Slam magazine by Nadia Imafidon

slam

POETRY WITH ATTITUDE

Come Together 100 thousand poets for change

stage fright the first slam experience

Mos Def Successful How Suheir Hammad and other Def Jam l

F*** That! Profanity in Poetry Making money

stars reached celebrity

contests for scholarships

Coffee Shop Craze Starbucks: Haven for Poets holding hands

where sarah kay gets her inspiration March 2012 $5.95

contents March 2012

Cover Story Def Jam success stories

Cover Photo by Donald Grove: Desiree Johnson is a touring spoken word poet from Tacoma, Wash.

on the cover for Change 14 Poets 100 thousand poets around the

world come together to promote peace.

— Jennifer Richie

Def Jam Stars How the stars from got to where they are, and how you can too. — Gladys Johnson

dos and don’ts 24 Swearing It’s easy to get carried away when

we exercise our freedom of speech. — Ellen Hess

cafe 26 Writer’s Many writers find coffee shops to be an effective writing spot. — George Rubio

departments 3 Attitude Turn anxiety into creativity by

Jessica Moore got her start in the spoken poetry industry by going to open mic nights at the Bowery Club in New York. Photo by Ashton Browne

finding your performance style.

5 Roots Sarah Kay’s poem “Hands” tells of

childhood lessons from her father.

Topic 7 Hot Check out last month’s responses from six interested readers.

9 Coping Writing in a journal is the first step to getting creative words off the pages and into a performance.

Charge 11 Take Dynamic Duo: Never have two men been so powerful.

29 Contests Check out this month’s contests to get that stage experience. Your Mind 32 Speak “Choking”- One reader’s first

slam experience did not go as well as she had hoped. March 2012 Slam 1

Slam Magazine EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Nadia Imafidon EXECUTIVE EDITOR Becky Haddican

LETTER FROM EDITOR NADIA

“ Falling in

love by accident ”

My first slam poetry experience was unforgettable. I remember feeling really on edge, like if I moved, I’d interrupt the poet’s entire flow and the whole performance would be compromised. It was like he had control over the entire audience with some people in shock, some in tears and some completely in their element, soaking in each word as if they’d never heard any of them in their life before this poem. I was a combination of all of those reactions. Here I was sitting in Woodruff auditorium for a Black Leadership Symposium my sophomore year of high school, and it was already a long day of “get involved, be the change, your future is now” kind of talk. Now this previous KU football player, Travis Watkins, from Texas was yelling at us for no reason. He was literally enraged, spitting out words like the person that loses it after a long day of work and can’t stop ranting to save his life. Except this wasn’t a trivial discussion. He is biracial like me. He, too, deals with racism in ways that most people cannot relate.These were long-carried words from his childhood of mistaken identity and issues with abandonment prompted by his father. I wasn’t expecting him to unveil a lifetime of oppression and self-realization to a room full of high school students who before this moment hadn’t yet checked in. He didn’t know any of us, but within three minutes we knew things about his estranged father that most people wouldn’t air in any public venue. This was spoken word poetry. All at once, I felt angry, sad, inspired and liberated. I didn’t write any of the words he was saying, but I had definitely thought some of them many times throughout my life. Spoken word poetry is about making connections. He didn’t know coming into the room that I’d relate to him, but I find that is half of the excitement of performing. We all feel the same things, but we all feel like our feelings are exclusive. Spoken word poetry bitchslaps you with the reality that we are more similar than we think. It gives individuals a strong voice and an opportunity to tell their stories without having to fear judgment or pity. It brings friends closer together and makes strangers bond over a similar sentiment: community. And at the same time, it brings individuals catharsis, something everyone should get to experience. I created Slam magazine to give people an opportunity to be exposed to spoken word poetry. I came across it by accident. Spoken word poetry doesn’t have a big enough presence, only accessible through YouTube videos and specific Google searches. I think that is a shame, considering the release it gives people. It’s time to give this type of self-expression the exposure it deserves.

Nadia Imafidon 2 Slam Slammagazine.com

MANAGING EDITOR Ian Cummings ART DIRECTOR Hannah Wise PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR Patrick Blanchard SALES MANAGER Jon Sabillon PUBLISHER Christopher Stoppel EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CREATIVE AND MARKETING SERVICES Jermaine Cole PRODUCTION MANAGER Alex Esposito WEB EDITOR Bre Roach CIRCULATION MANAGER Ernest Shepard We want to hear from you! Here’s how to get in touch with the Slam staff: Slam Magazine 1290 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10104 - 0298 (212) 484-1616 Read more: http://www.slammagazine.com/services/ contactus#ixzz1t2C3KTgB

attitude By Ami Mattison

Signature

STYLE

Turning anxiety into creativity is as easy as finding the delivery style that makes you feel confident about your performance.

aloud to the more profitable and longer lasting option of getting the poems published. There have been a number of efforts to bring oral poetry back into the popular consciousness since this time. African Americans combined strong oral and musical traditions with call-andresponse methods of communication to provide a genesis for contemporary African-American poetry. Other ethnic groups, like Native Americans, have also used oral and storytelling traditions to form formidable poetry roots. More conscious efforts occurred in the middle of the century, when the Beat Poets endeavored to bring poetry back to its oral roots and traditions. It was a renewed fascination with the Beats in the 1990’s that was an important catalyst for an oral poetry movement that swept through the United

Janette McGhee performs her latest piece, “I will wait for you.” Within a few hours of posting her performance online, she received more than 50,000 hits. Photo by Lee Bailey

States youth culture scene. The Beats were a non-conformist community of writers and poets that became famous in the post-war years of the 1950’s and 1960’s that consisted of Allen Ginsburg, Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs, and others. Railing against the academic world and society’s norms, their poems were not only meant for publication, but also intended for performance. This has a number of similarities with the 1990’s oral poetry movement, something that is not lost on Ginsburg: “The … movement comes out of the Beats, but with rhyme.” Indeed, the 1990’s movement helped the Beats gain in credibility.l March 2012 Slam 3

attitude

Celebrity

Styles

No one person performs in the same fashion. Learn from some of the hottest in the industry.

“The Storyteller”

Sarah Kay uses a calm, storytelling style while performing all of her pieces. She recounts memories from her childhood in her piece, “Hands,” and while she recites this, her hand gestures keep the audience engaged. Kay says she still gets stage fright in front of crowds after all of these years but fakes her confidence. Who would have known?

“The preacher”

Shihan is the “keep it real” type of poet. He will craft his work to follow rhyme schemes that the audience never sees coming and then flip the switch, break all the rules and say something outrageous to make his point clear. His bold words tells the audience that he has something important to say, and they listen.

“The comedian”

Taylor Mali might as well be called a social critic. He uses humor to entertain the crowd while seamlessly throwing in lessons to be learned. You might find yourself thinking you are at an improv comedy show while watching Mali perform. Don’t get too caught up in his jokes, however. He tends to have a message that resonates within us all.

“The revolutionist”

Staceyann Chin has a distinct style that most poets cannot match. The combination of her theatrical movement on stage with the screeching of the most controversial lines will have you uncomfortably on the edge of your seat throughout, but bring you to your feet at the end. She aims to make a point and she is generally dead on. Photos by Deborah French

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roots By John Caltero

Daddy's little girl Sarah Kay shares the stories of her childhood with her father behind the popular poem “Hands.”

he spoken word poetry movement of the 1990’s was similar to the Beats in the 1960’s, right down to the goatees, improvisational style, and coffeehouse vibe of the poets (leading to the nickname of “Wanna-Beats” for spoken word artists). Spoken word shares with the Beats a mutual disdain with the academic community, an emphasis on performance, and many poems in confessional and stream-of-consciousness styles. Still, there are a number of important differences. The first difference, as Hall notes, is the lack of emphasis at all on publishing. “…Some of these people haven’t even put their stuff in book form. I had recorded six records before I had a book out, and most of my recorded work has never

been published. Many poets today are more concerned with having their work heard, then (sic) having it read off the page.” Another important difference spoken word poetry of the 1990’s has with the Beats, in addition to its lack of publication, is its diversity. “The Beats shared a philosophy, a political agenda, even a style…,” said Holman. “The Beats were very particular about who was in and out. Spoken word has a rough-edged, populist attitude, is intent on spreading the word of all poetry, and carries a democratizing energy.”. Estep agrees with Holman: “It’s a product of the current times, thus there are women and other nonwhite men involved.” Despite their liberal beliefs, the Beats were strictly a white male community, a marked distinction from the populist attitude of the 1990’s spoken

