Raleigh spoken word poet, Queen Sheba, receives Grammy nomination

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A spoken word poet who lives in Raleigh is finally getting global recognition after more than two decades in the business.

Her words are a mix of storytelling and hip hop. All of them, her truth and her passion.

"I started writing poetry when I was seven. I know that sounds cliché but I did," said Queen Sheba.

Queen Sheba's love for poetry and spoken word started early on, but she wasn't always on that path.

"I was fired from Bank of America. Thank you Bank of America, in 2001. So many years ago. And at the time I was dabbling in spoken word poetry, going to some open mics and some art galleries," she said.

After losing her job, Queen Sheba says she focused full time on spoken word poetry but it wasn't always easy.

"I was comfortable in my apartment and my Acura and I was like oh my gosh, how am I going to make money?" she said.

She started selling CDs at open mic nights, trying to make ends meet.

"I was sleeping on trains, I was sleeping on Greyhounds buses, I was sleeping at Penn Station in New York to avoid paying hotel costs. It was just wild. I had my car repossessed my first year in. But also my first year in I ended up on 106 and Park and the Apollo," Queen Sheba said.

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Now 23 years later her hard work is finally paying off. Queen Sheba has been nominated for a Grammy.

"When it came on, I don't know if they do it in alphabetical order or whatever, but my album title came across first and I'm screaming," she said.

The spoken word category is only two years old. And Queen Sheba says she's hoping to represent not only herself but others like her.

"I'm the only poet from the south nominated and I'm a woman and I'm Black. I'm representing a huge area. So when I win, fingers crossed, I'm carrying the whole world on our back. The Grammy's is not just for American, it's a worldwide category," she said.