Meet Chris Siders | Poet, Music Producer, and Activist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chris Siders and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chris, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
When it comes to taking risks, something I had to understand is that it’s situations God intended for me to explore. A lack of exploration, does nothing for my growth as an individual.

As a teenager growing up in South Central Los Angeles, I was faced with the decision of staying comfortable in my self-destructive path of violence fighting my classmates, being disrespectful to my family, women etc. or take a creative route of utilizing poetry which I did. It took for my now writing-mentor, Mike “The Poet” Sonsken, to come to my 9th grade class and give a lesson on poetry/spoken word to pull me out of that path. Interesting enough, that was the same year I was threatened with expulsion and sent to juvenile hall from View Park High School for choking a classmate who called me out of my name.

Mike The Poet gave a bag of underground rap CDs from artists like 2Mex, Atmosphere, MURS, Elzhi etc. and that changed my life. I was already into the underground rap scene, but for someone that was into the same music, to give me an outlet and to not shoot down my ability to write meant the world to me. I am forever in debt to Mike. If I never met Mike I would probably be in Jail or dead.

So taking this risk to go a different avenue opened up several doors. It led me to the world of activism, teaching in the prison system, giving workshops to the homeless, directing plays/acting, creating rap/hiphop music, mentoring and becoming a role model upcoming artists. All these mediums play into each other and helps further builds other creative expressions. At those different stages of exploration I would have never understood how the world operates because I would’ve only been subjected to my thoughts and perspective instead of essentially challenging myself. Challenging yourself is the greatest thing one can ever do for one’s self. In those challenges I failed several times. Failing teaches you what doesn’t work. If you don’t take the risk in failing you will forever stuck in the same spot. Sacrifices are required in your risks.

Every person I ever came into contact with no matter if they identify as an artist or not, I always encourage them to tell their story. Telling your story requires risk and exploration of what mediums works for you.

More recently I been exploring risk taking on a more personal level and that has even open doors for my career. In 2019, I did a modeling shoot with my friend, Ethel, to explore my sexuality. That developed my interest in getting into the modeling industry. Now I been modeling for small businesses in Southern California and the Central Coast of California.

I feel adding an element of personal or in other words things that are close to your heart gives a route for individuals to be more attracted to your business it adds value. Operating from a lens of purely business can give the impression that you are only in it for yourself and the money. The first rule of being an artist you have to fall in love with your craft because if you lose that the connection between you and your audience can easily get lost.

Kendrick Lamar’s vision stated it best: “We are going to win your hearts before winning a grammy.”

Focus on cultivating community and with that you can create a foundation. A spoken word legend gave me an important gem recently: Create foundation. You don’t have foundation you virtually have nothing. For example, earlier this year I went a spoken word tour, and just by being myself and connecting with community members outside the space of performing I have created a foundation where I can go there anytime and expand further. Expanding drives all the attention back to the business. This is where they said hard work gets you places talent can not. However within that hard work comes with a level of genuine compassion and care for those around you.

In summation, taking risks on a personal level has generated a pathway for my creativity, and business to grow in ways I never imagined when I first started. I am incredibly blessed.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
In my creative journey, there were a tons of trial and tribulations when it comes to believing in myself and my ability to excel. Taking the risk of doing poetry came with a lot of people doubting my ability to write and perform. I lost competitions. Huge LA poetry organizations didn’t understand my vision for myself and that caused a riff. I got laughed at while performing on stage. Got embarrassed while on stage. Almost any horror story you can think of that can occur while performing as happened to me.

Near the end of my junior year of High School, my old principle from elementary school visited the campus and we had a conversation about my future. I told him I wanted to go Stanford University to study creative writing. He laughed at me and told me I didn’t have future in it. The school he was apart of is no longer around, and while I enrolled into California State University Monterey Bay I performed at Stanford University shortly after graduating college and landed in their newspaper. I was homeless at the time. I struggled to make these dreams come true. This was Spring 2017. Spring 2022, 5 years I went on my first tour put together independently by myself.

I’m not out of the woods in terms of getting to a place where I want to be. However I am elevating in so many ways, but simply sticking to the vision I have for myself and no one else.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If a friend from out of town were to visit Los Angeles, I would take them to the LadyBug Cafe off western ave in Gardena. They serve delicious Japanese food! Also Lomeli’s is a great Italian restaurant in the area nearby.

In Palos Verdes there’s a park called “Rocketship Park” that has an awesome view of Manhattan Beach, Redondo, Torrance, DTLA and more! I personally recommend going at night time. It’s just a beautiful view at that time of the day in particular.

In Leimert Park during certain times of the year there is an awesome ArtWalk full of festivities and local vendors. That same area has popular locally owned businesses such as Slauson Donuts and Hungry Harolds.

Down the street from The Forum and So-Fi Stadium in Inglewood there’s a black owned business called “The Serving Spoon.” Growing up my father would get breakfast there almost every sunday after church. Great food. Great owners. Awesome community.

Wednesdays at 7pm, in Koreatown there is an open mic called “Palms Up Academy” that is created by local Los Angeles legend, Arianna Basco who is a spoken word artist, screenwriter, film director and more.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Mike The Poet Sonsken (Spoken Word Artist/ Los Angeles Historian/ Woodbury University Professor) Joe Limer (Spoken Word Artist/ Poetry Slam Champion)
Miko Jao (Rapper/Activist/Spoken Word Artist/Curator)
DJ Chuck The oLd SouL of Honor Flow Productions (Music Producer/Rapper)
Arianna Basco (Spoken Word Legend, Owner/Creator of Palms Up Academy in Koreatown)
Angelica Dizon (Photographer)
Croix Kyles (Cartoonist, Muralist)
Ethel Zarinana & Carlo (Photographer/Muralist/Videographer/Editor)

Website: chrissiders.com

Instagram: @thechrissiders

Twitter: @sidersofsos

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christopher.j.siders

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdf2OR6I4g1ekAElGPyAyGA

Image Credits
Photos by Julie Chon