Sarah Kay is the co-founder of Project V.O.I.C.E., which is a program aimed at using workshops to inspire young poets. Photo by Rochelle Davis word movement. “This new poetry, or rather the poetry of the nineties, seeks to promote a tolerance and understanding between people. The aim is to dissolve the social, cultural, and political boundaries that generalize the human experience and make it meaningless,” said Miguel Algarín, a poet featured in The Before Columbus Foundation Poetry Anthology. The true goal of the spoken word movement was simple: to bring poetry back to the people. Algarín agrees, as seen in the following words about the Nuyorican Poetts. March 2012 Slam 3

roots The spoken word poetry movement of the 1990’s was similar to the Beats in the 1960’s, right down to the goatees, improvisational style, and coffeehouse vibe of the poets (leading to the nickname of “Wanna-Beats” for spoken word artists). Spoken word shares with the Beats a mutual disdain with the academic community, an emphasis on performance, and many poems in confessional and stream-of-consciousness styles. Still, there are a number of important differences. The first difference, as Hall notes, is the lack of emphasis at all on publishing. “…Some of these people haven’t even put their stuff in book form. I had recorded six records before I had a book out, and most of my recorded work has never been published. Many poets today are more concerned with having their work heard, then (sic) having it read off the page.” Another important difference spoken word poetry of the 1990’s has with the Beats, in addition to its lack of publication, is its diversity. “The Beats shared a philosophy, a political agenda, even a style…,” said Holman. “The Beats were very particular about who was in and out. Spoken word has a rough-edged, populist attitude, is intent on spreading the word of all poetry, and carries a democratizing energy.”. Estep agrees with Holman: “It’s a product of the current times, thus there are women and other nonwhite men involved.” Despite their liberal beliefs, the Beats were strictly a white male community, a marked distinction from the populist attitude of the 1990’s spoken word movement. “This new poetry, or rather the poetry of the nineties, seeks to promote a tolerance and understanding between people. The aim is to dissolve the social, cultural, and political boundaries that generalize the human experience and make it meaningless,” said Miguel Algarín, a poet featured in The Before Columbus Foundation Poetry Anthology. The true goal of the spoken word movement was simple: to bring poetry back to the people. Algarín agrees, as seen in the following words about the Nuyorican Poets Café as a substantial breeding ground for the spoken word movement: “The philosophy and purpose… has always been to reveal poetry as a living art… Poetry is not finding its way, it has found its way, back into 6 Slam Slammagazine.com

everyday life. It is not only meaningful, it is also fun… It’s not a floating head above a lectern. It’s about getting people excited, about what you say and how you say it. The word is so good, it reminds you that no matter how bizarre life gets, you need poetry.” The 1990’s poetry, with its dynamic performers and subject matter that twentysomething people could understand and relate to, was an attempt to open up the world of poetry to an audience whose idea of the art form was derived from inert pages in a book. High school English classes often feature the ornate language and subject matter of such authors as John Keats and Alexander Pope, who to some students seem eons away from the present. The spoken word movement in the 1990’s made poetry exciting again, so exciting in fact that MTV executives took notice and eventually provided spoken word with its most influential vehicle for mass market exposure. The cable channel’s interest in the spoken word poetry movement was fleeting, but substantial. It began with a highly successful Spoken Word Unplugged special that showcased such flamboyant and charismatic entertainers as Estep, Reg E. Gaines, Hall, Dana Bryant and erstwhile rocker Henry Rollins. The show was a success, and one MTV exec proclaimed it, “One of our proudest moments,”. The reason for this interest from MTV and its viewers in the poetry movement is not difficult to ascertain. Estep’s bitingly funny odes to a man she has a crush on, like “The Stupid Jerk I’m Obsessed With” (Appendix I, III) and her satirical views of sexuality, as in “I am the Sex Goddess of the Western Hemisphere,” (Appendix I, II) were subjects that the average MTV viewer could appreciate and accept. The same is true all the other poems performed, like Holman’s “The Point” (Appendix I, III), Hall’s ironical “Let’s Have Sex”(Appendix I), and Dana Bryant’s wistful “Heat” (Appendix I, III). “Most of the poems won’t endure for decades, and why should they? Their purpose is different,” said Caryn James of the New York Times, and she shares a philosophy with many in the spoken word community. Vegetable Omelet” poem (Appendix III). l

“Hands” People used to tell me that I had beautiful hands. Told me so often in fact that one day I started to believe them, until I asked my photographer father ‘hey daddy could I be a hand model? To which he said ‘No way!’. I don’t remember the reason he gave me, and I would’ve been upset but there were far too many stuffed animals to hold, too many homework assignments to write, too many boys to wave at to, years to grow. We used to have a game, my dad and I, about holding hands. Coz we held hands everywhere. And every time either he or I would whisper a great big number to the other, pretending that we were keeping track of how many times we had held hands. This one had to be 8,002, 753. Hands learn more than minds do. Hands learn how to hold other hands. How to grip pencils and mould poetry. How to tickle pianos, and dribble a basketball and grip the handles of a bicycle. How to hold old people and touch babies. I love hands like I love people. Each scar makes a story worth telling. Even if fists alone are only hands. But this is not about politics, no hands are not about politics. This is a poem about love, and fingers. Fingers interlock like a beautiful zipper of prayer. You need a firm handshake, but don’t hold on too tight, but don’t let go too soon, but don’t hold them for too long. But hands are not about politics. When did it become so complicated? I always thought it was so simple. The other day my Dad looked at my hands as if seeing them for the first time and with laughter behind his eyelids, and with all the seriousness a man of his humour could muster he said “You know you’ve got nice hands, you could’ve been a hand model!” And before the laughter can escape me i shake my head at him and squeeze his hand 8,002,754.

How do you feel about the repealed “Don’t ask , don’t tell” policy?

The spoken word movement in the 1990’s made poetry exciting again, so exciting in fact that MTV executives took notice and eventually provided spoken word with its most influential vehicle for mass market exposure. The cable channel’s interest in the spoken word poetry movement was fleeting, but substantial. It began with a highly successful Spoken Word Unplugged special that showcased such flamboyant and charismatic entertainers as Estep, Reg E. Gaines, Hall, Dana Bryant and erstwhile rocker Henry Rollins. —Wesley Phipps

hot topic By Lexi Grey

March 2012 Slam 7

Hot topic

next Month's issue... SEARCHING FOR SURVIVORS

Reflecting on the attacks on 9/11

Do you remember where you were when the World Trade Center was under attack? Send us a poem that best describes that feeling and we will publish the top entries in Aprilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s issue!

8 Slam Slammagazine.com

After the attack on the World Trade Center, fire fighters pored over the debris looking for survivors. Photo by James Nachtwey

coping By Trevor Lantil

From page The art of turning the journal entries you write into powerful spoken word performance to help you cope with the painful memories. he spoken word poetry movement of the 1990’s was similar to the Beats in the 1960’s, right down to the goatees, improvisational style, and coffeehouse vibe of the poets (leading to the nickname of “WannaBeats” for spoken word artists). Spoken word shares with the Beats a mutual disdain with the academic community, an emphasis on performance, and many poems in confessional and stream-of-consciousness styles. Still, there are a number of important differences. The first difference, as Hall notes, is the lack of emphasis at all on publishing. “…Some of these people haven’t even put their stuff in book form. I had recorded six records before I had a book out, and most of my recorded work has never been published. Many poets today are more concerned with having their work heard, then (sic) having it read off the page.”

Journaling effectively

to stage Photos by Jon Dilshan: Writing in a journal is an effective way to release emotion in a healthy manner (left). Keisha Jennings (right) says “I started performing when I learned I could take diary entries and make poems out of them.”

