Today we’d like to introduce you to Emile Ovasi and Lisa Michelle Garrett.
Emile and Lisa Michelle, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
It started in 1978 at Compton High School. I took a course in TvProduction and radio broadcasting and that’s when the first seed was planted. I became a spoken word artist in 2004, then in 2005, I began an open mic called, “Relax It’s Just Poetry” with a group of poets called, ‘The Hotwordz Crewsaderz’. In 2008, Lisa Michelle Garrett and I started Hotwordz Lyrical Theatre on Collabo Radio in Stone Mountain, GA. After one month, the station relocated further away and HLT ending up on BlogTalkRadio in November of 2008. I combined my love for radio broadcasting and spoken word poetry and created the biggest open mic online. In Atlanta, The Hotwordz Crewsaderz became a group of creative artists who interned to learn radio broadcasting. We broadcasted for years featuring other poets and independent unsigned artists. Our motto is “Keep It Clean On The Hotwordz Scene”. We wanted to provide quality entertainment for our listeners giving them a show with great content.
I placed Hotwordz Lyrical Theatre on a pause in 2016 to produce my spoken word CD, ‘#IAMNOTACOLOUR. In 2018, Lisa Michelle and I jump-started HLT back on BTR for two months before joining The Hub Radio Network. We remained there for several months and by the summer, we were out broadcasting in the community. We like to have face to face contact with our local listeners. We were broadcasting at Patria’s Coffee in Compton and there was a book signing going on at the same time. KJLH street team was there and I was told about Kevin Nash and Accelerated Radio and he was looking for shows for his network. Lisa Michelle and I spent almost two years looking for the new Crew for Accelerated Radio’s platform. So here we are every Saturday from 2-3pm. PST with hosts Monika J, Usolosopher, Mei Meii, The Tattooist Artist, Teddy Martin and Bohannon.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Nothing worthwhile will be easy, so yes, it has been a long ruff road. You have people with good intentions working closely with you that jump the gun In promoting and marketing. I had to deal with guys not wanting to take instructions from a woman. I’m working hard bringing my vision of Hotwordz Lyrical Theatre together to include creative artists and with that, you deal with egos. Some of the artists are humbled to be on the show and some artists are indifferent. I continue to produce shows that are entertaining and work with artists who are creative, talented and have beautiful souls. The last of it was finding a radio network suited for my vision of HLT.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Hotwordz Lyrical Theatre story. Tell us more about the business.
My company name is Hotwordz, we specialize in marketing for small business owners and entrepreneurs under Hotwordz Indie Marketing. We promote their businesses and provide council and give tips for marketing their businesses. When we added Hotwordz Lyrical Theatre under the umbrella, we are known for putting on shows and events. Lisa Michelle Garrett aka. Artistic Diva 722 is also under the Hotwordz umbrella and she’s known for her artwork as a graphic designer. Also under Hotwordz is Veganish Eatz where Lisa Michelle and I cook and do meal prep for Seniors and also under Hotwordz is Veganish Soaps. I’m proud to have no limitations creatively or in business.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Intuition plays a great part, when we listen and go where we need to go, we always make a great contact. When not listening to your first mind, now, that will be the bad luck.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.acceleratedradio.net
- Phone: 562-888-1722
- Email: indie.marketing722@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/hotwordzlyricaltheatre
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/hotwordzonthemic
- Other: www.youtube.com/hotwordzlyricaltheatre
Image Credit:
Thee Queen’s Photography; Lisa Michelle Garrett
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