Carl Hancock Rux (/ˈrʌks/) is an American poet, playwright, novelist, essayist, recording artist, journalist, curator and conceptual installation artist working in text, dance, ritualized performance, audio, video, and photography. Described in the NY Times as "a breathlessly inventive multimedia artist" focused on "art, race, memory and power",[1] Rux is the author of several books including the Village Voice Literary Prize-winning collection of poetry, Pagan Operetta, the novel, Asphalt, and the OBIE Award-winning play,Talk and five albums. He appears as a frequent collaborating artist, most notably on Gerald Clayton's album Life Forum[2] (Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Instrumental Album[3]) and as co-author of the staged incarnation of Steel Hammer by Julia Wolfe, the 2010 Pulitzer Pr