This review/interview sees me working in the middle of a heatwave. Heatwaves mean that I work a bit less applying the Mañana philosophy to daily routine. But the chance to review and talk to a poet and motivational speaker was too tempting to leave alone! We do, of course, have a poetry page at this magazine (that I will link here) that I mostly contribute to, and I love how poetry can allow the writer to explore their fears and emotions. Personally, I work very free flow taking an idea and then playing with it. Brandon combines Christian imagery, deeply personal storytelling and considerable talent into something that feels both intimate and universal. I will first share the press release on the new single, then it is the interview before closing with my review.
The Press Release:
“At its core, “I’ve Got” explores what remains when life feels uncertain and overwhelming. Rather than focusing on absence, the song centers on presence—the small, steady anchors people hold onto during difficult seasons. Written during a deeply personal chapter for Leake and his family, the record reflects a turning point where music became both outlet and expression. Leake shares, “‘I’ve Got’ is a joyous fusion of Spoken Word, Hip-Hop, and Gospel music. From its sonics to its lyrics, this track is meant to be a breath of fresh air.”
Known worldwide as the first spoken word artist to win America’s Got Talent, Leake continues to expand his artistry beyond the stage that first introduced him to millions. With “I’ve Got,” he steps into a hybrid musical space where storytelling, hip-hop rhythm, and gospel-rooted soul converge, bringing his work into a new landscape while remaining grounded in the narrative voice that defines his work.
Built on long-standing relationships and shared creative history, the record brings together a collective of collaborators who helped shape its sound from the ground up. The track was produced by Fariss Ryan (Leake’s longtime friend from Simpson University), alongside Teak Underdue (Stockton-based producer and creative), Stockton Soul (a hometown collective of musicians), the Joe Douglas Gospel Choir (a gospel ensemble known for its dynamic choral performances), and composer John Wineglass (Emmy Award-winning composer whose work spans film, television, and orchestral music).
The song also features poet Veritvs, storyteller Matt Balane, and vocalist Justin Goss, each contributing distinct voice and texture to the record’s layered soundscape. “The featured artists on this track all add something immensely valuable. Veritvs brings a level of lyricism and skill that is unmatched, Matt Balane delivers a touching and humanizing story, and Justin Goss carries the chorus throughout the track,” says Leake.
For Leake, the goal is not how the song performs in numbers, but how it lives with people once they hear it. “My greatest hope for the audience and this track is that they allow it to live with them. That they take it in the car with them; it’s on the gym playlist. When they are at work having a bad day, they put this on as a pick-me-up. I want this track to be a part of the soundtrack of their life!”
That philosophy reflects the foundation of Leake’s career across spoken word, education, and public speaking, where storytelling functions as a bridge between personal experience and shared understanding.
As an Emmy Award winner, seven-time Telly Award winner, SOVAS Award recipient, educator, and internationally recognized storyteller, Leake continues to build a body of work rooted in narrative truth and human connection. With “I’ve Got,” he adds a new chapter to that trajectory, one that blends spoken word and music while remaining anchored in lived experience and collaboration.
The Interview:
The new single “I’ve Got” begins with the nod toward the shadow of death in Psalm 23:4 – “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
The Psalms appear to me as a real source of human emotion, they include anger, desperation and hopelessness – your song returns to joy and a celebration of what we have. So what brought you to Psalm 23 and that line for this track?
Brandon: A massive part of the Christian faith is being able to remain joyous, even in the midst of severe difficulty. I think of somebody like Paul, who, even in the midst of great suffering was able to find joy. God never guaranteed us a life absent of darkness or pain, but he did promise to walk with us through it. Same way that the weapons formed against us won’t prosper. The weapons will be formed. They just won’t win so when I think about that line, though I may walk through the valley of the shadow of death, God is the only one I looked towards right now. It’s because I don’t have to look far. I know that God is right by my side and that I will overcome.
You blend spoken word, hip-hop, and gospel into an uplifting anthem – I think Gospel lies under so much of modern music -. Nina Simone, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Blind Willie Johnson all took Gospel to the blues – Elvis was always (in my mind a Gospel performer at heart) – were you from a Gospel musical background and how do you approach Gospel in your songwriting?
Brandon: I grew up in a historically Black church in Stockton, California. It is, in fact, the first and oldest black church in my hometown of Stockton California. I grew up under the musical influences of Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, Marvin Sapp, and many others. Gospel music, being an intrinsically Black art has been something that I have always had a deep residence with in history, and one common theme of gospel music is the oblivion out of difficult and dark situations. When I think of songs like “He Saw The Best In Me” by Marvin Sapp, or “Hosanna” by Kirk Franklin, the songs speak to difficulty, but a joy shines through it. So as much as it is personal, it is also deeply cultural to me to reflect these parts of myself in my art.
