Nikki Giovanni is Happy; Talks Tupac, Family and New Re-Releases

There are few people in the world as decorated as writer Nikki Giovanni. She’s a Grammy Award-winner, an NAACP Image Award-winner, and was named one of Oprah Winfrey’s 25 “Living Legends.” Giovanni, who earned fame and recognition in the 1960s as one of the foremost voices on the Civil Rights Movement, has since gone on to publish numerous books and poems. She has also written children’s books and taught at schools like Rutgers and Ohio State University.

More recently, Giovani with Modern Harmonic has re-released three of her albums from the 1970s—Truth Is On Its Way (1971), Like A Ripple On A Pond (1973), and The Way I Feel (1975). The records feature Giovanni reading her work over rhythmic, melodic music. We caught up with the 78-year-old, Knoxville, Tennessee-born writer, and activist to ask her about these re-releases, how much music itself means to her, and the difference between lyric and verse.

Giovanni will also be releasing new curated musical works with saxophonist Javon Jackson in February 2022.