Writers Lounge

"Tumisang Ivan Leso is an upcoming artist who was born in Gauteng, Pretoria and raised in Zebediela, Makushwaneng. He started his Preschool at Tau Tlou crèche, where he completed in 2000. He then started his primary education in 2001 at Madika Primary school, but as time went by he changed to another location to further his primary studies. He went to Dr Dixion Primary school in Lebowakgomo. At that time, he was just listening to other people’s work, reading other people’s crafts and learning some of the things from those people. He met a fellow spoken word artist, though they were young by then. It was 2005 when he met Dimakatso Chauke who is well known by the stage name Chronic. She is a very talented young lady who is doing wonders when she is on stage. Chronic and Tumi were not really friends but they got along in some ways. Though Tumi was not pushing his craft by then, he still acknowledged other people’s work and learnt more from it. There were also other artists like the well-known hip hop star Maxwell Spyk and Masta Flow who were also influential though they were only pushing the hip hop movement. Tumi moved to Mathibela, which is also in Zebediela, where he was staying while pushing his last years of primary school. The primary school days ended in 2007 when Tumisang completed his grade 7.

In 2008, Tumi went to SJ Van Der Merwe to push his high school education. He met with many other new friends, some were also artists, the likes of Chronic Ntwampe and a close brother man Teddy Katlego Moshwana who is known as Mosh-Ted. Tumi started to write his own work in 2009, but he was an introvert by then so he never shared any of it. He was more of a quite person artistically. Before the assembly, there would be a cypher at school but he shared only once or twice. He just liked to listen and get entertained by other upcoming artists. It was 2010 when he started reciting to his friends and family, but he was still not going out wild. In 2011 he met with a crew called Rap Triggers, were he came across rappers like Taqric mass, Multy Gee, Paid, and the Young Spitters who were also part of the Rap Triggers. That is when he got exposed to the whole thing of sharing with the public, so in 2012 he hanged out with Mo’ghatti and Lyrical Spitter who were running a crew known as FaoRap. He recorded with them on a sick crazy mix tape called “To the top Remix” which they then performed at a chilling place around Zebediela called Pholas. It was more of hip hop than poetry by that time, but the heART was longing for a poetry session. Tumi then completed his high school in 2012.

In 2013 he went to Pretoria, so here is where everything got spiced up. He is currently at TUT and pushing his varsity studies. At the beginning of the year, he met with poetry lovers around Central and Arcadia and they shared some words instantly. Life got very fast from the artistic side. He got a platform within the two weeks of meeting with the poets. He was introduced to a poetry picnic which is currently running and is hosted at the Union Buildings every second Sunday of every month. He was introduced to this movement by a fellow poetess, Yamkela Sigwili , who is also on point with her art. By that time Tumi was going by the stage name Tumi Da Poet and he shared his work with fellow poets at the movement. He shared some moments at this picnics with artists like Vangi Gantsho, Afurakan, Mpho Khosi, Kgahlishang, Kgakantsho, Lentswe, Secret Agent Mutant, and a lot more that I didn’t mention. This entire people had an influence to his art and he always relate to their stories when he craft. Tumi Da Poet was also introduced to the Flame Grilled Poetry sessions and the sessions at Sunnyside, at U-the Space.

When he went back home for holidays, he was well connected and enlightened, he started to have more poetic friends on social networks. People like Fasaha Mshairi known as Hazel, Mashlene Trupoet, Streetpoet, and PoeticLion. He was then exposed to all lot of Limpopo movements and organization like Zebediela Gae Ga Mahlako, which he knew a long time ago but was never part of it. He also got to know Rhythm N Poetry from Polokwane, Artistic youth Expressions from Mokopane and Self Marketing Schemes which is also from Polokwane. He became a regular poet at Gae Ga Mahlako where he met with Julo M Poet, Nthabiseng, Desmond, Tshego, Dudu, Donna and other well-known poets from the organization. He started submitting his poems to the group weekly and they were shared with the public via Facebook and a website. Later that year, a fellow poet known as Mallo from Huma holdings hosted an event for Nelson Mandela called “Tribute to Dela”, Tumi Da Poet performed there alongside in a collaboration with Brizz Sethusa. It was time that he went out of his urban village; he then connected with Artistic Youth Expressions. In 2013 he went to their session where he performed his well-known piece “A poem for Thadenka” for the first time. He was with the likes of Cyblcastic, RyvalOqualty, Ravenous, MaQrius Obztakol, Puleng, Fetefidelitee, Exterminate, Lyrical Surgeon and other rap stars like Q-riosity, Psychotic, Venom, and more talented souls.

His work is mostly inspired by the complex brother man MaQrius Obztakol. His work is awesome and deep to the ground. The other inspiration comes from Cyblcastic, a brother from the same hood. He is very encouraging when it comes to art and life as a whole. Not forgetting the lovely cousin Mokete Adore Ledwaba, a talented sister with good crafts, and that art driven mentality that keeps the brother going. Tumi Da Poet changed his stage name to Poetic2mi, the courtesy of Eugene Lebese Lehlogonolo. He also worked with Deejay Ma-o in the production field, who was producing the piece for Thandeka. It came out nice and people loved it, thus it got 1000 downloads in 5 days. His inspiring artists are Saul Williams, Illogic, Janette..ikz, Mutle Mothibe, Kagiso Tshepe, Masai Dabula, Mpho Khosi, Mandi Poefficient Vundla, Conelius Jones, Hlox Da Rebel, Talk-Sick, NoLife and some which are not mentioned.

Poetic2mi is currently writing without performing much, he is to drop new records during December 2014, both at the events and on tape. Poetic2mi and Juries Julo M Poet are currently organsing the first annual Poetry Meets Jazz event which will be hosted at Moletlane PUB on the 13th December 2014 at 13H00. He is known for his motto that goes by “the ART near my heART”

For Bookings:
Facebook: Tumi Ivan Chinawa Leso
Phone 079166494 or 0714515437
Email Http://www.tumi.ivan12@gmail.com
Website Http://www.brainchild12.blogspot.com
FB Page: Tumi Da Poet

Link:
Http://www.datafilehost.com/d/566874e9"