Tef Poe
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Tef Poe

St. Louis, Missouri, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2014 | INDIE

St. Louis, Missouri, United States | INDIE
Established on Jan, 2014
Solo Hip Hop R&B

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"Unsigned Hype: Tef Poe"

Smack dab in the center of America is a young MC ready to broadcast his own news from a fresh new perspective. St. Louis up-and-comer Tef
Poe draws music inspiration from the warzone of his city's streets, surrounding regions, and, believe it or not, CNN. "I'm the kid on the porch in the midst of the madness that saw it all happen. I'm a camera in the ghetto," he says.The best example of his point of view comes in the form of "Psycho Analysis," as Tef raps, "Welcome to the inner conscience of a Black male, Reaganomics, genocide, crack sales." His impressive June release, War Machine 2, which features Royce Oa 5'9"
and Killer Mike, is only a precursor of what's to come with a LP produced by Burn-One set for 2012's fourth quarter. Educating the community is just as important as the music to Tef Poe. He works closely with Amnesty International to draw attention to issues such as
the death penalty, in conjunction with his workshops which help his community understand rights and privileges under the law. Who said the Midwest gone ratchet? -Sean LytIeh - The Source


"Mixtape: Tef Poe - War Machine 2"

STL rap without any credit cards running down the crack of a fat lady's ass - but don't hold that against Tef Poe.

Recommended for fans of the new Killer Mike, who's featured here.

Click through for tracklisting and link to DL. - Byron Crawford


"The Break Presents: Tef Poe"

Coming out of Missouri, Tef Poe hopes to one day be mentioned in the same breath as hip-hop’s greatest lyricists…
Name: Tef Poe

Age: 24

Reppin’: Footklan, Bullet Train Army, Overdose Ent., St. Louis, MO

My style and/or skills have been compared to: A Midwestern Nas with a pinch of Kanye, Eminem, 2pac, and Ice Cube.

My standout records and/or moments have been: Opening for Lupe Fiasco in front of a crowd of over 25,000 fans. I’ve collaborated with GLC, Killer Mike, and Royce da 5’9?’s brother Kid Vishis. I am currently working on an LP entirely produced by DJ Burn One. Most artists pay to play but off the strength of talent and work ethic I’ve opened for Big K.R.I.T. ,Yelawolf, and Big Boi from OutKast in front of capacity crowds. I’ve rocked the same stage as Common in front of 15,000 people. I am completely independent and moving my own product.

I’m gonna change the game by: Being honest with myself and the audience.I want to showcase my creativity and have fun doing it. I love all forms of hip-hop music and I want to experiment with them all. I want to be political yet relevant to the easy listener that may not desire to hear a bunch of preaching. I want to create records that influence people to think differently yet have fun. The best MCs could do anything. I want to be the in same lane as Big Pun, Scarface, Biggie, Redman ect. All of these gentlemen will be respected forever.

I’d Like to Work With: One day if I’m fortunate I’d like to work with the likes of Timberland and Dr.Dre these guy’s are pure genius and have created rap legends.I desire to do more work with Rockwell Knuckles, Trifectka and Tech Supreme. I’m currently working on securing a feature from Stic.Man of Dead Prez. My dream record would feature Eminem, Nas, Rockwell Knuckles, and Lil Wayne. I would love to be able to jump in the water with the best lyricists alive and see if my talent can uphold itself.

My goal in hip-hop is: I am praying that when it’s all said and done I look up one day and find myself on some type of Top 5 Dead or Alive list. This is a day to day process but my goal is to introduce myself to the world and speak for the impoverished people of my community.My goal is to tell the truth while being creative and influential. I hope I eventually leave the underground and sale more records than Creed [laughs]. Right now my focus is gaining one fan a day.

I’m gonna be the next: I am going to be the next Tef Poe. I’m going to evolve into whatever the universe has planned for me.

