Poetic Ink (aka Matt Balane) is a hip hop artist, spoken word poet, and rap lyricist from Southern California. His music seeks to express vulnerability, the essence of humanity, and the beauty of life through poetic rhymes to convey messages of hope. Throughout his life he has battled drug addictions, substance abuse, depression, and suicidal tendencies. The victories and defeats of these battles have shown him the value of life, love, and people, which is heavily reflected in his art. 
 Poetic Ink's vision is to impact the world by letting people know there are those that understand and feel their pain, even in the silence. His sound is inspired by many of the greats who have come before him‒ Tribe Called Quest, Blu & Exile, Jedi Mind Tricks, Big Pun, Mac Miller, J Dilla, and Nas. Join him on his journey through life and listen to the sounds he will continue to create!