“Emotions” or “The Last Time I Felt”
Rich Robbins
December 3, 2021
In this workshop we focus on one specific time we felt an intense emotion using techniques by Kendrick Lamar and Jose Olivarez as inspiration.
Prewriting: When was the last time you felt a strong emotion?
Source Material:
- “Fear” by Kendrick Lamar (Notice how Kendrick writes about his fears and how they evolved through specific memories in his life)
- “Ode to the First White Girl I Ever Loved” by José Olivarez (Notice how Jose uses personification to talk about feeling lonely while sitting in a classroom as a kid)
Prompt: Brainstorm a list of emotions – both common and complex. Ex: happiness, sadness, embarrassment, grief, jealousy, etc.
Rich Robbins
Rich Robbins is a rapper, songwriter, producer and educator. But more than anything, the Oak Park-born, Chicago-based artist is a world-builder. Rich’s early years as a college student in Madison, Wisconsin’s First Wave hip-hop scholarship program jumpstarted his artistry. He recorded wide-reaching tracks like “Dreams” feat. Mick Jenkins, along with records with Saba, Mother Nature, and more. He has performed at historic venues like the Apollo Theater in NY, and has done everything from music festivals, to working at Hot 97 as an intern, to teaching classrooms of high school students how to read, write, and perform poetry. His work is an inward look at society’s ills and creates spaces for listeners to explore. In short, Rich’s work critiques the old while envisioning and manifesting the new. His latest album “On the Horizon” is available on all streaming platforms.