To check out more of my music go to: @TefPoe or http://tefpoemusic.bandcamp.com/ - XXL


"The Turn Up - War Machine 2 Release party recap"

If you missed this event, aptly named 'The Turn Up', hosted by Tef Poe and The Force at The Gramophone, you truly missed it!

Tef Poe is one of the most prolific rappers to come out of Saint Louis in recent years. He teamed up with a cast of characters to produce and complete his latest project, War Machine 2. There was a listening party, also held at the Gramophone in June - to introduce the album to the knowledgeable public. That event was great, but had no where near the level of impact that the release party did and I'll tell you why: The release party was jam packed with performances by Force members like Corey Black, who blessed with some of his spoken word skills before rocking the stage hip hop style, Indiana Rome, Legend Camp, Family Affair, Chalk Boyz, and Doorway (L-Gifted, RT-FAQ and Whiteout). Tef even gave high billing to his partner in crime, Rockwell Knuckles, as Rocky was dropping Take Me To Your Leader on the same day.
© 2012 NAVTEQ© 2012 Microsoft Corporation
Location: Gramophone
38.62715 ; -90.255695

Not only did The Force show out, Tef brought in some new faces to the Saint Louis hip hop scene, such as Snipes (from Memphis, TN) - who, after hearing a track on WM2 contained a 3-6 Mafia sample that he was quite familiar with, noted that he was sold ever since. Tef also introduced us to Rob Gallette (my apologies if that is misspelled) from Houston, who provided` a dose of that Trill Hip Hop they love so much down South - even removing his initial outfit and donning a fluffy white robe, mid-song. Now that's swagger if I ever saw it. The other notable acts were Jonezy, Iceman, Gangsta Gritz, Odd Blazin (Tef's 17-year old cousin), who had a great freestyle to end his set with the Loud Pack Nation. The energy was low at first, which is typical since not many people are in the venue yet. However, about midway through the night, somewhere between Tech Supreme's DJ intermission and Jonezy performing, something happened. The Turn Up... Turned UP! All the way up! And there was no going back. The whole crowd was in, for the rest of the night... Heads noddin', hands waving up and down, jumping around like mad men (and women) and even forming Hip Hop's version of a mosh pit at a few points. The show wouldn't have been complete without a stage dive from Tef, in true Tef Poe fashion.

The listening party did a few of these things, but at the release party, they were all done - and with flawless execution. Congratulations Tef! You have raised the bar for any local rapper that wants to be a "star". They better make sure they have their interactive game up, providing the crowd incentive to check in and Tweet to their friends about the show and they also better have their show down well enough to catch fire, thus igniting the crowd.

Oh! One of the most significant parts about the show was that that Tef also enlisted a representative from XXL magazine to come and witness the marvel! It's fairly certain that she got what she came for. Thanks to all who performed, coordinated and came for a great show! The only thing that could possibly meet this new standard is the release for Rockwell Knuckles' latest project 'Take Me To Your Leader', which will be reviewed here very soon. Here's to continued success for the St. Louis hip hop scene! Stay thirsty, my friends. - The Examiner


"Tef Poe – War Machine 2 (Hosted By DJ Smallz & DJ Shure Fire)"

“I’m not saying I’m gonna rule the world or I’m gonna change the world, but I guarantee you that I will spark the brain that will change the world.”

One of the many memorable quotables 2pac provided over the years is appropriately sampled on Tef Poe’s new album War Machine 2. Poe is a proud disciple of Pac and, if he himself doesn’t possess the world-changing brain of which Shakur spoke, he is doing the best he can to provide that spark for another. He sprinkles consciousness into his street anthems and aggression into his political tracks, creating a project full of both knowledge and humanity, similar to the M.O. of the aforementioned West Coast legend.