The spoken word poetry movement of the 1990’s was similar to the Beats in the 1960’s, right down to the goatees, improvisational style, and coffeehouse vibe of the poets (leading to the nickname of “Wanna-Beats” for spoken word artists). Spoken word shares with the Beats a mutual disdain with the academic community, an emphasis on performance, and many poems in confessional and stream-of-consciousness styles. emotional release

Still, there are a number of important differences. The first difference, as Hall notes, is the lack of emphasis at all on publishing. “…Some of these people haven’t even put their stuff in book form. I had recorded six records before I had a book out, and most of my recorded work has never been published. Many poets today are more concerned with having their work heard, then (sic) having it read off the page.” These March 2012 Slam 9

here spoken word poetry movement of the 1990’s was similar to the Beats in the 1960’s, right down to the goatees, improvisational style, and coffeehouse vibe of the poets (leading to the nickname of “Wanna-Beats” for spoken word artists). Spoken word shares with the Beats a mutual disdain with the academic community, an emphasis on performance, and many poems in confessional and stream-of-consciousness styles. Still, there are a number of important differences. The first difference, as Hall notes, is the lack of emphasis at all on publishing. “…Some of these people haven’t even put their stuff in book form. I had recorded six records before I had a book out, and most of my recorded work has never been published. Many poets today are more concerned with having their work heard, then (sic) having it read off the page.” stage presence

Another important difference spoken word poetry of the 1990’s has with the Beats, in addition to its lack of publication, is its diversity. “The Beats shared a philosophy, a political agenda, even a style…,” said Holman. “The Beats were very particular about who was in and out. Spoken word has a rough-edged, populist attitude, is intent on spreading the word of all poetry, and carries a democratizing energy.”. Estep agrees with Holman: “It’s a product of the current times, thus there are women and other nonwhite men involved.” Despite their liberal beliefs, the Beats were strictly a white male community, a marked distinction from the populist attitude of the 1990’s spoken word movement. This is words to fill space. Another important difference spoken word poetry of the 1990’s has with the Beats, in addition to its lack of publication, is its diversity. “The Beats shared a philosophy, a political agenda, even a style…,” said Holman. “The Beats were very particular about who was in and out. Spoken word has a rough-edged, populist attitude, is intent on spreading the word of all poetry, and carries a democratizing energy.”. Estep agrees with Holman: “It’s a product of the current times, thus there are women and other nonwhite men involved.” Despite their liberal beliefs, the Beats were strictly a white male community, a marked. l 10 Slam Slammagazine.com

take charge By George Karev

Dynamic Duo Touring college campuses, Ken Arkind and Panama Soweto hope to promote political and social change with their poetry.

ral poetry was not necessarily replaced by written poetry, but the focus did shift away from the immediacy of reading the work aloud to the more profitable and longer lasting option of getting the poems published. There have been a number of efforts to bring oral poetry back into the popular consciousness since this time. African Americans combined strong oral and musical traditions with call-and-response methods of communication to provide a genesis for contemporary African-American poetry. Other ethnic groups, like Native Americans, have also used oral and storytelling traditions to form formidable poetry roots. More conscious efforts occurred in the middle of the century, when the Beat Poets endeavored to bring poetry back to its oral roots and traditions. It was a renewed fascination with the Beats in the 1990’s that was an important catalyst for an oral poetry movement that swept through the United States youth culture scene. The Beats were a non-conformist community of writers and poets that became famous in the post-war years of the 1950’s and 1960’s that consisted of Allen Ginsburg, Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs, and others. Railing against the academic

Ken Arkind (left) and Panama Soweto world and society’s norms, their (right) teach workshops in Denver for youth interested in poetry. poems were not Photo by Travis Roste only meant for publication, but also intended for performance. This has a number of similarities with the 1990’s oral poetry movement, something that is not lost on Ginsburg: “The … movement comes out of the Beats, but with rhyme.” Indeed, the 1990’s movement helped the Beats gain in credibility, with Ginsburg having a popular spoken word MTV video, Burroughs poeticizing in a duet with Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain, and Kereouac having a tribute album that featured rock stars and actors reading his poems aloud (Appendix III). The term given to this visceral, in-your-face style of contemporary poetry of the nineties was spoken word. Up until then, the term only described non-music sections in music stores that contained non-music comedy, plays, or famous speeches. In fact, there have been a number of issues with the breadth of the term spoken word, which The New York Times has called “pointlessly stiff,” and the relationship of the term March 2012 Slam 11

take charge

ut K o b

en Arkin d

12 Slam Slammagazine.com

Poetry has always been an oral art did shift away from the immediacy of form, going back in history to the time reading the work aloud to the more of Homer reading “The Odyssey.” Poets, profitable and longer lasting option of storytellers, and other troubadours getting the poems published. There have would travel from town to town, readbeen a number of efforts to bring oral ing their work and getting their poetry poetry back into the popular consciousheard. This oral traness since this time. dition sprang from African Americans "Forced me to necessity, as it was combined strong oral not possible to print pull the trigger, and musical tradiand then asked if hundreds of copies tions with call-andof poems, and read- we could still be response methods ing them aloud was friends.” of communication —Arkind in “For Wes” the only method to provide a genesis people could expefor contemporary rience the works. African-American With the advent of poetry. Other ethnic such technology as the printing press, groups, like Native Americans, have however, the art form of oral poetry also used oral and storytelling traditions gave way to the more practical process to form formidable poetry roots. More for getting poetry heard: publishing the conscious efforts occurred in the middle poems. Oral poetry was not necessarily of the century, when the Beat Poets replaced by written poetry, but the focus endeavored to bring poetry back.

Pa na ma Sow

t u o b A

It was a renewed fascination with the on Ginsburg: “The … movement comes Beats in the 1990’s that was an imporout of the Beats, but with rhyme.” tant catalyst for an oral poetry moveIndeed, the 1990’s movement helped ment that swept the Beats through the United “Sometimes I feel like gain in credStates youth culture people only listen ibility, with scene. The Beats Ginsburg havwhen I'm being were a non-coning a popular destructive so I formist community spoken word speak with a poison of writers and poets MTV video, that became famous on my tongue and Burroughs in the post-war years choke on my own poeticizing in of the 1950’s and a duet with cries for help.” 1960’s that consisted Nirvana’s Kurt —Soweto in “Scott” of Allen Ginsburg, Cobain, and Jack Kerouac, WilKereouac havliam Burroughs, and others. Railing ing a tribute album that featured rock against the academic world and socistars and actors reading his poems aloud ety’s norms, their poems were not only (Appendix III). It was a renewed fascimeant for publication, but also intended nation with the Beats in the 1990’s that for performance. This has a number of was an important catalyst for an oral similarities with the 1990’s oral poetry poetry movement that swept through movement, something that is not lost the United States youth culture scene.l

March 2012 Slam 13

Imagine all the poets Poets from all over the world come together in the 100 Thousand Poets for Change movement that brings peace through poetic protest to those needing a voice. BY JENNIFER RICHIE

ith the advent of such technology as the printing press, however, the art form of oral poetry gave way to the more practical process for getting poetry heard: publishing the poems. Oral poetry was not necessarily replaced by written poetry, but the focus did shift away from the immediacy of reading the work aloud to the more profitable and longer lasting option of getting the poems published. There have been a number of efforts to bring oral poetry back into the popular consciousness since this time. African Americans combined strong oral and musical traditions with call-and-response methods of communication to provide a genesis for contemporary African-American poetry. Other ethnic groups, like Native Americans, have also used oral and storytelling traditions to form formidable poetry roots. More conscious efforts occurred in the middle of the century, when the Beat Poets endeavored to bring poetry back to its oral roots and traditions. It was a renewed fascination with the Beats in the 1990’s 14 Slam Slammagazine.com

that was an important catalyst for an oral poetry movement that swept through the United States youth culture scene. The Beats were a non-conformist community of writers and poets that became famous in the post-war years of the 1950’s and 1960’s that consisted of Allen Ginsburg, Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs, and others. Railing against the academic world and society’s norms, their poems were not only meant for publication, but also intended for performance. This has a number of similarities with the 1990’s oral poetry movement, something that is not lost on Ginsburg: “The … movement comes out of the Beats, but with rhyme.” Indeed, the 1990’s movement helped the Beats gain in credibility, with Ginsburg having a popular spoken word MTV video, Burroughs poeticizing in a duet with Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain, and Kereouac having a tribute album that featured rock stars and actors reading his poems aloud (Appendix III). The term given to this visceral, in-your-face style of contemporary poetry of the nineties was spoken word. Up until then, the term only described non-music sections in music stores

Photos from top left to bottom right: Photo illustration by Stacy Marsh; Nana Agyen plays the acoustic guitar for the rally in Ghana; Kelly Smithson recites her poem “Get Free” in the Bowery Club; third graders recite a collaborative poem in the Kenyan rally; Michelle Obama does an interpretive dance for the rally in Washington; Gelareh Samandi holds a sign along with 2,000 others in the Tehran, Iran; File Photo from 100 thousand poets website. Photos by Bethany Cooper that contained non-music comedy, plays, or famous speeches. In fact, there have been a number of issues with the breadth of the term spoken word, which The New York Times has called “pointlessly stiff,” and the relationship of the term with poetry. For example, all poetry read aloud is spoken word, but not all spoken word is poetry. Sometimes, it is difficult to discern where spoken word ends and poetry begins. With the advent of such technology as the printing press, however, the art form of oral poetry gave way to the more practical process for getting poetry heard: publishing the poems. Oral poetry was not necessarily replaced by written poetry, but the focus did shift away from the immediacy of reading the work aloud to the more profitable and longer lasting option of getting the poems published. There have been a number of efforts to bring oral poetry back into the popular consciousness since this time. African Americans combined strong oral and musical traditions with call-and-response methods of communication to provide a genesis for contemporary African-American poetry. Other ethnic groups, like Native Americans, have also used oral and

