Steven Jesse Bernstein was an influential American performance poet and musician from Seattle, Washington. He became a prominent figure in the city's subculture, known for his intense, raw, and often disturbing spoken-word performances. His work explored themes of paranoia, alienation, and societal decay, earning him the posthumous title 'the Godfather of Grunge.' Bernstein's life was cut short by suicide in 1991, but his powerful recordings and writings continue to inspire artists.