Royce da 5’9, Killer Mike, I-20 and Rockwell Knuckles, among others, appear alongside Tef to add extra explosiveness to the proceedings, and the musical backdrop is an ensemble affair with a host of St Louis producers on the boards including Trifeckta, Basement Beats and Tech Supreme providing range and energy to give plenty of space for Tef to edutain as DJ Smallz and DJ Shure Fire handle the hosting. Balanced content, evolved lyrics and flows and dope beats collide throughout War Machine 2, and the second verse of “Psychoanalysis” opens with bars that pretty well give an overview of the entire mixtape, spitting “Welcome to the inner conscious of a Black male–Reaganomics, genocide, crack sales.” Sample the goods by viewing the video for the single “Work” and then check out the whole tape. - The Smoking Section


"Charles Warren Center of Studies for American History"

Kareem Jackson, better known by his stage name Tef Poe (short for Teflon Poetix), is an American rapper, musician, and activist from St. Louis, Missouri.

Through his uncompromising poetic rhymes and lyrical delivery, emcee Tef Poe, is proving to the music industry that he is heir to the throne.

Tef harbors the quintessence of a natural artist and entertainer. He proposed his growth garnering a reputation for being one of St. Louis’ elite battle rappers affording him numerous hip hop awards such as Lyricist of the Year from the Evening Whirl.

Tef is one of the co-founders of the Hands Up United movement.

Tef has consistently advocated grass-roots involvement in improving the lives of African Americans and in racial justice within and outside the United States. In his art and activism, he insists on the value of local people taking charge of conversations about their own communities rather than relying on national organizations. - Harvard University


"Tef Poe takes his hip-hop to Asia as a U.S. cultural ambassador"

Tef Poe has a history of spreading his talents and influence far beyond St. Louis — from a visit to the White House to a fellowship at Harvard. Now, the rapper and activist can add U.S. cultural ambassador to his resume.

Tef Poe (born Kareem Jackson) is on a three-week trip to Jordan, where he’s performing and helping to further hip-hop in the Middle East.

He was selected to participate in the Next Level exchange program, an initiative of the U.S. Department of State in partnership with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Meridian International Center.


The program uses artistic collaboration and social engagement to enhance diplomacy in underserved communities around the world, the State Department says.

Tef Poe will spend time in Amman (Jordan’s capital) and Petra.

“I don’t even have the words to describe it,” he says. “Sometimes I move so fast I don’t even take the time to slow down and understand the different stuff I’m doing.”

“I feel really blessed. When I started rapping, I never imagined this could be my trajectory.”

His hip-hop beginnings mostly included being a background member of Soul Tyde, a music collective in the late 1990s and early 2000s that also included his older brother Blvck Spvde.

Tef Poe now is a part of the legendary Tommy Boy Records roster. He has battle rapped on BET, and his albums include “Black Julian” (2017), “Black Julian 2: Never Satisfied” (2017), “Cheer For the Villain” (2014) and “War Machine” (2010).



In 2014, Tef Poe became known as one of the main figures protesting the shooting death of Ferguson teenager Michael Brown by a police officer.

“I always knew what I was capable of, what was different about me, what makes me different from most artists on the scene,” he says.

While serving as a cultural ambassador, he’ll do his part to help build a hip-hop scene, create economy in that genre, and deliver tools to help it flourish. He says he’ll help build a hip-hop studio there.

He’ll teach rap, work with artists new and established, and show artists how to create opportunities for themselves and book their own shows.


“Coming from St. Louis, I got really good at that,” he says. “There was nowhere for us to perform, so I had to materialize venues out of nowhere. I’m excited about spreading that gift. And there’s other things that are taken for granted, like how to make a flyer.”

Tef Poe is also working on a new album, “Black Julian 3,” his first for Tommy Boy Records.

He admits that, after signing to the label, he’d lost his way a bit musically. He was getting mixed signals about what his music should be — “people telling (me) what (I) should sound like, what type of record I should be making.”

Ultimately, he says, he decided to go back to basics. “I mean, it works. I know how to pivot back to what I’ve been doing, how to modify it and make it better.”

Tef Poe
Tef Poe

Courtesy of Mophead Photography

He figures “Black Julian 3” will be on the streets by the end of the year, with the first visuals from the project to be released as early as August. “I want to drop it while I’m in Jordan,” he says.

