Donovan Blot: musician, poet, student

Florida native takes on Denver

Donovan Blot is a prodigy in the making. Pulling from his Florida roots, Blot is transforming the world around him from every beat in his music to every verse of his poetry.

Photo: Erica Barillari • CU Denver Sentry

A graduate from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University with a degree in Mathematics, Blot is entering the artistic scene. Working to create a name for himself, he focuses his creative energy on slam poetry. “I started doing slam poetry in 2010 and I competed at a festival called Southern Fried Poetry Slam,” said Blot. “I competed with a team of mine and we got fifth place, which was close because the top four teams went to the finals, but I’ve been doing it since.” Blot, who had performed at CVA’s “Diverse the Verse,” gave a moving interpretation of the way people live their lives today and the standards of which they base them off of.

A friend recommended him to move to Denver and urged him to experience the creative locale. Donovan soon found himself at Campus Village and is using what’s around him to set him apart from other artists. While Blot performs at the Santa Fe Art District located here in Denver, it’s only a taste of what he does. Blot has opened for artists like Vince Staples and Nappy Roots. “I just use the vibes around me and write what I feel and display it in front of a crowd. The best experience from me is the performance because it allows me to tap into my energy and show people how much time and effort I put into my work,” Blot said.

Rapping and poetry go together suitably, and Donovan centers his work around pro-black messages for listeners to understand and relate to. “I have a song called ‘Please Don’t Touch My Hair,’ and I think that this is not only conscious music, but it is lucrative and sensitive content.”

Blot is a part of a rap collective called Cap 6—a group that he believes is a mix of Far Side and Wu Tang. Founded at FAMU, listeners can expect to hear a distinct sound he refers to as “a bounce” that is full of energy. Combined with his youthful stage presence—as he jumps up and down, pumping up the crowd and his uplifting lyrics—Blot’s energy is upbeat and powerful, a force to be reckoned with. “Cap 6 works to lift each other up. They are my biggest inspiration and we challenge each other every day,” Blot said. Blot believes his work tells audiences that he is someone who is dynamic, authentic, and positive. As far as who Blot tries to imitate, he looks up to Usher, Kendrick Lamar, and Kanye West for their inspiring performing abilities. “I’m trying to take the glory, I want to connect with people through my work but most importantly I want to win a Grammy one day,” Blot said. “I want to take my craft and be able to look back and tell myself I’ve made good music and that is something I can hold onto.”

Blot is performing March 14 and 17 at The Black Box Theater and audiences can find him on Twitter at ‘followyaboydon,’ Facebook at ‘Donovan Blot,’ and Instagram at ‘Donny Blot.’ “I learned a lot from the good, the bad, and the ugly, from life growing up and if I had advice for anyone I would tell them to stay true to your writing, write for yourself, and don’t get discouraged.”