May 7, 20234 min read

The Starving Artist

Updated: Jul 14

Born in Norfolk, VA, Darrick Burch is a reformed music artist, podcast host, author, spoken word artist, and motivator. I'd like to refer to him as the "Starving Artist", who loves coffee and is hungry for great success.

Everyone has a story to tell. Darrick caught my attention at Wall Street Cafe, located in Suffolk, VA, for "Passion N' Poetry" open mic night. That night was the first night I performed my first open mic poetry, therefore, I was extremely nervous. After my performance, I was looking for a great escape until Darrick approached the stage. I stood up to leave but was quickly forced back into my seat as he performed his song, "Cafe Vibes". This song is about his love for coffee and traveling to different cafes in search of the perfect blend. It ties in well with his podcast, Cafe Talk. I was enticed by his words of expression for his love for coffee. This is a song true coffee lovers would definitely understand. I understood it clearly and it is now one of my favorite songs written by him. His next performance was POWERFUL as he shared his testimony with his father singing alongside him. I was stunned. After his performance, I slipped out of the door with great intentions on following him on Instagram. Recently, he posted the release of his first book, Everything is Blessed. At first, I inquired about getting a signed copy. After reading his bio on the back of his book he posted on Instagram, I wanted to know his story and what led him to writing a book. I decided to do something that I have never done before and ask if I could interview him. Without any hesitation he said yes, then we made plans to meet.

We decided to meet at the Starving Artist Cafe, located in Norfolk, VA. This cafe was dope but our conversation was even better. (Ya'll know that's my favorite line!) The conversation flowed so naturally and he was not afraid or ashamed to share parts of his story that weren't easy to share.

"His"tory

Darrick's childhood seemed quite normal until it began to get rocky around the age of 4. He and his siblings were taken away from their mentally ill mother, because of a misunderstanding that led to allegations of child neglect, by child protective services. Darrick and his younger brother were taken into foster care while his sister was fostered by a family member. They adapted well to their new foster home but his biological family wanted them home. He and his brother were able to stay with a family member for a little while but were again placed back into another foster home. They experienced a total of four different foster homes, in which some were not as great as the others. Running away from their foster home and getting into trouble caused the boys to be split apart for the last two homes. Darrick believed his last foster home was built on a strong foundation that would have led him to a bright future but, at that point, he wanted to be closer to his brother. He decided to go back home.

Being teenagers, we believe that we have all the right answers. Somehow, we end up suffering hard consequences from our immature thinking. In his early teens, he met his biological father for the first time. Their relationship became distant as Darrick's teenage years began to shift when he decided to drop out of school. The streets were now able to take him by the hand and nurture him with a life of violence and selling drugs. Darrick started selling drugs at 16 years old until he was sent to prison at the age of 21. He served five years in prison. Within six months of being released, he went back to prison for the same reason, in which he was sentenced to eleven years. During this time, Darrick stated "God touched him" and "he was able to be still and allow God to move". He began preparing himself and his mind for something different by writing inspirational and motivational pieces that helped him and would hopefully help others not make the same decisions. Darrick was released from prison on January 23, 2014.

Since his release, Darrick has been on a constant grind striving for growth and success. He has reconnected with his biological mother and father. He currently performs at multiple events with his father, Papa Sharpe.

Click the picture to view "Everything is Blessed" on Amazon

Darrick decided to use his writings to create an inspirational and motivational book. He released his first book, Everything is Blessed, on April 16, 2023. It is currently available on Amazon. Darrick is planning to release his next series to his first book in July. He is also working on a collaborative novel while being the host of Cafe Talk podcast, a music artist, spoken word artist, and motivator.

Cafe Talk

We chose the perfect cafe for the purpose of our meeting. Starving Artist Cafe is built on a strong foundation of their love for God. Unbeknownst, I was also getting interviewed for Darrick's podcast. I was once told "if you stay ready, you don't have to get ready". Though I was a little unprepared, I was ready to take on his questions. We had a fulfilling conversation that lasted well after the cafe's closing hours. When we were done with our interviews, Darrick was back on the grind. He was able to network with the new owner of Starving Artist Cafe and 90-year-old local artist, Rose Burroughs.

Question Answered

So, what led Darrick to write a book? Purpose. As stated in his book, Everything is Blessed, "I, on the other hand, am determined to open young minds to growth. I'm thankful that God has awakened me and renewed my heart and mind. I intend to inspire and help change lives with the gifts I've been blessed with. I know there's an audience that will receive my message-a team that I'm meant to coach." (Coach, 6)

In Closing