storytelling traditions to form formidable poetry roots. More conscious efforts occurred in the middle of the century, when the Beat Poets endeavored to bring poetry back to its oral roots and traditions. It was a renewed fascination with the Beats in the 1990’s that was an important catalyst for an oral poetry movement that swept through the United States youth culture scene. The Beats were a non-conformist community of writers and poets that became famous in the post-war years of the 1950’s and 1960’s that consisted of Allen Ginsburg, Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs, and others. Railing against the academic world and society’s norms, their poems were not only meant for publication, but also intended for performance. This has a number of similarities with the 1990’s oral poetry movement, something that is not lost on Ginsburg: “The … movement comes out of the Beats, but with rhyme.” Indeed, the 1990’s movement helped the Beats gain in credibility, with Ginsburg having a popular spoken word MTV video, Burroughs poeticizing in a duet with Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain, and Kereouac March 2012 Slam 15

having a tribute album that featured rock stars and actors read- of oral poetry gave way to the more practical process for geting his poems aloud (Appendix III). ting poetry heard: publishing the poems. Oral poetry was not The term given to this visceral, in-your-face style of contemnecessarily replaced by written poetry, but the focus did shift porary poetry of the nineties was spoken word. Up until then, away from the immediacy of reading the work aloud to the the term only described non-music sections in music stores more profitable and longer lasting option of getting the poems that contained non-music comedy, plays, or famous speeches. published. There have been a number of efforts to bring oral In fact, there have been a number of issues with the breadth of poetry back into the popular consciousness since this time. Afthe term spoken word, which The New York Times has called rican Americans combined strong oral and musical traditions “pointlessly stiff,” and the relationship of the term with poetry. with call-and-response methods of communication to provide For example, all poetry read aloud is spoken word, but not a genesis for contemporary African-American poetry. Other all spoken word is poetry. Sometimes, it is difficult to discern ethnic groups, like Native Americans, have also used oral and where spoken word ends and poetry begins.. With the advent storytelling traditions to form formidable poetry roots. More of such technology as the printing press, however, the art form conscious efforts occurred in the middle of the century, when of oral poetry gave way to the more practical process for getthe Beat Poets endeavored to bring poetry back to its oral roots ting poetry heard: publishing the poems. Oral poetry was not and traditions. necessarily replaced by written poetry, but the focus did shift It was a renewed fascination with the Beats in the 1990’s away from the immediacy of reading the work aloud to the that was an important catalyst for an oral poetry movement more profitable and longer lasting option of getting the poems that swept through the United States youth culture scene. published. There have been a number of efforts to bring oral The Beats were a non-conformist community of writers and poetry back into the popular consciousness since this time. Af- poets that became famous in the post-war years of the 1950’s rican Americans combined strong oral and musical traditions and 1960’s that consisted of Allen Ginsburg, Jack Kerouac, with call-and-response methods of William Burroughs, and others. communication to provide a genesis Railing against the academic for contemporary African-American world and society’s norms, their poetry. Other ethnic groups, like Napoems were not only meant for tive Americans, have also used oral publication, but also intended for and storytelling traditions to form performance. This has a number formidable poetry roots. More conof similarities with the 1990’s — Gabriela Celaya, scious efforts occurred in the middle oral poetry movement, something Spanish Poet of the century, when the Beat Poets that is not lost on Ginsburg: “The endeavored to bring poetry back to … movement comes out of the its oral roots and traditions. Beats, but with rhyme.” Indeed, It was a renewed fascination with the 1990’s movement helped the Beats in the 1990’s that was an important catalyst for an the Beats gain in credibility, with Ginsburg having a popular oral poetry movement that swept through the United States spoken word MTV video, Burroughs poeticizing in a duet with youth culture scene. The Beats were a non-conformist commu- Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain, and Kereouac having a tribute album nity of writers and poets that became famous in the post-war that featured rock stars and actors reading his poems aloud years of the 1950’s and 1960’s that consisted of Allen Gins(Appendix III). burg, Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs, and others. Railing The term given to this visceral, in-your-face style of contemagainst the academic world and society’s norms, their poems porary poetry of the nineties was spoken word. Up until then, were not only meant for publication, but also intended for the term only described non-music sections in music stores performance. This has a number of similarities with the 1990’s that contained non-music comedy, plays, or famous speeches. oral poetry movement, something that is not lost on Ginsburg: In fact, there have been a number of issues with the breadth of “The … movement comes out of the Beats, but with rhyme.” the term spoken word, which The New York Times has called Indeed, the 1990’s movement helped the Beats gain in cred“pointlessly stiff,” and the relationship of the term with poetry. ibility, with Ginsburg having a popular spoken word MTV For example, all poetry read aloud is spoken word, but not video, Burroughs poeticizing in a duet with Nirvana’s Kurt all spoken word is poetry. Sometimes, it is difficult to discern Cobain, and Kereouac having a tribute album that featured where spoken word ends and poetry begins. With the advent rock stars and actors reading his poems aloud (Appendix III). of such technology as the printing press, however, the art form The term given to this visceral, in-your-face style of contemof oral poetry gave way to the more practical process for getporary poetry of the nineties was spoken word. Up until then, ting poetry heard: publishing the poems. Oral poetry was not the term only described non-music sections in music stores necessarily replaced by written poetry, but the focus did shift that contained non-music comedy, plays, or famous speeches. away from the immediacy of reading the work aloud to the In fact, there have been a number of issues with the breadth of more profitable and longer lasting option of getting the poems the term spoken word, which The New York Times has called published. There have been a number of efforts to bring oral “pointlessly stiff,” and the relationship of the term with poetry. poetry back into the popular consciousness since this time. For example, all poetry read aloud is spoken word, but not African Americans combined strong oral and musical tradiall spoken word is poetry. Sometimes, it is difficult to discern tions with call-and-response methods of communication to where spoken word ends and poetry begins. With the advent provide a genesis for contemporary African-American poetry. of such technology as the printing press, however, the art form ing traditions to form formidable poetry roots. l

“Poetry is the loaded weapon of the future.”

16 Slam Slammagazine.com

Meet the poets

Participants in the 100 Thousand Poets for Change movement are all over the world including Egypt, Afghanistan, Jamaica, Ireland, France and so on. Read about this year’s leaders.

The true goal of the spoken word movement was simple: to bring poetry back to the people. Algarín agrees, as seen in the following words about the Nuyorican Poets Café as a substantial breeding ground for the spoken word movement: “The philosophy and purpose… has always been to reveal poetry as a living art… Poetry is not finding its way, it has found its way, back into everyday life. It is not only meaningful, it is also fun… It’s not a floating head above a lectern. —Nina Simone, Egypt

March 2012 Slam 17

DEFINITELY Famous HBO’s “Def Jam Poetry” stars all had to start somewhere. What’s their secret? Grab the microphone and get on stage. Practice through real performance. BY GLADYS JOHNSON The true goal of the spoken word movement was simple: to bring poetry back to the people. Algarín agrees, as seen in the following words about the Nuyorican Poets Café as a substantial breeding ground for the spoken word movement: “The philosophy and purpose… has always been to reveal poetry as a living art… Poetry is not finding its way, it has found its way, back into everyday life. It is not only meaningful, it is also fun… It’s not a floating head above a lectern. It’s about getting people excited, about what you say and how you say it. The

Photos from top left to bottom right: Each of these poets and many more made their way to the top by performing at local cafes and poetry clubs to build confidence and gain fans: Shihan, Gabriela Garcia Medina, Carlos Andres Gomez and Sunni Patterson. Photos by Brad Franklin

word is so good, it reminds you that no matter how bizarre life gets, you need poetry.” The 1990’s poetry, with its dynamic performers and subject matter that twenty-something people could understand and relate to, was an attempt to open up the world of poetry to an audience whose idea of the art form was derived from inert pages in a book. High school English classes often feature the ornate language and subject matter of such authors as John Keats and Alexander Pope, who to some students seem eons away from the present. The spoken word movement in the 1990’s made poetry exciting again, so exciting in fact that MTV executives took notice and eventually provided spoken word with its most influential vehicle for mass market exposure. The cable channel’s interest in the spoken word poetry movement was fleeting, but substantial. It began with a highly successful Spoken Word Unplugged special that showcased such flamboyant and charismatic entertain-

ers as Estep, Reg E. Gaines, Hall, Dana Bryant and erstwhile rocker Henry Rollins. The show was a success, and one MTV exec proclaimed it, “One of our proudest moments,”. The reason for this interest from MTV and its viewers in the poetry movement is not difficult to ascertain. Estep’s bitingly funny odes to a man she has a crush on, like “The Stupid Jerk I’m Obsessed With” (Appendix I, III) and her satirical views of sexuality, as in “I am the Sex Goddess of the Western Hemisphere,” (Appendix I, II) were subjects that the average MTV viewer could appreciate and accept. The same is true all the other poems performed, like Holman’s “The Point” (Appendix I, III), Hall’s ironical “Let’s Have Sex”(Appendix I), and Dana Bryant’s wistful “Heat” (Appendix I, III). “Most of the poems won’t endure for decades, and why should they? Their purpose is different,” said Caryn James of the New York Times, and she shares a philosophy with many in the spoken word community. March 2012 Slam 19

