Sean Avery Medlin
ABOUT the author
Sean Avery Medlin (he/they) is a gamer and Hip-Hop nerd, whose only wish in this world is to watch an unproblematic Black sci-fi T.V. show. Till then, Medlin teaches creative writing and guides cultural work for organizations across the U.S., while also creating rap, poetry, prose, and performance. Their music, literature, and theater all question the limits of Black masculinity, media (mis)representation, and personal narrative.
Medlin has shared stages with Saul Williams, J. Ivy, and Lemon Andersen. Their work’s been featured in Afropunk, Blavity, the 2018–2019 Chicago Hip-Hop Theater Festival, and the 2020 Tucson Poetry Festival. Their Hip-Hop play and album, skinnyblk, along with all their previous work, is available online at superseanavery.com. 808s & Otherworlds: Memories, Remixes, & Mythologies is Medlin’s debut collection.
Find out more here: superseanavery.com
Instagram: @skinnyblksean
Twitter: @Chronic_Poetic
Available from Two Dollar Radio
808s & Otherworlds
"808s & Otherworlds: Memories, Remixes, & Mythologies purrs with variety and energy, with riffs on Black masculinity, anime, gaming, rap, gender identity, and dislocation in Phoenix’s western suburbs. The drum machine in the title (the Roland TR-808) is a perfect tease to the rhythm of Medlin’s words rendered in prose."
—Michelle Beaver, The Los Angeles Review of Books
Interviews
Listen:
Bookin' Podcast episode 157: Sean Avery Medlin | 11/8/2021
Host Jason Jefferies of Quail Ridge Books is joined by Sean Avery Medlin, author of 808s & Otherworlds. Topics of conversation include Hades, the 808 drum machine, Erykah Badu, Arizona, the Trickster, BET, Kanye West and Donald Trump, and much more.
Read:
The Los Angeles Review of Books "Every Rap Is a Poem: A Conversation with Sean Avery Medlin" | 12/22/2021
Michelle Beaver spoke with author Medlin about poetry not rhyming, the Phoenix poetry slam scene, vulnerability in their work, the experience of conducting writing workshops at Durango Juvenile Center, about the poetry in rap music, and so much more.
Michigan Quarterly Review interview with Sean Avery Medlin | 9/13/2021
Sam Small talks to the author of 808s & Otherworlds about poetry and rap, Arizona, Black masculinity, issues with the current state of Black sci-fi media and how to fix it, Kanye West, and more. Read on!
TriQuarterly interview with author Sean Avery Medlin | 10/20/2021
Joshua Bohnsack's interview with the author: "Whether he’s writing about musicians or anime characters, there is a tenderness with the way Sean Avery Medlin approaches the subjects of his writing. I had the opportunity to speak with Medlin about their new book of poetry and prose, 808s & Otherworlds: Memories, Remixes, & Mythologies available now from Two Dollar Radio, as well topics such as fandom, writing through characters, comics and mythologies."
Geeks OUT interview with Sean Avery Medlin | 9/29/2021
Michele Kirichanskaya spoke with the 808s & Otherworlds author about spoken word, poets that have inspired their style, their writing process, book recommendations, and more!
Sean Loughran in conversation with Sean Avery Medlin | 9/22/2021
For AVOCADO DIARIES, Sean Loughran spoke with 808s & Otherworlds author Sean Avery Medlin about the inspiration behind it, their family's role in inspiring and influencing them, the construct of Blackness, and other books they are excited about. Read on!
The Phoenix New Times: Sean Avery Medlin's Poetry Makes Room for Gaming and Superheroes | 9/21/2021
Robrt L. Pela spoke with Medlin about the writing of their debut collection of poetry and essays, 808s & Otherworlds, heroes, academia, and more.
Watch:
Live author reading and performance by Sean Avery Medlin from "A Lot 2 Unpack Feature" (July 30, 2021). View on YouTube