A tour is also in the works, with dates piling up after he returns from Jordan, including shows at the University of Cambridge and Georgetown University, as well as in Los Angeles and Ghana.

And then there’s this: Tef Poe is writing his first book, “A Rebel to America.”

“People always suggested I write a book,” he says. “I didn’t realize it was easier said than done.”

He’s co-writing the book with Mordacai Lyon. New York City-based W.W. Norton & Co. is the publisher.

“Writing a book is different than just stating your opinion on things. There’s certain things the company wants, a certain energy, a certain tone. It’s going to be different from what people are expecting from me. People are expecting a Ferguson memoir.”

He knows he can’t write a book without Ferguson; it will be a part of his narrative as he tries to write in a way that does Ferguson “historical justice.”

But more than anything, the book will be his coming-of-age story — his journey from waiting for the train at the Wellston MetroLink station to the White House and beyond.

“This is me planting myself in the universe of St. Louis, explaining to people how I came to be myself,” he says.



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Tef Poe
Tef Poe outside the capitol building in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Courtesy of Mordecai Lyon
Tef Poe signs with Tommy Boy Records, proving his music is 'hitting the right ears'
Tef Poe signs with Tommy Boy Records, proving his music is 'hitting the right ears'
“I don't even have the words to describe it. ... I feel really blessed. When I started rapping, I never imagined this could be my trajectory."

Tef Poe - St Louis Post Dispatch


"Hip-Hop Artist Tef Poe Heads To Jordan In Efforts To Foster Diplomacy Through Music"

St. Louis-based hip-hop artist Kareem Jackson, who goes by the stage name Tef Poe, has often traveled across the world to share his musical craft and to also raise awareness about how social justice issues often intertwine across borders.

His travels will continue next week to the Middle-Eastern country of Jordan as part of Next Level, a cultural exchange program the U.S. State Department is heading alongside the Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

The project seeks to use artistic collaboration and social engagement to enhance people-to-people diplomacy, especially among young audiences.

Jackson was named one of the U.S. cultural ambassadors, and his group will focus on teaching the components of hip-hop — rapping, DJing, beat making, break dancing, graffiti, beat box, vocal percussion — to help aspiring hip-hop artists in Jordan.

On Friday’s St. Louis on the Air, St. Louis Public Radio's Jason Rosenbaum talked with Jackson about what all the trip will entail and how activism has played a role in his hop-hop. - Public Radio


"Tef Poe signs with Tommy Boy Records, proving his music is 'hitting the right ears'"

Legendary urban label Tommy Boy Records has added St. Louis rapper Tef Poe to its ranks.

Tef Poe made the announcement recently at his video release concert for “Thank God for Nas” at the Bootleg.

“A lot of good music came out of that label, especially on the hip-hop tip, and this feels like an opportunity to contribute to that,” he says. The label has put artists such as Queen Latifah, Naughty By Nature, De La Soul, Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Coolio, House of Pain and Digital Underground on the map.


“I feel like it’s just more affirmation of what we’ve been doing, positive affirmation that the music I’m making is hitting the right ears,” he says.

When Tef Poe (Kareem Jackson) was younger and figuring out his hip-hop influences, he admired Tommy Boy, which also had Biz Markie, Brand Nubian, Prince Paul, TKA, Kristine W, Planet Patrol, Everlast, Force MDs, Grand Puba and Above the Law, LFO and Junior Vasquez on its roster.

“A lot of their legacy acts still have careers today,” he says. “It goes to show Tommy Boy’s foundation was solid. They still have fans intrigued. I wanna be as big a legacy act.

“When I was younger, I wanted to be signed to Flavor Unit,” he says, referring to the rapper/DJ collective once fronted by Queen Latifah. “A lot of people discount her because she’s a woman, but she’s still a mogul.”

Tef Poe credits Tommy Boy president Rosie Lopez with taking a chance “on a different kind of gamble in the industry, not just talking to the cookie-cutter, safe acts.”

