Isaac Patrick-Francis Brown, known professionally as Ise Lyfe, is a spoken word and hip-hop artist, educator, and activist. Raised in East Oakland's Brookfield Village, he began performing poetry in elementary school, inspired by writers such as Langston Hughes, and later transitioned into rap during junior high. Lyfe rose to prominence in the Bay Area Spoken Word and Hip-Hop scene in the early 2000s, winning regional and national poetry slam competitions. He appeared on HBO's Def Poetry Jam, created one-man shows including Pistols and Prayers and Who's Krazy?, and presented the multimedia project Brighter than Blight. Lyfe co-founded P.O.W.E.R., a social justice arts and activism collective, and served on Oakland’s Cultural Affairs Commission from 2008 to 2011. In 2012, he was recognized with the Soul of Oakland award for his contributions to the community.
