Welcome to All About U.S.

Josephine Rollings is the founder of All About U.S. (Understanding Society).  She is a poet, a ‘teacher’, an author, a mentor and above all, a mother.  Based in South London, U.K., Josephine has been involved in mentoring the youth through her poetry in schools, prisons and community centres  where she delivers workshops and performs as a spoken word artist.  Her performances have also showcased in a range of venues and events such as the Hackney Empire, Poetry n Motion, City Hall, Vibrations Festival, Great Yarmouth, NHS, Battersea Arts Centre, The Royal Festival Hall, radio shows and DVD magazines to name a few.  During this time Realitie has shared the stage with poet greats Jean Binta-Breeze and opened for Jamaica’s finest Muta Baruka.

All About U.S. has been the vehicle which Josephine has utilised to teach, inform, expatiate and explain to society the varying issues many people (young and old, male or female, and of any ethnicity) within the society deal with on a daily basis.  Through this vehicle, she has brought to light some of the issues that are being mal-addressed (or unpublicised) thus inadequately dealt with or not dealt with at all.

As if by premonition, Josephine woke up on the 11th of February 2004 to deliver her messages as poetry with focus on the emotive state of the mind.  She started with “Diary of a Teenage Boy” followed by “The Queen Within” which exposes the realities of the issues and its effects; “The Queen Within” was later used in a short film about sexual health.  These two poems gave birth to the Poet, Realitie (aka Josephine Rollings) as she was illustrious to deliver the realities of life showing understanding irrespective of how ugly or dismal it may look.  It was reality; some members of our society were living this reality.

Her public performance at the ‘Word Up’ Slam in May 2005 which she won, gave her recognition; shortly after, Ms. Rollings won the designer Patrick Kevin’s talent contest.  Later on that year, she won the ‘Farrago’ West End Slam.  The events in her first year as a poet highlighted her talent as a writer and as a mentor.  In November 2006, she was crowned best U.K. Unsigned poet after fighting off strong opposition.  Since then, Interests of ‘Realitie’ has been growing, not just as a performer but with much support for her works in society.

In 2007 Realitie took part in a film titled The Hip Hop Opera by Urban Concepts, responsible for the ‘Don’t Trigger’ Campaign where she closed the film with a dynamic piece about a boy’s life on the streets.  Realitie after being recommended to the organisers also provided pre show edutainment with a set called ‘Many Women’ for the B.Supreme Festival, a yearly three day event which celebrates women in Hip Hop at the Southbank Centre.

By now, it was clear that Josephine Rollings possessed the requisite skills and talent as a poet and performer however, the content of her work indicates that she was more than that; dealing with issues such as youth behaviour, domestic violence, puberty, abuse, identity, guns, sexuality, drugs, schizophrenia and more.  Josephine wanted to make a difference.

Josephine has accrued four self-published book titles from her poems, each addressing particular issues; issues which affect us all.  The first is called “Behind Closed Doors” which focuses on young individuals and the issues they deal with in their home, taking you on a poetic journey of issues such as denial and pain of physical and sexual abuse, self-discovery, oppressed feelings and much more.  The second relates to the cause and effects of gun crime which is titled “Gun Talk”. “Hear My Words” is the third instalment which was put together to feed the minds of those she sees as her children; the youth in the community.  The fourth book titled “Harsh Realities” deals with harshness of societal quandaries.

In 2008 Realitie released her debut album ‘The Real Word’.  This eighteen track album highlights the trials and tribulations of life and crime, cultural divide through music and mindset, various aspects of parenting finishing up with lyrics that question self conduct and aspirations.

In 2009, Realitie regained her title as 'Best UK Unsigned Poet of the Year'.

Josephine ‘Realitie’ Rollings has since incorporated the poems she has written with visual elements in the forms of posters.

Josephine continues to write by opening the issues within the community through her teachings to try to secure the betterment of society.