Skip Tracer

by Jive Poetic

An innovative memoir―composed of poems, prose, and photographs―that engages with the Afro-Caribbean diaspora, cultural identity, music, and masculinity, by a poetry legend. Blending poetry and prose, music, and genealogy, Jive Poetic’s Skip Tracer is a memoir structured as a “hybrid sound system” (complete with “records,” “tracks,” “decks,” and “channels”), expertly curated to convey the complexity of Blackness in the Americas. In this ancestral and cultural excavation, Jive conducts archival and oral-history research into his family’s connections to Jamaica, Panama, Brazil, and Cuba to explore the impact of culture, environment, and family on first- and second-generation Black Americans in the United States. He also traces the profound influence that hip-hop, soul, R&B, reggae, and other popular musical genres have had on him―all the while performing a dynamic re-creation of his legendary onstage persona on the page. A raw and affecting indictment of police violence and racism in the United States, Skip Tracer is also a searingly honest exploration of personal identity, power, and privilege―all expressed in the unmistakable language, rhythm, and style that characterizes Jive’s live performances. 15 illustrations

Genres: Poetry, Memoir

160 pages, Paperback

Published July 23, 2024

Reviews

[Sharon]

I received an ARC of this book for free via Goodreads giveaway. This has not impacted my final rating of the book.

A very nuanced exploration of personhood and self-identity from a Black American Jamaican artist. I loved the use of white space on the page in many of the poems, as well as the inclusions of photographs.
(No rating, as it's a memoir.)

[Mya Matteo · Rating 4 out of 5]

“It doesn’t matter how you dress / they will always see you the color of a crowbar / cracking a window; dark and terrifying / like a wallet mistaken for a gun.”

[Michelle Engel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the last stretch of this collection at the library in one sitting, which may have done it a disservice. When I first started reading it bit by bit, I seemed to enjoy it more.

That said, I did love the stylistic choices, and the motif of layering audio format references and styles with photographs. It’s multi-sensory and multimedia.

The imagery felt intense and evocative. Other reviewers have already quoted some amazing lines and passages. I don’t have much to add about that aspect. The quotations cited by others were some of my favorites, also.

Some of the pieces use the white space of the page with unexpected choreography, defying preconceived notions of how a poem should be shaped.

I also loved the poems that built upon one another, each reappearance of the preceding lines including something new.

Again, this book feels like great inspiration for combining visual art (photographs here), with experimental written text, like Persephone Made Me Do It and Pretty Boys Are Poisonous, both of which I read earlier this year.

[Kelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

An innovative memoir blending prose, poetry, and family photographs. Skip Tracer “explores the impact of culture, environment, and family on first- and second-generation Black Americans.” I picked this up thinking it was a poetry book and I was pleasantly surprised to find much more.

Using the language of a mixtape, Jive Poetic traces his family roots to Jamaica, Panama, Brazil, and Cuba. Jive Poetic is a writer, spoken word artist, and DJ. Even if you’re unfamiliar with his work (which I was), this is made evident by the language and structure of his memoir. Sections are titled, “8-Track Cassette”, “Multitrack”, “Record”, etc. Skip Tracer “navigates the complexity of Blackness in America” and is a beautiful ode to his family, community, and music. Highly recommend!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this memoir. I love that it was a mixture of poems and prose. The poems were about Jive's ancestry and family connections to various countries. The book was also about music, which was evident from the 11 sections named after parts of a sound system (i.e. 8-track cassette, multitrack, etc.). The photographs included were great.

[Brooklyn B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an eye opening collection of work full of so much life, I loved it.

[Charity P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really cool short multi-genre memoir constructed around musical terminology.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won't forget the love Jive Poetic has for his mother, and hers for him.
(And also the burn for/of the photographer.)

And mostly the curiosity that makes this book on fire.

[Nikita Ladd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skip Tracer is a masterful, melodic collection. Jive Poetic is able to skip from poetry to prose, from one family member to another way way back in the lineage. I loved the lyrical quilt that was made out of this investigation of family history, the measuring out of each moment and story. Beautifully done.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how in this collection family history is shared through a weave of poetry, prose, photos, and even letters, and the way they’re distinguished in parts like aspects of a sound system really made me consider the impact of the people and topics in each set. This book is clever and thought-provoking, and the love Jive feels for his family is tangible throughout