Today, we’d like to introduce you to LaVonne Powell.
Hi LaVonne, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
As a poetry enthusiast and hip-hop addict, music has been my way with words since I was young. I was encouraged to do my best in school from the beginning. Math was not my strongest subject; science was a surprise, but literature/language arts kept me on my toes.
Reading, comprehending, and even keeping a rhythm are not everyone’s interests. I saw my brother rapping with his group of friends as if he were his young sister in kindergarten. Everyone had their way with some sort of musical talent in my family tree. Talent oozed through the family and became a major piece of who I am. When I began writing work of my own, no one was around to shape my style. With all my siblings gone, I was able to find my own voice. I wrote personal/emotive poems during my adolescent years of middle school. Then I shifted topics due to maturity, I started writing progressive black poetry by the age of 13.
During the patterns of racism and police brutality, many peers like myself saw a way of striking our politicians and community leaders through our passion for words. When I had my first publishing of poems in 2020, “Poems of Transformation,” it changed how my community saw me. My publishing house knew the book was everything I wanted it to be. I hand-painted the cover art, and the theme was autobiographic, but the poems were concise.
Music, on the other hand, is a creative relief that comes out like an explosion. When I came to terms with making my own music and collaborating with other masterminds, I was about 19 years old. I was too ‘business-like’ at a young age, asking others if they were serious about producing beats because I was willing to pay them and so on. Everyone knew I loved making a difference, but they also thought my music taste was interesting. I also participated in what is known as “Stan culture” these days on social media. My favorites were Nicki Minaj, Travis Scott, The Weeknd, Lana Del Rey, and many more.
I am now 56 songs into my catalog and watching numbers slowly rise. I go out sometimes there are people who recognize me, and some people who don’t. The beauty of building your own platform comes with a little mystery and hard work.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I maintain an average of 1,000 followers on Twitter alone. My Instagram got hacked in 2021, and I started from scratch once again. Once I learned about the meaning behind being “canceled” and “shadow-banned,” everything made sense. I have a presence on the internet I cannot monetize properly because I upset a specific community.
As a person who knows what it’s like to be banned in reality, I don’t let the algorithm get to me. I am reaching the audience I can interact with for a reason. I had attempted to release another book, but laws have changed, and our books can be banned in America. Everything is selective for specific audiences and groups, as it should be. I can’t be angry when I have people who enjoy what I do already.
Thanks. What else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’ve found myself on an occupational journey through entertainment and hospitality. My main talents and skills include public speaking, financial calculations/literacy, psychology, and arts. I see myself growing financially successful in the next 5 to 10 years. I invest in the arts to accompany the changes in self-expression. I own my copyright/LLC in partnership with Distrokid & the ASCAP performing organization.
Distrokid is a digital music distributor that monetizes each stream, playlist, and placement for artists like myself. ASCAP is an acronym that stands for the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. The society assists in the legitimacy of every writing made by songwriters, authors, and poets who are published. With my copyrighted entity, “HONEYXBUN,” I have made artistic writings musically, oratorically, and poetically.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Do your research on who you think can guide you to the next level. The person you see as a mentor may have the skills you want but not the compassion or patience you need.
As a mentee who has become a mentor, you need a real connection in networking. The connection could be based on life-events and obstacles because you two will need full comprehension of the difference in society from then and now.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/honeyxbun
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artofhoneyxbun/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheArtOfHoneyxBun/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArtofHoneyxbun
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArtofHoneyxbun
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/honeyxbun
Image Credits
@ImagesByWill
