Bro. Julius. Truth Hour is a show designed to educate listeners on the Bible. Their motto is, "If you can't read it, don't believe it". The show caught on like wildfire and gained listeners around the world. In2010, Blaq Ice created the Kings and Queens of Poetry brand, designed to honor his fellow poets on the poetry scene and began to hit the heights of his spoken word career. In the year 2010, over 2,000 people supported his shows, crowning him one of the Kings of Poetry. His notoriety led to several national and international tours with performances in Mexico, Aruba and Jamaica. In2011, Blaq Ice created P.O.E.T RADIO, one of the 1st internet radio station dedicated to open mic poetry. The station has grown since it's creation and has shows Sunday through Thursday and became so popular that it won the 2013 National Poetry Award for best station and or show for poetry in the United States.

 

LEGENDS OF CHICAGO HIP HOP

In September 2012, Blaq Ice had a vision to create a reunion for the Legends of Chicago Hip Hop, artist who made contributions to Hip Hop in Chicago from 1980 - 1990. Like most of his revelations, it didn't come to manifest until a year later. In May of 2013 Blaq Ice created the Legends of Chicago Hip Hop reunion and in June of 2013 he and J.M.D., his Hip Hop big brother, former L.O.D. member and Chicago Hip Hop Legend, established the Legends of Chicago Hip Hop organization.

 

Today, Blaq Ice is a father of his remaining son Denzel, an international award winning spoken word life artist, touring in and out of the country, entertaining and inspiring thousands of fans and supporters. He continues to teach and lecture in schools and colleges in the United States. The P.O.E.T. organization now has several chapters throughout the United States and over 100 membership in 3 countries. The Legends of Chicago Hip Hop gained national recognition in 2013, featuring in the Jet Magazine and several other media publications for their community work. 15 albums and several awards later, Blaq Ice has truly established his legacy in Chicago Hip Hop and American Spoken Word, establishing himself as one of the Kings of Poetry.

 

 

PROGRAMS BLAQ ICE HAS CREATED

 

P.O.E.T. ( People Of Extraordinary Talent )

Legends of Chicago Hip Hop

The P.O.E.T. Teen Idol

Acts of Random Kindness

A.C.T.I.O.N. ( Artist Coming Together In Outstanding Numbers )

 

RADIO STATION AND SHOWS BLAQ ICE HAS CREATED

 

P.O.E.T. RADIO Station

The Truth Hour Bible Radio Show

Inspirational Xpressions Radio Show

Voices Behind the Pens Radio Show

Talented Teen Tuesdays Radio Show

Work Of Art Radio Show

Verbal Stimulations Radio Show

Verbal Collision Radio Show

The Scribe Radio Show

Strictly 4 The Listeners

 

LECTURES AND CURRICULUM

 

The 5 M's of Artist Development

Full Court Press

Turning your Test into your Testimony

How Hip Hop Saved My Life

Tradition has gotten us where we are, Change will carry us into the future

 

PUBLISHED BOOKS

 

A.C.T.I.O.N. Speaks Louder Than Words 2013

Closed Mics Don't Get Fed 2012

 

ALBUMS AND CD RELEASES

 

2002 Blaq Ice ( Self Titled )

2003 Intimate Conversations

2004 Third Trimester 817

2005 Strictly 4 The Listeners

2007 And The Word Was Made Flesh ( Spiritual CD )

2009 Check Up From The Neck Up ( Conscious CD )

2009 Verbal Stimulation ( Erotic CD )

2010 The Kings Of Poetry

2010 The Queens Of Poetry

2011 Blaq In The Day

2012 Blaq In The Day II

2013 Blaq In The Day III ( Introducing Tony Swaaga )

2013 The Best Of Blaq Ice

2013 Summer Madness ( Steppers CD)

2014 Blaq In The Day IV ( Date With Destiny)

2014 Verbal Collision ( Night Of Duets )

2014 Blaq Ice Live

 

STAGE SHOWS AND CONCERTS BLAQ ICE HAS CREATED

 

Breaking The Ice

Intimate Conversations

Kings Of Poetry

Queens Of Poetry

Blaq In The Day

One Mic Stand

Beauty and The Lyrical Beast

Summer Madness

Stand Up

Verbal Stimulation

Heirs 2 The Throne

Verbal Collision

 

ARTIST AND ALBUMS BLAQ ICE HAS PRODUCED

 

GPA - The GPA Experience

Lyrical Paradigm - The LP

Lovely Lyricist - Restored

Good N Plenty - Giving Up The Goods

 

MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS BLAQ ICE HAS FEATURED IN

 

Jet Magazine 2013

Milwaukee Community Journal 2013

Final Call Newspaper August 2013

Spoken Vizions 2012

Pen Strokes 2012

Bean Soup Times 2012

The INDIEgator 2012

Inner Child Press 2012

Benton Harbor MI Spirit 2012

Gapers Block 2011

Southtown Newspaper 2011

Examiner.com 2010

Chicago Tribune 2007

Chicago Tribune 2007

Chicago Defender 2007

Chicago Defender 2001

Chicago Defender 1990

 

HOTELS RESORTS BANQUETS AND CASINOS

 

Divi Village Resorts & Golf Course ( ARUBA)

Iberostar Rose Hall Beach ( Montego Bay Jamaica )

Holiday Inn Sunspree ( Montego Bay Jamaica )

Playa Del Carmen (Mexico )

Palms Hotel Casino ( Las Vegas )

Horseshoe Casino ( Hammond IN )

Double Tree Hotel ( Alsip IL )

Condessa Del Mar ( Alsip IL )

Condessa Del Mar Golf Resort ( Hickory Hills IL )

Chateau Bu-Sche ( Alsip IL )

Chateau Del Mar ( Hickory Hills IL )

Fountain Hills Golf Course ( Alsip IL )

Martinique Banquets ( Burbank IL )

Beverly Woods Banquets ( Chicago IL )

 

AWARDS BLAQ ICE HAS RECEIVED

 

Chicago Music Award 2013

National Poetry Award 2013

Spoken Word Magazine Award 2013

National Poetry Award 2012

Emerging Star Award 2011

Vanguard Award 2011

King Of Poetry Award 2010

Most Versatile Poet Award 2004

Community Service Award 2001

C.A.P.S. Business Award 1995

 

MOVIES BLAQ ICE POETRY HAS FEATURED IN

 

Welcome To The Southside 2007