UGLY utilizes the many facets of writing, music and film to fortify communities throughout the country. He is a featured performer in the BETJ Fall lineup, Lyric Cafe, and has completed his sophomore album “How I Feel Sometimes;” the followup to the poetry/acoustic blues production, “Pretty UGLY.” In 2005, he was recognized as the Neosoul Spoken Word Slam Champion (Chicago) and received a 2008 Chicago Music Awards (Chicago) nomination for Best Poet.. His gift has allowed him to teach, perform and learn crisscrossing through Miami, The University of Minnesota, Prague, Atlanta, Iowa State and several points between.