Meet icon303 | Poet & Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with icon303 and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi icon303, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Hello, I am icon303 (spelled just like that; one word, all lowercase) and am a poet and artist.

As I’ve grown and matured as a person, I’ve realized its simply irresponsible to work for anyone else. Sitting at a computer screen, mixing a gimlet in a shaker tin, or stepping on nails pulled from a roof are square pegs to my heart shaped spaces. While writing an obituary, I was stealing company paper to print out my first manuscript. While bartending, I was losing the pour-count in an aviation cocktail from moving stanzas around in freshly written daydream poems. I wasn’t ever meant to. I am too submissive and impulsive with my creative urges and will jump the instant my brain says MAKE.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I think John Lennon’s quote about artistry plays best here. In high school, I made music. I would lock myself in my room and draw and make songs and compose beats and write poetry, occasionally I would sneak out to do graffiti. As I’ve gotten older, I still have a childhood love for graffiti. Thats the short story on the name “icon303.”

I put out my first book 4 years ago, titled Two Years and since then have followed that with 9 others. Some of these are frivolous, some of them serious. My book(s), Oracle of Radical Truths part 1 & 2 is about the continued problem with police brutality, racism, authoritarianism, with a list of every single person killed by the police from 2009-2020.

In the last few years, I finally discovered epoxy and am in love. Right now I am working on a massive project that will be released soon through my website, icon303.com. I can’t say what it is because I am the only person I know of in the world doing this, but I can say that when I release it, it will be the a proud moment for me.

Other than those and a few other smaller projects, I think the biggest and most proud adventures in art will be bringing a son into this world to join my daughter, Sydney. Baby Louie will be here soon and I hope to be as successful as a father to him as I am as a poet and artist.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We would spend two days in Wynwood Walls alone, for sure. Then to Vista Restaurant for the astounding atmosphere they have created. We would tour the beaches and Hialeah for Cuban coffee. We would eat Jerk food and go to the Zoo. There’s too much to do to even list!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There is a litany of people to thank. I’ll keep it as short as possible.

Coyote Blood Press/Ryan Buynak-
Without that fateful night in a shitty dive bar, my life would’ve taken a drastically different turn. You gave me a direction, a purpose, and a confidence in my voice that can’t ever be replicated. Thank you.

Jennah Leach-
You are an amazing human being and fill my life with light and love. You have given me the life I never imagined having. Thank you.

Matthew Rhoda from America’s Blasting and Coatings-
Where Ryan gave me a direction and purpose, you gave me location and continued support. I appreciate everything you do.

The Beast-
There’s nothing in this world that you would let me go through alone and I wouldn’t still be here without you.

And the entire ensemble of misfits, crooks, miscreants, oddballs, and outcasts who have supported me.

Website: www.icon303.com

Instagram: @icon303

Twitter: @yugo_icon303

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfYQSbiejdtVCs0mVeEynjQ