In the bustling artistic landscape of Chicago, where rhythm meets poetry and community activism thrives alongside creative expression, K Love The Poet stands as a beacon of authenticity. Her journey from memorizing poems at her grandmother’s behest to becoming one of spoken word’s most compelling voices reveals much about the power of embracing one’s true calling.
On a crisp morning before her anticipated performance with hip-hop legend MC Lyte, K Love reflects on her path with the gentle assurance of someone who has found home within herself. “I am absolutely fabulous. I honestly have no complaints,” she begins, her voice carrying the same melodic quality that has captivated audiences across the country.
From childhood verses to finding purpose
The origin story of K Love’s relationship with poetry begins in fifth grade when her grandmother, an assistant principal at what was then Bryn Mawr (now Bouchet Academy) on Chicago’s East Side, had her memorize Lucille Clifton’s “Harriet Tubman.” The experience planted a seed that wouldn’t fully bloom until years later.
“Junior year I started dating the local rapper in my hometown, and I started sending him my poetry,” she recalls. But the pivotal moment came on New Year’s Eve 2002, when a date took her to Giovanni’s on 147th Street. “As soon as I walked in, I honestly said, ‘Oh, I can do this for the rest of my life.'” By February 2003, she had returned to perform and “literally never stopped.”
What distinguishes K Love’s work from others in the field is her deeply personal approach to universal themes of self-love and empowerment. Having grown up watching her parents’ early marriage, her father was 17 and her mother 15 when they got together, she initially expected her life would follow a similar trajectory.
“Very early on I realized that was not going to be my path,” she says. “In my teenage years I was looking for my husband; every boyfriend, I wanted him to be my husband. But as I got older, one thing that was always working was poetry, my purpose.”
Living in purpose through poetry
For K Love, poetry became more than an art form, it became a vehicle for her true calling. “I’m created to nurture, love, uplift, care for, breathe life into people who don’t feel like there’s anything worth living; to be a friend to the friendless,” she explains. “That is my real gift. Everything else is a vehicle to do more of that.”
This sense of purpose manifested early. Her mother recalls that at 11 years old, K Love would gather the 7-year-olds in the neighborhood every Saturday, combing their hair, taking them to the library, and defending them from bullies. “These are not your children, little girl. You are my child,” her mother would remind her. But the instinct to nurture and protect remained.
When asked what it feels like to live in her purpose, emotion creeps into her voice. “I did not realize what a gift it was as a young person,” she says. “Poetry was the wild card that popped up. And it was like, ‘Yeah, you’re gonna teach. But you’re gonna use this to do it.'”
Million Dollar Melanin
Perhaps no piece better exemplifies K Love’s impact than her viral poem “Million Dollar Melanin,” a tribute to Black beauty inspired by her mother’s struggles with colorism.
“I wrote the poem about my mother’s struggle with being dark-skinned,” she shares. “She was severely teased and made fun of for being of dark skin, having coarse hair. Ironically enough, she would give birth to a little chocolate girl that did not have those kind of issues. I always felt pretty.”
The poem, written to empower her mother and raise awareness about colorism, resonated far beyond her immediate circle. “I had no idea that it would reach in the way that it did,” she says, noting that people from various nationalities have approached her about their own experiences with colorism after hearing her perform it.
From poetry to sharing the stage with MC Lyte
K Love’s authentic approach to her craft has opened unexpected doors, including an upcoming performance with hip-hop legend MC Lyte at Chicago City Winery on March 14, 2025.
The opportunity arose after her video “Do a New Thing” went viral. When MC Lyte announced she was seeking artists for her “Lyft Up Cypher,” K Love submitted the piece. Within 24 hours, MC Lyte personally contacted her requesting management information.
What makes this collaboration particularly fitting is the profound influence hip-hop has had on K Love’s approach to spoken word. “When I’m talking about who I’m influenced by, I start saying rappers before I say poets,” she admits. “I started off with Tupac. The first poetry book that I ever got was ‘The Rose That Grew from Concrete.'”
Other influential figures include Lauryn Hill, Jay-Z, Eve, and, of course, MC Lyte herself. Only after these names does she mention the canonical poets: Maya Angelou, Nikki Giovanni, and Gwendolyn Brooks.
Chicago roots and spiritual foundations
When discussing what makes Chicago unique, K Love offers a vivid metaphor: “I describe Chicago to people like your mean grandma, she gonna cut you out, but she gonna feed you, though, too. You are going to get some fussing, and the fussing might be the violence, the recklessness. But you are definitely going to get some nurturing, and the nurturing is the community engagement.”
This duality of harshness and nurturing has shaped both her artistry and her approach to community work. Even after relocating to Baltimore, she returns frequently to Chicago, evidence that “even distance does not separate me from my city.”
Spirituality forms the foundation of her work. Initially known as a “Christian poet” or “gospel poet,” she now describes herself as “an artist whose foundation is spiritual, not necessarily religious.” This spiritual grounding informs how she approaches her craft: “I do feel like this is a God-given gift above all, so I treat it like it’s sacred.”
Books, education, and continued impact
As K Love looks to the future, her plans include expanding her children’s book series, developing online classes based on her poetry curricula, and pursuing education after returning to school following a 22-year hiatus.
But at the core of all these endeavors remains her fundamental purpose: “You can consistently expect teaching, reaching, loving, nurturing, uplifting, creating spaces for people to process their trauma using poetry. I’ll be anywhere the love is needed.”
K Love will headline her own show at City Winery on March 31, 2025, dedicated to celebrating women of Chicago who have impacted history, from educators like Marva Collins to activists confronting police brutality.
For those wanting to experience her work firsthand, tickets for both the March 14 performance with MC Lyte and her March 31 headlining show are available now. As she prepares to take these stages, K Love remains grounded in the belief that has guided her journey: “You never miss anything that’s really for you.”
Connect with K Love The Poet at www.klovethepoet.com or on Instagram and Facebook.