Tef Poe’s fans know he’s anything but safe: He’s one of the top artists on St. Louis’ underground hip-hop scene — and one of the most controversial. He took on a lead activist role during unrest in Ferguson after the 2014 shooting death of Michael Brown.

Tef Poe says label interest in him was sparked by “Black Julian 2” (2017), possibly his best and most accessible album. After that, he was in talks with a few labels, including Tommy Boy.

“I really started looking into the different situations, the things coming down the pipeline that looked promising,” he says. “I wasn’t sure how everything was going to play out. Tommy Boy was the most responsive.”

At SXSW in Austin, Texas, in March, he met with Lopez and performed at the Tommy Boy showcase “Heat Beneath the Street.”

A management company Tef Poe was a part of was signed to Bungalo/Universal in 2013. He says that was a rough period.

“There were unreal expectations put on the table, and I had to navigate all of that and make the best music I could make at the time,” says Tef Poe, who didn’t release any music under that deal. “There was a lot going on, and it was a pretty crazy situation.


“And after signing, Ferguson happened, and I was in the streets all the time. By then, the situation had already gone sour.”

With Tommy Boy, Tef Poe is directly signed to the label. And he has more experience in the music business.

“I went into the previous situation very naive about business,” he says. “I didn’t know about marketing, promotion or what the role of a publicist was, and I overstepped my boundaries.

“I think this situation is different. I’ve morphed into a pretty crafty businessman coming from the underground scene, and I made a career out of next to nothing coming from St. Louis.”

His debut for the label will be either “Black Julian 3,” already recorded, or a new project with fresh energy. He thinks his fans would be more excited about a new “Black Julian” project.

It’ll feature a track with Gangsta Boo produced by Duke Rellington and a track with a new LA producer, By Any Beats Necessary. St. Louis act the Knuckles will be “all over the EP. They’re the only features I got so far. I’m waiting on verses from others.”

The first single could be “Used to Be,” produced by Jackpot Hitz of St. Louis. He’s using most of the producers he used on “Black Julian 2.” “I wanted to use St. Louis producers, keep the production team the same one I had going into the situation. I didn’t want multimillion-dollar producers who would eat up the budget.”

He’d like to see the project out by summer. “I’m just waiting for the label to set up the game plan. I’m ready to roll.” - St Louis Post Dispatch


Discography

Glory To God (2008)
The Redeemer (2009)
Money Never Sleeps (2010)
War Machine (2010)
Power Over Everything (2011)
War Machine 2 (2012)
Cheer For The Villain (Coming Fall/Winter 2012)

Photos

Bio

Born and raised in the Pine Lawn neighborhood of Saint Louis, Missouri, Tef Poe has been honing his weaponry in the war for music supremacy. Through his unwavering integrity, genuine rhymes and expansive delivery, Tef has proven he is a staple in the culture 

Tef Poe encompasses and continues to perfect the skills necessary to go the distance. Along his journey, Tef has been featured in XXL, The Source's Unsigned Hype, and retired as champion from BET'S 106th & Park Freestyle Friday. Worked at Harvard University through Nasir’s Hiphop  Fellowship. 

He is one of the co-founders of the Hands Up United movement.

Tef Poe has advocated for grass-roots involvement in improving the lives of African Americans and in racial justice within and outside the United States. In his art and activism, he emphasizes local people taking charge of conversations about their own communities rather than relying on national organizations. In an interview, he said: "And all too often, these conversations are intellectualized and moved completely away from the people who aren't allowed to come into the rooms and intellectualize the different theories surrounding racism. But they did show up in the middle of the street on West Florissant when a militarized police force was encroaching on their neighbors. So many people in pop culture are speaking out now, but they are not speaking in terms of an all-out need for a political revolution in America for Black people."

Tef Poe's work in the Ferguson protests was featured in the documentary Whose Streets?, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival .Tef has recently secured a book deal through Norton and Company as well as Record Deal with Tommyboy Records in which he working on releasing both a book and National project in 2020



Band Members