James continues in her glowing review of Spoken Word Unplugged with the following: “’Unplugged’ assumes that rap is street poetry and that street poetry is a vocal, visceral expression of contemporary life… The ‘Unplugged’ special grasp(s) the importance of this vibrant, essential and growing means of self-expression. These entertainers blur the line between literature and pop culture in a way that defines the times. Something more than show biz is going on. After the special, MTV’s support continued only for a brief time. Estep and Reg E. Gaines were featured prominently in “Fightin’ Wurdz” sound bites in between programs, one of which included Estep’s 30-second “Vegetable Omelet” poem (Appendix III). Appearance by videos from Estep and John S. Hall’s King Missile on Beavis and Butthead helped boost their popularity immensely. Estep’s video for her hilarious “Hey Baby” (Appendix I, III) was chosen as a Buzz Clip on the channel. Estep seemed tagged for heavy rotation as the channel tried to proclaim her as a “Patti Smith for the ‘90’s”, while MTV sponsored a spoken word tour for Hall. Still, continued MTV support was difficult to come by, as the channel eventually started to feel that poetry was a very small market. Hall explained this situation: “MTV tends to be fairly capricious. I did a spoken word tour that MTV sponsored, and I think it would have been successful if they hadn’t charged such a high price (a show that could have been put on for 500 dollar a night cost the venues 3 or 4 thousand, of which the performers made very very little money) … they lost interest after a couple of years. It’s a shame, but at least they tried, for a while.” Spoken word had a few more shots at mainstream popularity, like a regular slot at the Lollapalooza Rock Tour’s third tent, but things never took hold. It is unclear why the spoken word movement never really took off, particularly in radio. Hall’s “Detachable Penis” topped the college radio charts in 1994, the only poem ever to top any radio chart, but highly-acclaimed releases from Estep and Bryant failed to spark much radio interest. “People’s ears do somersaults when they hear the p-word, I guess. It’s a tough task, poeticizing 20 Slam Slammagazine.com

the system, and the TOUGHEST is the music biz,” says Holman. Estep took advantage of the MTV exposure to release two spoken word albums in the mid-1990’s. The first release, No More Mr. Nice Girl, did “respectably.” Reaping some of the rewards from the MTV exposure, she garnered an opening slot touring with Courtney Love’s band Hole and received critical accolades with her vivid and funny poetry. “She’s the anti-Stevie Nicks, shaking her bad-hair-day hair and waving her arms like a homeless schizophrenic doing Lady Macbeth,” said Ben Xavier of the New York Press. “Her storysongs are accessible, full of energy, fueled by a fantasy life full of grotesque cartoons, body functions, and twisted reprieves from sexual harassment.”” Another critic, reviewing a concert, also discussed Estep’s merits as a poet and performer: “Leading a three-piece band and prowling around the stage with the energy of a punk rocker, Maggie Estep spoke, sang and screamed poems that combined the personal and the political with a cynical, razor-sharp wit.” Despite all of this, Estep’s latest release, Love Is a Dog from Hell, fell victim to lack of faith from her record company and lack of advertising. The album’s lead single failed despite a video directed by hipster actor Steve Buscemi, which never found its way onto MTV. Still, Estep takes her lack of success on the radio in stride. She has since released a highly-praised debut novel, Diary of an Emotional Idiot, and is working on two more. “Before becoming somewhat known as a spoken word person, I was strictly a prose writer and I have returned to this. By temperment (sic) I am slightly reclusive and a novelist. The dog and pony act happened by accident and was an incredibly use tool - and an interesting artform - but you’d have to torture me or pay me a million dollars to get me to slam nowadays.” Estep continues to philosophize on the state of spoken word poetry: “It (spoken word) doesn’t generally translate well onto recordings nor can one base films or sitcoms upon it - it’s a bit ephemeral and although exciting enough to interest MTV execs, not able to transcend what it is: SPOKEN WORD, not something that holds up to repeated viewing or

listening as it is best appreciated LIVE and often doesn’t sit right on the page. I’m generalizing here but that’s my basic thesis… it does not have staying power… all the people you speak of, myself, Reggie (Gaines), Paul (Beatty), Dana (Bryant), John (S. Hall), have branched into other things - Reggie writes screenplays, Paul’s probably about to become one of the most acclaimed novelists of our generation, Dana makes records and performs in Europe a lot, and John is going to law school.” Another artist who never escaped obscurity but deserved to was Dana Bryant, and her case represents record companies’ general lack of knowledge about how to market a spoken word artist. A

I would turn freeways into parks Turn every Wallmarts into homeless shelters Turn prisons into schools And schools into SCHOOLS! As the world’s GREATEST magician I would make the Governor Undocumented I would make Muslims, Chrisitans and Jews love one another I Would turn Bush into an Iraqi mother I would eliminate apathy and get rid of fear. —Gabriela Garcia Medina in “World’s Greatest Magician”

Photo by Brad Franklin tall, beautiful African-American woman, Bryant fit the stereotype of an R&B singer, and when record stores received her debut album Wishing From the Top, many copies were placed in that section. The only problem is that Bryant was more influenced by Ntozake Shanghe than Tina Turner. With vague statements like “funky poetry” and “combines jazz and rap,” press releases did not help either, only confusing radios shows and record stores as to how to promote Bryant. Thus, despite a charismatic and beautiful performer, fantastically reviewed live shows, and a catchy lead single (the superb poem “Heat” from Appendix I,III), Bryant’s recording career has stalled. Instead, Bryant has gone other routes, publishing her own book of

poems, entitled Songs of the Siren: Tales of Rhythm and Revolution, and making plans for a singing album. As Estep related earlier, other spoken word performers have branched out to other areas. Paul Beatty, arguably the best writer to come out of the spoken word movement, has had books of poetry and one highly-acclaimed novel published. John S. Hall, who says his latest album release Failure that “seems to have lived up to its title,” has published a poetry book. Beau Sia, an AsianAmerican who recently released his first spoken-word CD Attack! Attack! Go!, has garnered much more acclaim and popularity for his parody of Jewel’s poetry book entitled A Night without Armor II: The Revenge. Spoken-word poet

Saul Williams is currently earning raves for his role in the poetry-themed film Slam. Holman, who just released his first spoken word CD this year, is teaching a course entitled “Exploding Text: Poetry in Performance” at Bard College. Sekou Sundiata draws heavily from jazz, blues, and rap in his spoken word releases. Frequent spoken word artist Brenda Kahn (Appendix III) and even Ani DiFranco are known more as a folkrock singers. Gaines is writing screenplays, while Rollins, Nicole Blackman, and Jim Carroll front rock bands. Despite the lack of staying power within the genre of spoken word, it still has a considerable hold in certain communities. Aloud: Voices from the Nuyorican Poets Café, edited by March 2012 Slam 21

important spoken word poets Bob Holman and Algarín, is perhaps the most complete guide to the 1990’s spoken word movement. Published in 1994 and currently on its third reprint, the book includes over one hundred poems and poets that have been featured at the Nuyorican Poets Café, which has been described as “arguably the leading venue for avant-garde downtown literary events” by the on-line New York City guide. The café was host to readings by such established poets as Ntozake Shange, Ginsburg, Gwendolyn Brooks, Amiri Baraka, and Adrienne Rich, as well as up-and-comers like Beatty, Estep, Bryant, Blackman, Kathy Ebel, and hundreds more. Aloud! includes poems by many of these performers, and has become popular in college classrooms because of its contemporary approach to poetry, as Professor Amy Darnell of Muskingum College in Ohio attested: “… I use this anthology to teach my college students that poetry DOES speak to you, IS about you and IS written by people like you. Poetry has a glorious tradition and the ‘now’ poetry of “Aloud” demands a place in that tradition.” The true goal of the spoken word movement was simple: to bring poetry back to the people. Algarín agrees, as seen in the following words about the Nuyorican Poets Café as a substantial breeding ground for the spoken word movement: “The philosophy and purpose… has always been to reveal poetry as a living art… Poetry is not finding its way, it has found its

way, back into everyday life. It is not only meaningful, it is also fun… It’s not a floating head above a lectern. It’s about getting people excited, about what you say and how you say it. The word is so good, it reminds you that no matter how bizarre life gets, you need poetry.” The 1990’s poetry, with its dynamic performers and subject matter that twenty-something people could understand and relate to, was an attempt to open up the world of poetry to an audience whose idea of the art form was derived from inert pages in a book. High school English classes often feature the ornate language and subject matter of such authors as John Keats and

