Bio

Bernice “Venom” Brown was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. She is the youngest of two daughters raised in a single parent home. She was born into Female Empowerment at a very young age, and by age six had already begin to be expressive through her words. As a young teen, she was very artistic with a serious love for drawing. However, in high school she discovered she was talented in drama as well. During her senior year in high school, she became interested in cosmetology and began styling hair. For thirteen years she survived off this talent.

As the years passed, she began to write poetry as a way to vent. It was self therapeutic and helped her deal with the pressures of being a suicidal single teen mom. After decades of depression, the loss of her great grandpa, daughter and nephew; she continued to write about her life in poetic form. In her late twenties, she began having premonitions which haunted her in her sleep. It wasn’t until the tragic loss of a cousin that she accepted her gift. For Venom, his death was confirmation that she write and spew the words from her mouth. One of her first poems written titled “Past, Present, Future (forever your smile)” in loving memory of her cousin, is what would ultimately birth her anew.

Although poetry is not her life, it is true that her life is poetry. She writes from her true life experiences and believes wholeheartedly that in life you learn from your experiences. She confesses that they are what helped build her character. She has faced many obstacles in her life; only to overcome each one of them. She is a survivor of rape, depression, suicide, single parenthood, prescription drug addictions, and partial paralysis. Venom is very humble and takes nothing for granted. Every word she speaks is as genuine and as authentic as she is. Her works have inspired many individuals ranging in all ages, races, and all walks of life.

In her eyes, her calling was to prophesize through the spoken word. She knows that we must all go through transitions in order to find what space the world holds for us. Venom knows her purpose and has found her space. She is not a one dimensional thinker. Therefore, her style is versatile. She is for the ALL the people. Aside of the lyrical poems you may hear her spit at your local night club or bar, she can also spit a verse in church that will make your momma wanna curse.

By no means should you mistake her confidence for cockiness. She is very aware that she is one of the chosen few blessed with the gift to spit wicked. She is ONE woman with ONE word ONE way. Her word speaks for itSELF.