Spoken word poetry television series
Def Poetry Jam Presented by Mos Def Country of origin United States Original language English Production Producer Russell Simmons Original release Network HBO Release 2002 (2002 ) – (2007 )
Russell Simmons presents Def Poetry Def Poetry Jam Def Poetry spoken word poetry television series hosted by Mos Def and airing onHBO between 2002 and 2007. The series features performances by established and up-and-coming spoken word poets. Performances also included special appearances by well-known actors and musicians, as well as occasional performances by Mos Def himself. Co-created byBruce George ,Danny Simmons , Deborah Pointer,Stan Lathan , andRussell Simmons , the show is aspin-off of the popularDef Comedy Jam
The series included historical legendary poets such as The Last Poets,Nikki Giovanni ,Amiri Baraka , andSonia Sanchez . It also featured poets,Saul Williams ,J. Ivy ,Jessica Care Moore , Lemon and openly gay poetEmanuel Xavier . Though technically not apoetry slam ,Def Poetry has become heavily associated with thepoetry slam movement, and utilized many ofpoetry slam 's best-known poets, including National Poetry Slam champions such asBeau Sia ,Taylor Mali ,Big Poppa E ,Mayda Del Valle ,Mike Mcgee ,Alix Olson andRives , among others. Even poets who are critical of thepoetry slam , such asJohn S. Hall , have acknowledged slam's influence on the show. In a 2005 interview, Hall was quoted as saying:
It's true that I was onDef Poetry even though I've never slammed. I'm probably the only person to be on there who hasn't slammed. And I think most people onDef Poetry have won slams or done well in slams. And, all of them, except the special guest stars, the celebrities, are writing slam poems and performing slam poems onDef Poetry , so to me,Def Poetry is still extremely slam-informed, and I think it will probably always be. What they say aboutDef Poetry is that it wants to bring an urban feel. And to me, they don't mean black or Latino, or non-white. What they really mean is, a rhythm of poetry that comes out of theNuyorican Poets Cafe , that came out of the slams.[ 1]
In a 2005 interview,Bob Holman , who founded theNuyorican Poets Cafe 'spoetry slam and appeared on Season 4 of the show, applaudedDef Poetry , noting:
I'm real happy poetry is on television. My hat is off to Russell Simmons, who has found a way to get poems on HBO in a way that feeds his own business. It gives him the back credentials for his hip-hop label, and at the same time he's magnanimous towards the art of poetry, giving us a place like that. It's a great, great moment, just asDef Poetry Jam on Broadway was a great moment, too. Not sinceNtozake Shange 'sFor Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf [ 2]
However,Marc Smith , the founder of the Poetry Slam movement, is more critical of the program. Smith decries the intense commercialization of the poetry slam, and refers to Def Poetry as "an exploitive entertainment [program that] diminished the value and aesthetic of performance poetry."[ 3]
In November 2002, a live stage production,Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam , opened onBroadway . Directed byStan Lathan , the show featured poetsBeau Sia ,Suheir Hammad ,Staceyann Chin ,Lemon ,Mayda Del Valle ,Georgia Me , Black Ice,Poetri Smith , and Steve Coleman. The show ran on Broadway until May 2003, and won a 2003Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event.[ 4]
