by Nikki Riles
Somewhere along the way we obtained this idea about poems. In some space between fourth period English and Simpsons reruns we came to accept that the art of poetry as a vaguely academic, largely self-indulgent, medium that has far surpassed its appeal to a wider audience. If you live near a metropolitan area you’re probably at least aware of the slam scene. Or even if you don’t. It’s a growing medium that’s received national attention thanks in part to HBO’s television series Def Poetry Jam, artists like Annie DeFranco, and President Barak Obama’s White House Poetry Jam back in 2009.
But in case you haven’t heard: slam poetry is the art of performance poetry. It perpetuates the tradition of the beatnik poets of the 50′s and 60′s. The poet takes center stage and is expected to make their words come to life. You might see beat boxing, screaming, music accompaniment, and sometimes a mix of all three. I’m going to run you through the basics and introduce you to some of my favorite and more prominent slam poets. But the thing to remember is that when slam poetry is done right it’s meant to push boundaries and challenge convention. If you don’t find something that you like here there is a plethora of poets out there trying to create something that will blow your mind.
Poets:
Andrea Gibson
Currently residing in Boulder, Colorado, Andrea Gibson won fourth place at the National Poetry Slam, third place at the Individual World Poetry Slam (twice), and was the first poet to ever win the Women of the World Poetry Slam in 2008. Her work is often serious and soul shattering. She writes about gender norms, politics, and her experiences being gay. When I first stumbled onto her work I remember thinking, it’s almost like she’s channeling the pain and outrage of entire communities and vocalizing it with one tiny lesbian body. She is a master of language and watching her perform is like watching a building burn. There’s not much you can do but sit back, hold your breath, and watch it build to its crushing conclusion.
Carlos Andres Gomez
A two-time International Poetry Slam Champion, Carlos draws most of his poetry from his life. He calls on his experiences as a social worker, teacher, and activist. It’s really hard to listen to his work and not get riled up. His words often flow flawlessly and builds ceaselessly. He speaks really candidly about aids, racism, and a world that just doesn’t appear to get it. You can feel the frustration in his voice and the passion that hangs on every word. If Andrea Gibson is the feeling of a conflagration then Gomez is the rumble of an escalating battle.
Big Poppa E
A resident of Austin, Texas, Big Poppa E is a National Slam Champion and has appeared on HBO’s Def Poetry Jam three times. His style is lighter and uses humor to balance out the emotional. His work often discusses love, gender norms, life, and his connection to it. It’s peppered with flawless timing and a keen sense of self-awareness. He doesn’t hold back and engages the audience with everything he’s got. You’ll often watch laughing and end up with a tender feeling of connectedness.
Taylor Mali
Taylor Mali is a four-time National Poetry Slam Champion, he’s appeared on Def Poetry Slam three times, and has been performing in the slam poetry scene for 11 years. If slam poetry were to have a recognizable rock star it’s probably Taylor Mali. Makes sense. He’s a master of his craft and knows how to absolutely own a stage. His style manages to be humorous and still seem urgent. I feel Mali is at his best when his poems are the stage equivalent of a bitch slap. When he uses the force of his words to call out and put foes in their place. This isn’t to say that Mali’s other works aren’t entertaining to watch. He can just as easily have you contemplating your own mortality. But he truly shines when he takes on this aggressive form of performance.
Alix Olson
If the word vagina makes you at all uncomfortable – spend an hour listening to Alix Olson. I absolutely promise you that you’ll walk away desensitized. There is a light and just genuine fun nature about Alix’s work. But it’s grounded with a clear message and the substance of questioning societal norms. Apparently she’s been accused of being too “angry” (see her poem Subtle Sister) but I don’t see it. She’s obviously speaking from a place of outrage during most of her performances but she balances it with a style that’s more than easy to take in. She writes about politics, feminism, being gay, and the female experience. And uses words like vagina, cunt, and tampon liberally.
How a Slam Works:
If you didn’t find anyone above that sparked your interest google your closest city and poetry slam. In most metropolitan areas something is going to pop up and this is really the best way to experience poetry. Go to a bar or cafe and listen. You’ll be supporting local artists and you never really know what’s going to come up on stage. These events are either going to be more of an open mic night (poetry jam) or you will experience the more controversial aspect of this form of poetry – competition (poetry slam). Slams take place with judges and all of the poets are competing for top honors. These competitions can lead to teams of poets who are then sent to the National Poetry Slam competition to represent their city. It’s where a lot of the poets above earned some of their stage cred.
Slams are somewhat controversial because of the idea that you can’t really compete in art. One poets body of work is different from the next and from the next. There is a fear within the community that the competition aspect creates a world where genre boundaries could become rigid and the voice of slam poetry could start to sound too unified. Experimental poets might not be met with the open minds that they need to succeed and say something important. This makes sense and I sympathize with it to a certain extent. However there is something universal in the act of pleasing an audience and honing an experimental voice until it has the power to win over an otherwise unreceptive crowd. It also leads to one of my favorite components of slam poetry: group work.
Group Performances:
Something magical happens when you shove together a group of poets who might not otherwise want to work together – and force them to create something. The result can be a finely crafted piece where all of the performance components hum in sync. When writers take the time to find out where there styles and voices merge it’s well worth the effort of trying to figure out which poet “wins” at a smaller slam.
(Note: the title frame is wrong in the above video. This is actually “Dunbar” and not “N1663r”)
However, if these groups are thrown together by competition alone it can equal heartbreak. You could fall in love with a style or group dynamic only to have it end as soon as the competition is closed. But even this is bittersweet because it leaves you feeling as if you are a select witness to art that is entirely genuine.
At its core what I think is the greatest thing about the slam poetry scene is the fact that it makes you feel as if poetry can and does belong to the masses. It’s not just carefully selected verse written by rich white guys who died years before. A lot of times we seem to forget that the reason classics are classics is because they communicate. They create a dialogue with the reader that sparks emotion, stirs the soul, and causes reflection. This brand of poetry may never reach the notoriety or scholar of, say, William Butler Yeats and it may never be mindlessly mainstream enough to be broadcast after Glee. But at the end of the day it creates the unique experience of being truly engaged as an audience member.
