On August 23rd and 24th, 2024, San Quentin received Jason Boyd, known to music industry insiders as Poo Bear. Poo Bear has programmed the world to his hit-maker frequency. He sent monster smash hit records for Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey, Usher, and Omarion, to name a few.

Poo Bear, linked with Lieutenant Berry and CO Lopez, dropped in on San Quentin for his unique two-day talent showcase. He came to identify talent for his next album. His mission was to bring hope and opportunity to San Quentin’s stars behind bars.

Poo Bear’s own story began in New Haven, Connecticut. He later moved to Georgia. He was broken, unhoused with his family much of the time between the ages of 8 to 10. A local church raised funds to put his family on solid ground.

Boyd’s mother named him Poo Bear for his chubby frame and cheeky smile. He showed an uncanny talent for rhyme and melody at an early age. By 12, he inked his first record deal. He had gotten ripped off just as quick. His signing bonus was a jean suit that he wore with pride. Unbelievable as it sounds, that was in the era of another bear creation and crisscross. Child hip-hop acts were hot in the ATL, and Poo Bear seemed to be in the right place at the right time with the right gift.

At 16, Poo Bear’s pen was hot and never cooled off. He went on to meet the original foursome of 112. His cousin had discovered 112 at a local high school talent show in the A. Both 112 and Jagged Edge had been featured in the Tri-City Talent Showcase that fateful day.

Later, 112 signed to Bad Boy. The R&B group had a string of top ten hits across the mid-1990s and early 2000s. Poo Bear wrote one of their first big records, We Can Do It Anywhere.

I remember listening to that 112 record in high school. I jammed it on my CD Walkman, singing along word for word on the bus. I was feeling dizzy with puppy love and excitement for a girl named Angie. The melody and lyrics were on point. Come to think about it, I might have borrowed Poo Bear’s lyrics to mac on Angie. To this day, We Can Do It Anywhere is one of my favorite 112 joints. Interviewing Poo Bear, the genius behind the music, was a full-circle moment as a writer and Black music lover.

The SQ Talent Show got off to a good start immediately in the chapel. People in blue flooded inside to a warm vibe. The event’s theme was Finding Your Purpose. Rappers, singers, comics, and poets were all there hoping to do just that, find their calling and link with the single most important thing they’d been put on this earth to do.

Poo Bear entered, flanked by uniformed correctional officers. From the door, he was inviting and talking to us, telling everyone, “Happy Birthday!”

Poo Bear looked tall, Black, and fit in his mid-40s. He was clean-shaven and dressed down in black jeans, retro jeans, and an Anbessa print T-shirt. He smiled a lot and shook hands.

The talent show’s promoter was San Quentin resident Yanas Gebremariam, a.k.a. Lyfe. Lyfe is Eritrean with large doe eyes and a humble swag. He was a successful concert promoter and manager and Poo Bear’s longtime friend. Lyfe also founded Anbessa Clothing and lifestyle brand. He had come up with an amazing proposal for a talent showcase and music publishing workshop and invited Poo Bear to the queue.
I met Lyfe in the early 2000s at the California State Prison, Corcoran, California. We were both bright-eyed 20-year-olds with big dreams ahead of our parole dates. He went on to join Big U and Nipsey in L.A. His list of contacts grew, and with it, so did Lyfe’s challenges. He soon fell from grace. I remind bro it’s all a minor setback for a major comeback. Moreover, comeback he did with Poo Bear and Finding Your Purpose at the Q.

The chapel stage was set to bright lights and music under a huge cross and stained-glass window. San Quentin News pulled up with their cameras. People were in the audience testing their vocals and guitars.

San Quentin resident Henock Raphael and the violinist is no Ryan Seacrest or Terry Crews. Still, Henock was a great gift to the event. He brought the energy, jokes, and insight to bring it all together. Henock opened with a few wisecracks before giving Poo Bear the stage.

“I say happy birthday because I think it’s a birthday every day,” Poo Bear led with. He excited to do good every day. The audience responded, “Happy Birthday.”

Poo Bear set it off playing the reference tracks for Justin Bieber’s hits Yummy and Intentions. Both records have gained millions of streams and re-energized Bieber’s career. If anybody believed Poo Bear was lying to kick it, that went out the window in that moment. He didn’t sound like Justin Bieber. Justin Bieber sounded dead on Poo Bear, a brother from ATL.

Poo Bear humbly mentioned that he’d written three mega albums with Bieber. “Justin’s the first person to say my name. He put me out there as a songwriter,” said Poo Bear.

To his point, the rest of us did not know many of the gifted writers who penned the biggest records on the planet. Songwriters are the lifeblood of the music industry. They’re seldom recognized, but essential to keep the business alive. There’s some really dope ones out there that we do know, too. Ne-Yo, Sean Garrett, Cary Hilson, The Dream, Tank, and T-Pain all got their songs out there. All got their start as songwriters before going on to become the main act.

Poo Bear said a few words of encouragement and exited the stage. Hanock reminded the hungry MCs and musicians that there was a 90-second time limit—one verse and one chorus in front of someone who could make a difference.