Def Poetry premiered on HBO in 2002 and the latest season to air (Season 6) premiered in February 2007. As of summer 2008, there has been no word about the possibility of a Season 7. Starting in 2008, producers ofDef Poetry (including Simmons,Stan Lathan , andKamilah Forbes ) developed and broadcast the HBO poetry showBrave New Voices Def Poetry , with teenage poets competing and backstage scenes.[ 5]
Steve Colman – I Wanna Hear a Poem Georgia Me – Full Figure Potential Vanessa Hidary - Culture Bandit Lemon – Shine Nikki Giovanni – Talk to Me Poem, I Think I've Got the Blues Black Ice – Bigger Than Mine? Suheir Hammad – First Writing Since Taylor Mali – What Teachers Make Yellow Rage – Listen Asshole Jewel – Poem SongFlow Mentalz – They Call Me Drama Sonia Sanchez – Poem to Some WomenShihan – This Type Love Dawn Saylor – When I Was 14 Kayo – Who Am I? Mayda Del Valle – Descendancy Poetri – Money Jessica Care Moore – Warriors Walk Alone Dave Chappelle – The Corner StoreAmiri Baraka – from Why is We Americans?Liza Jessie Peterson – Ice Cream Fiend Kevin Coval – Family Feud Beau Sia – Asian InvasionJason Carney – Southern Heritage Thea Monyee – Woman to Woman Sekou Sundiata – Come on and Bring on the ReparationsMarty McConnell – Give Me One Good Reason to Die Twin Poets – Dreams are Illegal in the Ghetto Jamie Foxx – Off the Hizzle for ShizzleLemon – Where I'm From and A Toast Bassey Ikpi – Sometimes silence is the loudest kind of noiseTaylor Mali – Totally like whatever, you know?Regie Cabico – What kind of guys are attracted to meHaki R. Madhubuti –The B Network Rat Sack – I'm Losing You Talib Kweli Ishle Yi Park – All I have ever done is write you love poems Shihan – Say What? Suheir Hammad – Not Your Erotic, Not Your Exotic Big Poppa E – Wussy BoyLa Bruja – WTC Anthony Morales – Story Avenue Stuck Amalia Ortiz – Some Days Oscar Brown Jr. – I ApologizeFelipe Luciano – Jibaro, My Pretty Nigger MuMs – PloylessnessAmanda Diva – Hot Shit Malik Yusef – I SpitAsha Bandele – Morning Was My Mentor Malcolm Jamal Warner – I Love My WomanSekou the Misfit – I'm a Rapper Steve Connell – Why Not Wine Coolers Georgia Me – NigGods Louis Reyes Rivera – Bullet Cry Jessica Care Moore – I'm a Hip Hop Cheerleader Keith Murray – Man Child. Denizen Kane – Lost and Found Staceyann Chin – If Only Out of VanityBig Rube – Alphabet Acrobat Wood Harris – Night SongGoldie – No title Regie Gibson – For James Marshall Hendrix Joy Harjo – A Poem to Get Rid of Fear Linton Kwesi Johnson – If I Was a Top-notch Poet Black Ice – Lone Soldier Rives – Sign Language Helena D. Lewis – Stank Breath Poem-cees – Power Mutabaruka – Dis PoemDaniel Beaty – Duality DuelRupert Estanislao – Empress Jill Scott – Nothing is for NothingSuheir Hammad – We Spent the 4th of July in BedMayda Del Valle and Lemon – Tito Puente Flaco Navaja – Kids Don't PlayGemineye – Poetic Bloodline Ursula Rucker – Get Ready Michael Ellison – Light Skin-did Ishle Park – PussyRas Baraka – American Poem Dana Gilmore – Wife, Woman, Friend Common – God is FreedomPoetri – Krispy Kreme Emanuel Xavier – TradicionesMarc Bamuthi Joseph – For PopRichard Montoya – Miami Vanessa Hidary – The Hebrew Mamita Danny Hoch – PSA Bassey Ikpi – HomewardLemon – Gangsta MCs Steve Colman – Terrorist Threat Roger Bonair-Agard – For Trent LottFrenchie – Fucking Ain't Conscious Geoff Trenchard – Of Copper Chipped Teeth Chinaka Hodge – Barely AudibleQuincy Troupe – Forty One Seconds in June, in Salt Lake City, Utah (for Michael Jordan)Dufflyn – Single Life MuMs – Brooklyn QueenKevin Coval – Jam Master J Beau Sia – LoveShihan – Sick and Tired Jason Carney – Out Here Gina Loring – Somewhere There Is a Poem Kanye West –Self Conscious Jamie DeWolf (formerly Jamie