22 Slam Slammagazine.com

Alexander Pope, who to some students seem eons away from the present. The spoken word movement in the 1990’s made poetry exciting again, so exciting in fact that MTV executives took notice and eventually provided spoken word with its most influential vehicle for mass market exposure. The cable channel’s interest in the spoken word poetry movement was fleeting, but substantial. It began with a highly successful Spoken Word Unplugged special

Suheir Hammad (above) performed “What I will” about the resistance to the Israeli war machine and occupation of Palestine on Def Jam Poetry in 2003.

that showcased such flamboyant and charismatic entertainers as Estep, Reg E. Gaines, Hall, Dana Bryant and erstwhile rocker Henry Rollins. The show was a success, and one MTV exec proclaimed it, “One of our proudest moments,”. The reason for this interest from MTV and its viewers in the poetry movement is not difficult to ascertain. Estep’s bitingly funny odes to a man she has a crush on, like “The Stupid Jerk I’m Obsessed With” (Appendix I, III) and her satirical views of sexuality, as in “I am the Sex Goddess of the Western Hemisphere,” (Appendix I, II) were subjects that the average MTV viewer could appreciate and accept. The same is true all the other poems performed, like Holman’s “The Point” (Appendix I, III), Hall’s ironical “Let’s Have Sex”(Appendix I), and Dana Bryant’s wistful “Heat” (Appendix I, III). “Most of the poems won’t endure for decades, and why should they? Their purpose is different,” said Caryn James of the New York Times, and she shares a philosophy with many in the spoken word community. James continues in her glowing review of Spoken Word Unplugged with the following: “’Unplugged’ assumes that rap is street poetry and that street poetry is a vocal, visceral expression of contemporary life… The ‘Unplugged’ special grasp(s) the importance of this vibrant, essential and growing means of selfexpression. These entertainers blur the line between literature and pop culture in a way that defines the times. Something more than show biz is going on. After the special, MTV’s support continued only for a brief time. Estep and Reg E. Gaines were featured prominently in “Fightin’ Wurdz” sound bites in between programs, one of which included Estep’s 30-second “Vegetable Omelet” poem (Appendix III). Appearance by videos from Estep and John S. Hall’s King Missile on Beavis and Butthead helped boost their popularity immensely. Estep’s video for her hilarious “Hey Baby” (Appendix I, III) was chosen as a Buzz Clip on the channel. Estep seemed tagged for heavy rotation as the channel tried to proclaim her as a “Patti Smith for the ‘90’s”, while MTV sponsored a spoken word tour for Hall. Still, continued MTV support was

difficult to come by, as the channel eventually started to feel that poetry was a very small market. Hall explained this situation: “MTV tends to be fairly capricious. I did a spoken word tour that MTV sponsored, and I think it would have been successful if they hadn’t charged such a high price (a show that could have been put on for 500 dollar a night cost the venues 3 or 4 thousand, of which the performers made very very little money) … they lost interest after a couple of years. It’s a shame, but at least they tried, for a while.” Spoken word had a few more shots at mainstream popularity, like a regular slot at the Lollapalooza Rock

I will not dance to your war drum. I will not lend my soul nor my bones to your war drum. I will not dance to your beating. I know that beat. — Suheir Hammad in “What I Will”

Tour’s third tent, but things never took hold. It is unclear why the spoken word movement never really took off, particularly in radio. Hall’s “Detachable Penis” topped the college radio charts in 1994, the only poem ever to top any radio chart, but highly-acclaimed releases from Estep and Bryant failed to spark much radio interest. “People’s ears do somersaults when they hear the p-word, I guess. It’s a tough task, poeticizing the system, and the TOUGHEST is the music biz,” says Holman. Estep took advantage of the MTV exposure to release two spoken word albums in the mid-1990’s. The first release, No More Mr. Nice Girl, did “respectably.” Reaping some of the rewards from the MTV exposure, she garnered an opening slot touring with

Courtney Love’s band Hole and received critical accolades with her vivid and funny poetry. “She’s the anti-Stevie Nicks, shaking her bad-hair-day hair and waving her arms like a homeless schizophrenic doing Lady Macbeth,” said Ben Xavier of the New York Press. “Her story-songs are accessible, full of energy, fueled by a fantasy life full of grotesque cartoons, body functions, and twisted reprieves from sexual harassment.”” Another critic, reviewing a concert, also discussed Estep’s merits as a poet and performer: “Leading a three-piece band and prowling around the stage with the energy of a punk rocker, Maggie Estep spoke, sang and screamed poems that combined the personal and the political with a cynical, razor-sharp wit.” Despite all of this, Estep’s latest release, Love Is a Dog from Hell, fell victim to lack of faith from her record company and lack of advertising. The album’s lead single failed despite a video directed by hipster actor Steve Buscemi, which never found its way onto MTV. Still, Estep takes her lack of success on the radio in stride. She has since released a highly-praised debut novel, Diary of an Emotional Idiot, and is working on two more. “Before becoming somewhat known as a spoken word person, I was strictly a prose writer and I have returned to this. By temperment (sic) I am slightly reclusive and a novelist. The dog and pony act happened by accident and was an incredibly use tool - and an interesting artform - but you’d have to torture me or pay me a million dollars to get me to slam nowadays.” Estep continues to philosophize on the state of spoken word poetry: “It (spoken word) doesn’t generally translate well onto recordings nor can one base films or sitcoms upon it - it’s a bit ephemeral and although exciting enough to interest MTV execs, not able to transcend what it is: SPOKEN WORD, not something that holds up to repeated viewing or listening as it is best appreciated LIVE and often doesn’t sit right on the page. l

March 2012 Slam 23

Cusstomize your poetry the right way

Spoken word poetry is filled with emotion, which often prompts profanity. How much is too much? Saul Williams, spoken word poet, answers this question and tells us how to use swear words meaninfully.

BY ELLEN HESS

24 Slam Slammagazine.com

oetry has always been an oral art form, going back in history to the time of Homer reading “The Odyssey.” Poets, storytellers, and other troubadours would travel from town to town, reading their work and getting their poetry heard. This oral tradition sprang from necessity, as it was not possible to print hundreds of copies of poems, and reading them aloud was the only method people could experience the works. With the advent of such technology as the printing press, however, the art form of oral poetry gave way to the more practical process for getting poetry heard: publishing the poems. Oral poetry was not necessarily replaced by written poetry, but the focus did shift away from the immediacy of reading the work aloud to the more profitable and longer lasting option of getting the poems published. There have been a number of efforts to bring oral poetry back into the popular consciousness since this time. African Americans combined strong oral and musical traditions with call-and-response methods of communication to provide a genesis for contemporary African-American poetry. Other ethnic groups, like Native Americans, have also used oral and storytelling traditions to form formidable poetry roots. More conscious efforts occurred in the middle of the century, when the Beat Poets endeavored to bring poetry back to its oral roots and traditions. It was a renewed fascination with the Beats in the 1990’s that was an important catalyst for an oral poetry movement that swept through the United States youth culture scene. The Beats were a non-conformist community of writers and poets that became famous in the post-war years of the 1950’s and 1960’s that consisted of Allen Ginsburg, Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs, and others. Railing against the academic world and society’s norms, their poems were not only meant for publication, but also intended for performance. This has a number of similarities with the 1990’s

oral poetry movement, something that is not lost on Ginsburg: “The … movement comes out of the Beats, but with rhyme.” Indeed, the 1990’s movement helped the Beats gain in credibility, with Ginsburg having a popular spoken word MTV video, Burroughs poeticizing in a duet with Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain, and Kereouac having a tribute album that featured rock stars and actors reading his poems aloud (Appendix III). The term given to this visceral, in-your-face style of contemporary

lot.”. John S. Hall, another important name in the spoken word movement who has enjoyed radio airplay with his spoken word band King Missile, said that spoken word is, “a blanket term that cover(s) monologues, poems, stories, rap, etc. I like the term precisely because it is so ambiguous and broad.” Hall brings up an interesting issues, that of rap music. Is rap music considered spoken word poetry? Some spoken word poets would disagree that rap music is spoken word. Bob Holman,

