For all lovers of word in the tri-state area, check out this new poetry night hosted by nonother than the famous (infamous?) Elament! Knowing him, this night will not disappoint!
More details below -
This is the night where ATL, LA, & New York hits Cincinnati.
Elament, Lady J, the Divine Prince Hakiym, J Rodge, & DB team up as (****COLLECTIVE MINDS****) tO BRING Thursdays Night BACK
YOUR WEEKEND STARTS HERE
Live band* 8:30-10pm
Poetry* 10pm-12am
A Live Dj* 12am-2am
Only @ MIXX ULTRA LOUNGE
EVERY THURSDAY STARTING MAY 21ST
You can also check out this video for a preview of what to expect. Elament really knows how to speak from the heart!
Have you ever wondered what the top 50 poems of ALL.TIME are?!?! I'm not really sure how they came up with this list, but I guess all lovers of poetry should get hip to the poets on here. Some of the poems on this list are the absolutely hottness. Some of these were news to me...but all of them are worth your time:-)
I could take the Harlem night and wrap around you, Take the neon lights and make a crown, Take the Lenox Avenue busses, Taxis, subways, And for your love song tone their rumble down. Take Harlem's heartbeat, Make a drumbeat, Put it on a record, let it whirl, And while we listen to it play, Dance with you till day-- Dance with you, my sweet brown Harlem girl.
Anyone remember when this Tyra-frenzy was the buzz up and down the streets? I re-discovered this piece that I saw live a few years ago. So so good! I don't support the title, which I believe was chosen purely for shock value, but the message is crystal clear and 100% on-point. William Evans rocked this out! let me know what you think...
"you saying big is beautiful as in big is good for you but im tyra f-ing banks!"
I stumbled upon this wonderful word-smith in a Columbus restaurant that is no longer open...at a poetry night that has long passed. But, even then, he moved me. Three years from that time, it almost feels like i dreamt it all, but his words...man! Those were real. And his voice...beautiful. Ed Mabrey represents that time when poetry truly stole my heart...I would go to his Black Pearl poetry nights and emerge from the experience (it was always an experience) with my face streaming with tears. No. Joke. Ed, and the craft that he has worked for years to master, cut me to the heart every time and remind that there is still beauty in this world...
Among his many accomplishments, Ed is a national slam champion and a top ranked national poet (8th out of 400 poets). He isn't playing around with this poetry thing...and it is clear by this great performance.
I fell in love with this man during spring break a few years back. I was flipping through channels on my friends TV when I realized that he had HBO (yay!!) and the Def Potry Jam was on (greater joy!!). When Carlos walked up to the stage and started speaking, I was totally spellbound. His words hit me so hard that I had to rewind it a few times.
This man is a genltle genius who weaves words together with deliberate beauty. If you don't know, please get hip to it!
By Sarah Higginbotham on February 1st, 2007 Brass Magazine
Carlos Andrés Gómez has a way with words. He's been called a prophet, praised for his powerful message on and off stage. The 25-year-old award-winning poet and actor has made it to the National Poetry Slam Championships twice, performed on HBO's Def Poetry Jam and grabbed a leading role in Spike Lee's blockbuster, Inside Man. If you haven't heard this "spoken-word" artist on Telemundo or the MTV-U-sponsored Fight Apathy Tour, you might have heard of him: His performances generated over $40,000 to fight HIV/AIDS. Straight from the mouth of this former social worker and teacher comes a message about speaking up, making a living as a modern-day poet and helping others.
1. Prophet: One gifted with more than ordinary spiritual and moral insight; especially: an inspired poet.
He stands luminescent under the spotlight, eyes glowing. His hands whip left and right. The audience holds their breath as words flip off the stage, potent in their honesty and raw emotion.
On stage or off, Carlos tells it like it is. In the world of poetry slams, where energetic poetry performances are scored Olympic-style by audience members, Carlos learned to drop verse as entertaining as any Top Forty rapper.
"Some like it spelled out," he almost whispers in a performance of his poem breath stroke. "But my love doesn't speak literacy, and these metaphors don't sing literally, and these stanzas aren't about imagery or simile. Quite simply this is about a feeling..."
On the slam stages he found a platform to talk about issues he cared about, making us re-think our views on HIV/AIDS, violence, racism and poverty. "Often times the greatest writing is putting down on paper what you know you shouldn't write," Carlos says. "The greatest writers, the greatest painters, the greatest artists, are the ones that are putting down the last thing in the world that you should put down."
OMG friends!! I try to go to this poetry spot every time I'm in the city, but something else always comes up. boo... At least i get to live through this bad a$$ chicas. Watch as the ladies of the Chicas Project explore the historic space, learn the fundamentals of spoken word and create their own great pieces for the stage!
In general, I love girl power poem, but must admit that I love them even more when men are championing our cause:-) In our hyper-masculine world, it takes a man with some serious nerve to stand up, speak out, and walk beside us. Bravo to the young poets in this vid. "This is what a feminist looks like!"