Kennedy) – Grim Fairy TaleBao Phi – You Bring Out the Vietnamese in MeRoscoe P. Coldchain – Trouble Mayda Del Valle – Mami's Makin' Mambo Buju Banton – How Long Maggie Estep – Happy Malak Salaam – Warrior's Love Joel Chmara – Sweet Tooth Tollbooth School Year Flowmentalz – The Payphone Saul Williams – Coded LanguageGeorgia Me – Hit Like a Man Deb Young – Children of a Lesser God Smokey Robinson – A Black AmericanDaniel Beaty – Knock, KnockRives – Kite Nafessa Monroe – White Mark Gonzales – As with Most Men Zena Edwards – LaughOscar Brown Jr. – Children of Children Amalia Ortiz – Women of JuarezBlack Ice – Or Die MC Lyte – I Was BornPoetri – Dating Myself Julian Curry – Nigger, Niggas, Niggaz Ishle Park – Open Letter to Soldier Taylor Mali – Like Lily Like Wilson Adele Givens – That Shit Ain't FunnyKevin Coval – My g-dself Loose Yolanda Kae Wilkinson – Circa Valentine's Day Amir Sulaiman – DangerFloetry – Everybody Heard Lemon – Love Poem Regie Cabico – You Bring Out the Writer in Me Rafael Casal – Abortion Kim Fields – How ComeReg E. Gaines – I Don't Feel Like Writing Jon Goode – Barbara Dana Gilmore – Wife, Woman, Friend, Pt. 2 Rita Dove – Black on a Saturday Night Talib Kweli – Lonely People Flaco Navaja – Revolution Liza Jesse Peterson – WaitressRobert Karimi – Get Down with Your Catholic Muslim Self Triple Black – Love Poems Bonafide Rojas – In front of the Class Laura "Piece" Kelly – Central District BessKepp – Rotten Pomegranates Michael Franti – Rock the Nation Ruby Dee – TupacGeorgia Me – Bitch Ass Nigga Jus Cus – Homeland Security J. Ivy – Dear FatherMarlon Esquerra – Morning Papers Marvin Tate – My Life to the Present Martin Espada – Imagine the Angels of Bread Alix Olson – America on Sale Mos Def – Pornographic Content Ani DiFranco – Coming Up Mike Epps – I Love the HoodMayda Del Valle – Hood Days Andy Buck – *69 Faraji Salim – Star Spangled Banner Bob Holman – Rock & Roll Mythology Patrick Washington – Letter to the Editor Tara Betts – SwitchPaul Flores – Brown Dreams muMs – The Truth Parts I & II Buttaflysoul – Queer Eye Dead Prez – 4 the Hood Beau Sia – I'm So DeepAysiha Knight – UntilBuddy Wakefield – Convenience Store Shihan – The Auction Network Miguel Algarin – Met Walking Kendra Urdang – To Every Man Who Never Called Himself a Feminist Speech – Night Time Demons Red Storm – My Debut Universes (poetic theatre ensemble) (Steven, Mildred & Gamal) – Don't FrontCommon – A Letter to the Law Tommy Bottoms – Basic Economics Staceyann Chin – Three Frenzied DaysJoe Hernandez-Kolski – CoolMarc Batmuthi Joseph – Move Denizen Kane – Love Song Aya De Leon – Cellulite Musiq – Pieces of this LifeMos Def – My Life is Real Yusef Komunyakaa – The Sure Beat Beau Sia , Georgia Me,Suheir Hammad – First TasteAl Letson – The Ball the Rim and HimDan Sully and Tim Stafford – Death From Below Georgia Me – For Your Protection John Legend – AgainCaroline Harvey – Spoons Bounty Killer – Look Into My Eyes;Bassey Ikpi – I Want to Kiss YouWill "Da Real One" Bell – Diary of the Reformed Alicia Keys – P.O.W.Reg E. Gaines andSavion Glover – Pawn Shop Tommy Chunn – Computer Wordplay Scorpio Blues – Second Guessing Gemineye – Penny for Your Thoughts Emanuel Xavier – Nueva YorkMayda Del Valle – To All the Boys I've Loved Before Rev. Run – Peter PiperAulelei Love – Same Cell, A Poem for Women in Prison Mike Booker – Hoodology Smokey Robinson – Gang Bangin'Poetri – Driving Sharrif Simmons— Fuck What You Heard Michael D. Ellison – Mezeker Means to RememberPhylicia Rashad – On Status (byVivian Ayers )Ratsack – Free the Toes Abyss – She Kevin Coval – Nothing Fight