B.B. King’s daughter, a friend of this magazine, told us that as we get older storytelling becomes a more personal (and sometimes darker) element of songwriting – the blues finds its way more and more into lyrics. Do you agree? (this single seemed very introspective lyrically in places?)
Brandon: As a Storyteller, I don’t know how to tell stories that don’t have some reflection of me and as a poet, the darker aspects of me have always been parts that I’ve examined because I want to better understand them. I think for me, it’s been somewhat the opposite. I think as I’ve grown older, I’ve began to examine and more thoroughly understand my joy because it’s something that is far more confusing to me. The way that most people can sit in frustration, anger, and pain is something that I can understand; but being able to reside and abide with joy is something that the gospel causes us to; I’ve always struggled with that. That’s why this track was so important to me.
The single cover is vibrant and modernist -artistically it reminded me of Kandinsky or Klee – how do you feel it reflects you and the single, and was it your idea?
Brandon: The single was most certainly my idea and I wanted to give the world a different side of me. They’ve come to know me for my a cappella spoken word pieces that are deeply interpersonal to the point of conveying tears. I wanted to give them a joyous track of celebration and upliftment that I could play in the car in the gym and pretty much anywhere, and once you listen to the album, you’ll understand why a track like this is important because it provides balance.
One thing that struck me about “I’ve Got” is that it doesn’t deny hardship, but it refuses to let hardship have the final word. In a culture where outrage and negativity often dominate attention, do you think there is something quietly radical about choosing gratitude and hope?
Brandon: One of the greatest acts of being defiant enamored by pain being currency is to choose the exact opposite. Because that is one between joy and happiness, happiness is the persistence of good circumstances, while joy is an ever present state of being despite circumstances so for me when I reflect on joy in a time like now, I want to be known for my joy more than my happiness. Because happiness is circumstantial, but joy as the good book says we’ll come in the morning.
You work as a performer, educator, speaker and poet. Do those different roles feed one another, or do you have to approach each one with a different mindset?
Brandon: Each one of them deserves their own mindset, but they all come together collaboratively for the sake of building each other up. I can’t be one without the other, all of them, inevitably informed each other, but they all have their own place. The teacher me makes me a better and more empathetic person. The performer and me allows for me to be able to dispose some of the emotions that I pile up in my other areas of life. The speaker in me allows for me to be more plain in my speech where I can’t as an artist.
As someone who works primarily with words, do you ever find there are experiences that language simply cannot capture, and if so, what do you do as an artist when words aren’t enough?
Brandon: I don’t find that there are moments in which words can’t capture. I do find moments for words aren’t enough and that’s where being a script Writer really helps because now I can imagine the world where what I’m writing is not just the words but it’s a visualization coming to life.
Fun Question -It is a hard winter’s night. The tour van/bus has broken down and a harsh wind blows through the night. Nearby you see a small house, it seems abandoned, yet there is a fire burning, food on the table and working electricity. While you wait for morning – what book and what film will get you through the night?
Brandon: Strength to love by Martin Luther King Jr.
John Q Denzel, ‘Washington.’
My Review:
“I’ve Got”
Released on June 26, “I’ve Got” is now available across all major streaming platforms. Mixing spoken word, rap, gospel and melody, Brandon Leake has created something that feels as much like an affirmation as a song. – it mixes rap with poetry and melody/gospel. It is a really positive track infused with joy and Christian energy. It is the sort of song to dispel the clouds and celebrate who we are. When we face depression and dark places I am both taken to the Dumbledore quote from Harry Potter when he reminds us to turn on the light, and the sentiment rings through this song. Sometimes life hits us like a sledgehammer, but the song reminds us that with love and with God we can get through it all.
Brandon Leake has built a career through words, but I’ve Got proves those words lose none of their power when wrapped in music. Rather than dwelling on despair, the single chooses hope—not as naïve optimism, but as an act of faith. Whether you come to it through gospel, hip-hop, spoken word or simply because you need a reminder that tomorrow can be brighter than today, I’ve Got is a thoughtful, uplifting release that deserves to find an audience well beyond the poetry community.
Brandon Leake has built a career through words, but I’ve Got proves those words lose none of their power when wrapped in music. Rather than dwelling on despair, the single chooses hope—not as naïve optimism, but as an act of faith. Whether you come to it through gospel, hip-hop, spoken word or simply because you need a reminder that tomorrow can be brighter than today, I’ve Got is a thoughtful, uplifting release that deserves to find an audience well beyond the poetry community.
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