The Inkling: The Cosplay Poet

Spoken Word poet, author, actress, content creator and entrepreneur, The Cosplay Poet

Word Slay & Roleplay- Local cosplay queen SHINES in poetry and prime.

Meet The Cosplay Poet. A wonder woman of renaissance and reverb. Costume and convo are her deck of cards. Charisma and candidness are her powerplay. I chat with the linguistic lady about life, lessons, and leaving legacy. Tap in.

West St. Louis native artist Kelby aka “The Cosplay Poet”, spent her younger years developing her creativity and social skills, as a bonding with her beloved mom. “I was such a momma’s girl, still am.”, shares the spoken word poet. “I did not like to disappoint her in any way. So, I started holding back in communication. Then she started giving me a pen and paper and said, “whatever you’re feeling, just write it out.”

The Parkway Central graduate joined the speech league and ended up placing in State. “I just started writing tons of poems.”, says Kelby. “It felt natural to me.” The straight A and B student became more confident in her written and oral expression. “Whether I was writing a paper or poetry, the class gravitated to my writing. It made me want to do it more.” The 38 yr. old writer also took heavy influence from her grandmother. “My grammy was a very strong, opinionated woman, but she was still quite soft spoken.”, explains Cosplay. “She was definitely an influence on how to articulate myself as a woman.”

The Cosplay Poet (as Dora Milaje) performing at the ERG Gallery.

As Kelby began to venture deeper into spoken word, the HSSU alumnus needed a “niche” to catch the attention of viewers. “I majored in business and marketing, so I knew I had to come up with something for people to gravitate towards. People paid attention when I changed my hair which I do so often, so I said “hmm ok”.” During COVID, the artist discovered the very “intimate” social platform, OnlyFans. “Now as soon as you hear OnlyFans, you’re thinking one thing.”, she laughs. “…but they also have a creative side, and I didn’t know that.” The costumer began posting her cosplay characters on the platform and Patreon, building solid and organic fanbase.

The poet was also performing at local open mics. “Chris Kaiser called me and asked me to feature in one of his shows. He saw me dressed as Jessica Rabbitt and liked it. So, I performed as Jessica Rabbitt, and that was my first performance in cosplay.” People loved the creativity, which led to her signature performances in costume. The Cosplay Poet’s pieces are described as “authentic and genuine”. “I say often, “I’m always going to “Kanye” this s***.”, she states. “I’m going to always be me no matter what. I’m known for my erotic poetry and my “hood” pieces.” She also performs pieces relating to self-worth, black love, mental health, and inner growth.

“I want my listeners to know that I’m ever changing and growing.” The entrepreneur is also the published author of Ten Year Old Me: Financial Literacy and That’s MY Dad, part of her Uncommon Conversations compilation, available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. She is also the owner of Kitty Pink Publishing. Kelby is also an actress and content creator, currently cast of The 314 Show, and merch owner/clothing designer of The Cosplay Poet store. Her podcast, Some Things Must Be Heard streams every other Tuesday on YouTube, and her open mic Interlude in Da Loop is hosted every Wednesday at In Da Loop restaurant in University City.

Currently, The Cosplay Poet is performing and cultivating current and new projects. She also looks forward to expansion and collaboration. “I would really like to act on a larger scale as well. On bigger screens PEACEFULLY. Without anyone trying to “Diddy” me.”, confirms Kelby. The multi-faceted artist has cosplay fans in a stronghold and her listeners in que. Looking forward to what’s next and what’s new.