“Motherfuckers better realize, now is the time to self-actualize.” — Saul Williams in “Coded Language”

poetry of the nineties was spoken word. Up until then, the term only described non-music sections in music stores that contained non-music comedy, plays, or famous speeches. In fact, there have been a number of issues with the breadth of the term spoken word, which The New York Times has called “pointlessly stiff,” and the relationship of the term with poetry. For example, all poetry read aloud is spoken word, but not all spoken word is poetry. Sometimes, it is difficult to discern where spoken word ends and poetry begins. This issue of defining and classifying spoken word, and how much of spoken word can actually be termed as poetry, is a problem even for the artists themselves. Maggie Estep, perhaps the most famous spoken word poet to emerge from the MTV spoken word movement this decade, said in a personal e-mail interview that her work is “all prose.” Still, Estep has always been referred to in the past as a poet, appearing on Poetry Unplugged and the award-winning PBS series The United States of Poetry. She has also often defined Photo illustration (left) by Thomas much of her own work as poetry Young: As children we were taught not in the past, even being quoted to swear. As poets we are enourages to once as saying, “I sort of wrote color in the lines of our poetry within my first poem (emphasis mine) reason. so I could say the word cheese a

an integral and father-like figure of the spoken word poetry movement, has for years ran a series called “rap is poetry” and said, “A spoken rap, or hip-hop, is a form of poetry, in my opinion, and since it is spoken, it is spoken word poetry.” However, both Estep and Hall see a difference. Hall said, “Well, rap rhymes… I think rap is more musical, really. Rap is more like song. Spoken word is more like poetry. Spoken word generally is poetry. I used to use the term, spoken word, because I didn’t think I was good enough to call myself a poet. But I don’t just write poems; a lot of my stuff is in narrative form, so some of it’s more like little stories than poems… perhaps rap isn’t quite as diverse…”. Estep also brings up the point of rap rhyming and spoken word not necessarily rhyming and offers this analysis: “…white people rapping does not usually work whereas white people spoken wording does work… Rap is (generally) not PC and spoken word is extremely PC.” While the figures within spoken word may disagree, the general public seems to have made up its mind in saying that spoken word and rap are not the same, as the different sections in music stores attest. Still, there is no denying the strong connection between rap music and poetry, and many spoken word artists who read their poetry over a hip-hop.l March 2012 Slam 25

Writers find inspiration with their favorite caffeinated beverage by their side. Author Nancy Warren gives us details about on the grind writing. BY GEORGE RUBIO

nother artist who never escaped obscurity but deserved to was Dana Bryant, and her case represents record companies’ general lack of knowledge about how to market a spoken word artist. A tall, beautiful African-American woman, Bryant fit the stereotype of an R&B singer, and when record stores received her debut album Wishing From the Top, many copies were placed in that section. The only problem is that Bryant was more influenced by Ntozake Shanghe than Tina Turner. With vague statements like “funky poetry” and “combines jazz and rap,” press releases did not help either, only confusing radios shows and record stores as to how to promote Bryant. Thus, despite a charismatic and beautiful performer, fantastically reviewed live shows, and a catchy lead single (the superb poem “Heat” from Appendix I,III), Bryant’s recording career has stalled. Instead, Bryant has gone other routes, publishing her own book of 26 Slam Slammagazine.com

poems, entitled Songs of the Siren: Tales of Rhythm and Revolution, and making plans for a singing album. As Estep related earlier, other spoken word performers have branched out to other areas. Paul Beatty, arguably the best writer to come out of the spoken word movement, has had books of poetry and one highly-acclaimed novel published. John S. Hall, who says his latest album release Failure that “seems to have lived up to its title,” has published a poetry book. Beau Sia, an Asian-American who recently released his first spoken-word CD Attack! Attack! Go!, has garnered much more acclaim and popularity for his parody of Jewel’s poetry book entitled A Night without Armor II: The Revenge. Spoken-word poet Saul Williams is currently earning raves for his role in the poetry-themed film Slam. Holman, who just released his first spoken word CD this year, is teaching a course entitled “Exploding Text: Poetry in Performance” at Bard College. Sekou Sundiata draws heavily from

jazz, blues, and rap in his spoken word releases. Frequent spoken word artist Brenda Kahn (Appendix III) and even Ani DiFranco are known more as a folkrock singers. Gaines is writing screenplays, while Rollins, Nicole Blackman, and Jim Carroll front rock bands. Despite the lack of staying power within the genre of spoken word, it still has a considerable hold in certain communities. Aloud: Voices from the Nuyorican Poets Café, edited by important spoken word poets Bob Holman and

"Different venues offer different clientele and different clientele are involved in different dramAS. People and drama are what we write about.” —Nancy Warren

Another artist who never escaped obscurity but deserved to was Dana Bryant, and her case represents record companies’ general lack of knowledge about how to market a spoken word artist. A tall, beautiful African-American woman, Bryant fit the stereotype of an R&B singer, and when record stores received her debut album Wishing From the Top, many copies were placed in that section. The only problem is that Bryant was more influenced by Ntozake Shanghe than Tina Turner. With vague statements like “funky poetry” and “combines jazz and rap,” press releases did not help either, only confusing radios shows and record stores as to how to promote Bryant. Thus, despite a charismatic and beautiful performer, fantastically reviewed live shows, and a catchy lead single (the superb poem “Heat” from Appendix I,III), Bryant’s recording career has stalled. Instead, Bryant has gone other routes, publishing her own book of poems, entitled Songs of the Siren: Tales of Rhythm and Revolution, and making plans for a singing album. As Estep related earlier, other spoken word performers have branched out to other areas. Paul Beatty, arguably the best writer to come out of the spoken word movement, has had books of poetry and one highlyacclaimed novel published. John S. Hall, who says his latest album release Failure that “seems to have lived up to its title,” has published a poetry book. Beau Sia, an Asian-American who recently released his first spoken-word CD Attack! Attack! Go!, has garnered much more acclaim and popularity for his parody of Jewel’s poetry book entitled A Night without Armor II: The Revenge. Spoken-word poet Saul Williams is currently earning raves for his role in the poetry-themed film Slam. Holman, who just released his first spoken word CD this year, is teaching a course entitled “Exploding Text: Poetry in Performance” at Bard College. Sekou Sundiata draws heavily from jazz, blues, and rap in his spoken word releases. Frequent spoken word artist Brenda Kahn (Appendix III) and even Ani DiFranco are known more as a folk-rock singers. Gaines is writing screenplays, while Rollins, Nicole Blackman, and Jim Carroll front rock bands. Despite the lack of staying power within the genre of spoken word, it still has a considerable hold in certain communities. Aloud: Voices from the Nuyorican Poets Café, edited by important spoken word poets Bob Holman and Algarín, is perhaps the most complete guide to the 1990’s spoken word movement. Published in 1994 and currently on its third reprint, the book includes over one hundred poems and poets that have been featured at the Nuyorican Poets Café, which has been described as “arguably the leading venue for avant-garde downtown literary events” by the on-line New York City guide. The café was host to readings by

such established poets as Ntozake Shange, Ginsburg, Gwendolyn Brooks, Amiri Baraka, and Adrienne Rich, as well as up-and-comers like Beatty, Estep, Bryant, Blackman, Kathy Ebel, and hundreds more. Aloud! includes poems by many of these performers, and has become popular in college classrooms because of its contemporary approach to poetry, as Professor Amy Darnell of Muskingum College in Ohio attested: “… I use this anthology to teach my college students that poetry DOES speak to you, IS about you and IS written by people like you. Poetry has a glorious tradition and the ‘now’ poetry of “Aloud” demands a place in that tradition.” The spoken word movement of the 1990’s has not escaped criticism from the academic community. Admittedly it is not always serious and is influenced heavily by television and short attention spans, and these facts have drawn the ire of certain poetry purists. Harvard professor Helen Vendler is one of these dissenters: “I do not give the honorific name of `poetry’ to the primitive and the unaccomplished. The word ‘poetry’ is something we reserve for accomplishment. I make distinction between verse and poetry at the highest level.” Jonathan Galassi, President of the American Academy of Poets, has referred to this new spoken word poetry as a “kind of karaoke of the written word,” while legendary poet Baraka also looks upon it with disdain, despite his ties to the Nuyorican Poets Cafe: “I don’t have much use for them because they make the poetry a carnival … They will do to the poetry movement what they did to rap: give it a quick shot in the butt and elevate it to commercial showiness, emphasizing the most backward elements.” However, it should be noted that the Beat Poets, T.S. Eliot, and others have been criticized heavily before finally being adulated later, so criticism of new forms of poetry is nothing unusual within the academic community. One of those who was heavily scorned and then later canonized, Ginsburg, saw the parallels between the Beats and the nineties spoken word movement, and enjoyed spoken word’s emphasis on returning poetry to the masses. “This movement is a great thing: the human voice returns, word return, nimble speech returns, nimble wit and rhyming return. The movement is like a compost for poetry. It serves to cultivate in interest in the art by cultivating a great audience an audience of amateur practitioners.” The surge of interest in the spoken word poetry movement in the early 1990’s made an indelible impression, and artists still see it as positive despite certain limitations of the genre and lack of support from radio or MTV. Hall sees another outbreak of spoken word in the next few years: “I think actually a lot of groundwork has been laid, and there are a lot more local poetry scenes now than there were five years ago. To me, the way

