Ishmael Reed calls him "Plato teaching on the streets of Oakland." Bob Holman says, "He is the USA's Rumi!--the wisdom of Saadi, the ecstasy of Hafiz." Rudolph Lewis says, "A master teacher in many fields of thought. One of America's great story tellers. I'd put him ahead of Mark Twain!" James G. Spady writes, "When you listen to Tupac Shakur, E-40, Too Short, Master P or any other rappers out of the Bay Area of Cali, think of Marvin X. He laid the foundation and gave us the language to express black male urban experiences in a lyrical way."
Co-founder of the Black Panther Party, Ancestor Dr. Huey P. Newton, said, "Marvin X was my teacher. Many of our comrades came through his Black Arts Theatre, i.e., Bobby Seale, Eldridge Cleaver, Emory Douglas, Samuel Napier!"
Marvin X is available for speaking/readings coast to coast. 510-200-4164/jmarvinx@yahoo.com. www.blackbirdpressnews.blogspot.com