Mollie Angelheart – Psychotic Bitch Flomentalz – Talkin' to God Thea Monyee and Gaknew – A Different World Wyclef Jean – ImmigrantNayeli Adorador-Knudsen – Priceless Michael Cirelli – Love Song for Kelis M'Reld – Ready for Love Red Storm – Snake in the Grass Kelly Tsai – Aftershocks Paul Mabon – The Toothbrush Kevin Derrig – Andrew Mighty Mike McGee – LikeNarubi Selah – Uncle Benz Ise Lyfe – Popular DirtKanye West – BittersweetUrsula Rucker – What a Woman Must DoRafael Casal – Barbie and Ken 101 Terry Creech – Lost Bird Thadra Sheridan – Bad Boyfriend Beau Sia – Hip HopShihan – In Response Sonia Sanchez – Our Vision Is Our VoiceAmir Sulaiman – She Said, I Prefer A Broken Neck... Lemon and Flaco – Boriquas Preach R Sun – Cotton Steve Connell and Sekou The Misfit – America Calls Big Poppa E – Poem For A FriendAmanda Diva – 40 Emcees Al B. Back – Super Negro Sista Queen – Try Being A Lady Jerry Quickley – 3-Part Bitter X-girlfriend #167249-B Oscar Brown, Jr. – This BeachStaceyann Chin – A City In TragedyBrother J – AtlanCommon – Be KnownGina Loring – You Move Me Rock Baby – That Sweet That Funk Chinaka Hodge – Cousin Denizen Kane – Patriot ActSekou Sundiata – AmmanKristiana Colon – From the Clay Jimmy Tran – Mediocre Penis Flaco Navaja – Dimple Eve Ensler – My Father's HouseBlack Ice, Poetri and Shihan – We Are Men DMX – The IndustryBig Mike – SexyAsia – The Waiting Hour Dan Vaughn & Dasha Kelly – Six Million Kelly Tsai – Grey Matter Red Storm – Black Barbie Doll Shanelle Gabriel – Why I Love You Idris Goodwin – What is They Feedin' Our Kids Jill Scott – Ain't a CeilingSarah Kay – HandsRiva & Sciryl – My Best Friend (Hip Hop) Rafael Casal – First Week Of A Break-Up Meilani Clay – Lost Shihan – Father's Day Shannon Matesky – My Space Carlos Andres Gomez – What's Genocide Carole King – TouchstoneNatalie Stewart – Her StoryJamal Joseph – Ricky Do & The 4th Of JulyOveous Maximus – Salcedo's Breakdown Sonya Renee Taylor – ConnectionsAnis Mojgani – For Those Who Can Still Ride an Airplane for the First TimeRives – Dirty TalkMush – Next Wednesday Joe Hernandez-Kolski – No Disclaimers African-American Shakespear – Will You Be There David Banner – What About UsSunni Patterson – We Made It Big Poppa E – PropersBassey Ikpi – Apology To My UnbornAlvin Lau – What Tiger Said Saddi Kali – Goin' Platinum In 2 Days Liza Garza – My Everything Lamont Carey – I Can't Read Brian Dykstra – Pushing Bush Vanessa Hidary – Phd In Him Basikknowledge – Numbers George Clinton – Dope DogChance the Rapper will host this season.[ 6]
^ Aptowicz, Cristin O'Keefe. (2008).Words in Your Face: A Guided Tour Through Twenty Years of the New York City Poetry Slam. Chapter 27: Slam's Biggest Non-Slamming Icon Speaks; John S. Hall Takes on Everything Rights But Mostly Wrong With the Slam.Soft Skull Press , 288.ISBN 1-933368-82-9 ^ Aptowicz, Cristin O'Keefe. (2008).Words in Your Face: A Guided Tour Through Twenty Years of the New York City Poetry Slam. Chapter 26: What the Heck Is Going On Here; The Bowery Poetry Club Opens (Kinda) for Business. Soft Skull Press, 288.ISBN 1-933368-82-9 ^ "Archived copy" . Archived fromthe original on July 18, 2011. RetrievedJuly 16, 2010 .{{cite web }}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link )^ New York Times List of 2003 Tony Award Winners^ "HBO: Brave New Voices: About" .www.hbo.com . Archived fromthe original on April 3, 2009.^ Hipes, Patrick (July 14, 2017)."Chance The Rapper Eyed To Host 'Def Poetry Jam' Reboot For Russell Simmons & HBO" .Deadline . RetrievedJuly 16, 2017 .
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