Bestselling author Nancy Warren gives us details about people-watching in coffee shops providing her with stories. Photo by Jill Grey

this works is when small communities of writers get together and share work with each other, and that seems to be happening a lot more now than it was in the early 90’s. I think it is only a matter of time before this explodes.” Hall even sees possible future success of spoken word on radio, and guessed that Sia could be the genre’s next star: “…There are more spoken word records being made than ever before. When I first started making records, I was just about the only one doing it… Nowadays, there are probably ten, maybe twenty records a year that would fall under this category, and many of them are major labels. I am sure that soon, another star will emerge and break whatever records I may have set. My money is on Beau Sia.” Estep is not so sure about continued or revived success of spoken word. “It’ll keep bubbling just under the surface the way it does,” although she does see another surge in popularity in the next “10-15 or 20 years… In another generation the kids will get tired of what is in front of them and go looking for a more rootsy, ‘traditional’ amusement and thus spoken word will be ‘discovered’ again and then bubble back under.” The irrepressible Holman sees a rosy future for spoken word and poetry in general, and tends to focus on the breadth of mediums poetry can cover. “I think poems can translate to CD or page or film or website, that they can live there just as they live in books.” l

March 2012 Slam 27

contests By Jane Hunter

March featured contest

win prizes Participants in the Spoken Word contest perform poetry live for a chance to win grants to the college of their choice. The 2011-2012 Program will provide students with more than $450,000 in college grants, scholarships and prizes. Photos from top left to bottom right: Last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s final four contestants all won a monetary prize to fund their college tuitions: Joe Schultz (Second place), Ian Dickson (fourth place), Reggie Williams (first place) and Drew Ford (third place).

March 2012 Slam 29

contests Women of the World -Denver Poetry has always been an oral art form, going back in history to the time of Homer reading “The Odyssey.” Poets, storytellers, and other troubadours would travel from town to town, reading their work and getting their poetry heard. This oral tradition sprang from necessity, as it was not possible to print hundreds of copies of poems, and reading them aloud was the only method people could experience the works. Poetry has always been an oral art form, going back in history to the time of Homer reading “The Odyssey.” Poets, storytellers, and other troubadours would travel from town to town, reading their work and getting their poetry heard. This oral tradition sprang from necessity, as it was not possible to print hundreds of copies of poems, and reading them aloud.

Poetry has always been an oral art form, going back in history to the time of Homer reading “The Odyssey.” Poets, storytellers, and other troubadours would travel from town to town, reading their work and getting their poetry heard. This oral tradition sprang from necessity, as it was not possible to print hundreds of copies of poems, and reading them aloud was the only method people could experience the works. Poetry has always been an oral art form, going back in history to the time of Homer reading “The Odyssey.” Poets, storytellers, and other troubadours would travel from town to town, reading their work and getting their poetry heard. This oral tradition sprang from necessity, as it was not possible to print hundreds.

Albequerque Slam- N.M.

Mercury Cafe- Denver

VIP Slam- Houston Poetry has always been an oral art form, going back in history to the time of Homer reading “The Odyssey.” Poets, storytellers, and other troubadours would travel from town to town, reading their work and getting their poetry heard. This oral tradition sprang from necessity, as it was not possible to print hundreds of copies of poems, and reading them aloud was the only method people could experience the works. Poetry has always been an oral art form, going back in history to the time of Homer reading “The Odyssey.” Poets, storytellers, and other troubadours would travel from town to town, reading their work and getting their poetry heard. This oral tradition sprang from necessity, as it was not possible to print hundreds of copies of poems, and reading them aloud. 30 Slam Slammagazine.com

Accidental SlamEureka, Calif.

Full Moon Poets Encinitas, Calif. Poetry has always been an oral art form, going back in history to the time of Homer reading “The Odyssey.” Poets, storytellers, and other troubadours would travel from town to town, reading their work and getting their poetry heard. This oral tradition sprang from necessity, as it was not possible to print hundreds of copies of poems, and reading them aloud was the only method people could experience the works. Poetry has always been an oral art form, going back in history to the time of Homer reading “The Odyssey.” Poets, storytellers, and other troubadours would travel from town to town, reading their work and getting their poetry heard. This oral tradition sprang from necessity.

contests Sea Dog SlamHilsboro, Texas

The Fuze- Philadelphia

Respect da MicCharlotte, N.C.

Sacred Sound Saturdays Tampa, Fla.

Mental Graffiti- Chicago

Speak Poet! Lauderville, Fla.

speak your mind By Jen Freeman

he spoken word movement in the 1990’s made poetry exciting again, so exciting in fact that MTV executives took notice and eventually provided spoken word with its most influential vehicle for mass market exposure. The cable channel’s interest in the spoken word poetry movement was fleeting, but substantial. It began with a highly successful Spoken Word Unplugged special that showcased such flamboyant and charismatic entertainers as Estep, Reg E. Gaines, Hall, Dana Bryant and erstwhile rocker Henry Rollins. The show was a success, and one MTV exec proclaimed it, “One of our proudest moments,”. The reason for this interest from MTV and its viewers in the poetry movement is not difficult to ascertain. Estep’s bitingly funny odes to a man she has a crush on, like “The Stupid Jerk I’m Obsessed With” (Appendix I, III) and her satirical views of sexuality, 32 Slam Slammagazine.com

as in “I am the Sex Goddess of the Western Hemisphere,” (Appendix I, II) were subjects that the average MTV viewer could appreciate and accept. The same is true all the other poems performed, like Holman’s “The Point” (Appendix I, III), Hall’s ironical “Let’s Have Sex”(Appendix I), and Dana Bryant’s wistful “Heat” (Appendix I, III). “Most of the poems won’t endure for decades, and why should they? Their purpose is different,” said Caryn James of the New York Times, and she shares a philosophy with many in the spoken word community. James continues in her glowing review of Spoken Word Unplugged with the following: “’Unplugged’ assumes that rap is street poetry and that street poetry is a vocal, visceral expression of contemporary life… The ‘Unplugged’ special grasp(s) the importance of this vibrant, essential and growing means of self-expression. These entertainers blur the line between literature and pop culture in a way that defines the times. Something

more than show biz is going on. After the special, MTV’s support continued only for a brief time. Estep and Reg E. Gaines were featured prominently in “Fightin’ Wurdz” sound bites in between programs, one of which included Estep’s 30-second “Vegetable Omelet” poem (Appendix III). Appearance by videos from Estep and John S. Hall’s King Missile on Beavis and Butthead helped boost their popularity immensely. Estep’s video for her hilarious “Hey Baby” (Appendix I, III) was chosen as a Buzz Clip on the channel. Estep seemed tagged for heavy rotation as the channel tried to proclaim her as a “Patti Smith for the ‘90’s”, while MTV sponsored a spoken word tour for Hall. Still, continued MTV support was difficult to come by, as the channel eventually started to feel that poetry was a very small market. Hall explained this situation: “MTV tends to be fairly capricious. I did a spoken word tour that MTV sponsored, and I think it would have been successful if they hadn’t charged such a high price (a show that could have been put on for 500 dollar a night cost the venues 3 or 4 thousand, of which the performers made very very little money) … they lost interest after a couple of years. It’s a shame, but at least they tried, for a while.” Spoken word had a few more shots at mainstream popularity, like a regular slot at the Lollapalooza Rock Tour’s third tent, but things never took hold. It is unclear why the spoken word movement never really took off, particularly in radio. Hall’s “Detachable Penis” topped the college radio charts in 1994, the only poem ever to top any radio chart, but highly-acclaimed releases from Estep and Bryant failed to spark much radio interest. “People’s ears do somersaults when they hear the p-word, I guess. It’s a tough task, poeticizing the system, and the TOUGHEST is the music biz,” says Holman. Estep took advantage of the MTV exposure to release two spoken word albums in the mid-1990’s. The first release, No More Mr. Nice Girl, did “respectably.” Reaping some of the rewards from the MTV exposure, she garnered an opening slot touring with Courtney Love’s band Hole and received critical accolades with her vivid and funny poetry. “She’s the anti-Stevie Nicks, shaking her bad-hair-day hair and waving her arms like a homeless schizophrenic doing Lady Macbeth,” said Ben Xavier of the New York Press. “Her story-songs are accessible, full of energy, fueled by a fantasy life full of grotesque cartoons, body functions, and twisted reprieves.l