Poetry
Poetry: R.J. Wright x Xach Blunt – “I’m So Black” (Video)
February 3, 2020
It’s funny, then deep, then saddening, then we make it through… Let R.J. Wright and Xach Blunt take you through it with this “I’m So Black” piece.
– @ojones1
Mysonne Speaks And Spits Fire To Fire Up A Crowd Of Protesters (Video)
January 27, 2020
I have never been to a real rally rally. Know what I mean? But the energy that General Mysonne brought to the army of protesters gathered in the video above… I gotta believe that the feeling I got from this would be what I’d get from an event like that! Watch.
– @ojones1
Quelle Chris – “WYRM” (Video)
May 14, 2019
Out here writing, rapping, spitting ill poetic… and Quelle Chris still has one straightforward question: WYRM? “Will You Remember Me?” That is the question that pretty much every artist wants to be answered; even if they never explicitly express a desire to know.
“So many of my memories are collections of collages from home videos, photo books and boxes of developed pictures. The lucky few who have escaped the fate of moments lost in disposable cameras. VHS and mini cam tapes. Orphans of history without a home. This particular memory was captured on a Canon 814XL camera and shot with Kodak Super8. Through the lens of Grégoire Verbeke on a lovely afternoon in Brussels. A moment trapped in time. Ageless. Even as we fade. Will you remember?”
– Quelle Chris
– @ojones1
Posted in Hip-Hop, Poetry, Videos | 
Tags: Mello Music Group, Quelle Chris, Will You Remember Me, WYRM | 
No Comments »
Activism: Porsche Nicole Kelly Takes The Stage And Speaks On A Lot Of Ridiculous Things That Are NOT Funny (Video)
November 21, 2018
All of these are jokes, but none of them are funny.
Stop her if you have heard this one. Wait. DO NOT STOP HER! Let the poetic activist Porsche Nicole Kelly speak on this: “So a guy walks into a bar…A priest, a rabbi, and a minister walk into a bar… A White man with a Glock walks into a church…†#Jokes #NotFunny
MORE PORSCHE NICOLE KELLY ON INSTAGRAM
– @ojones1
Posted in Activism, Performance, Poetry, Politics, Shots, Videos | Tags: Abuse of authority, abuse of power, AmeriKKKa, anti-immigrant, brutality, Injustice, jokes, killing, mass killing, mass murder, Police brutality, Porsche Nicole Kelly, racial violence, Racism, social injustice, stop the violence | No Comments »
Poetry/Eye Candy: Telicia Da Poet – “Magical” feat. J’Nelle (Prod. By Alias Red/Zy0n) [Video]
October 19, 2018
Oh. Fam. You ain’t gotta tell ME how HOT poet Telicia Davis aka Telicia Da Poet is. She is “Magical” indeed! I have BEEN checking for her on her IG ever since she showed up on @IconicShoots (you’re already following that ‘Gram, right?).
Posted in Honeyz, Music, Poetry, Videos | Tags: Alias Red, Alias Red/Zy0n, J'Nelle, Magical, Telicia Da Poet, Zy0n | No Comments »
Being Broke: Ain’t That A Mother? (Video)
October 10, 2017
Issa Rae is always (1) looking super-cute and (2) saying something worthwhile (even when she is being funny). Here she explains to Roland Martin how she got something going when she had nothing in her pockets or going for her. Grind meets Creativity on the ultimate plane of existence; a ‘starving artist’ who found ways to feed herself… steak!
(Amazing what she did with a little lot of help from her friends.)
– @ojones1
Posted in Celebrity, Interview, Poetry, Television, Videos | Tags: Brokenness Can Fuel Creativity, Creativity, Issa Rae, Roland Martin | No Comments »
Watch A Presentation Of Langston Hughes’ Poem “Let America Be America Again” (Video)
July 11, 2017
Activist poet Langston Hughes wrote this poem, so the words are poignant and so on point. But respect to Oscar-nominated Alfre Woodard for speaking power to them! You feel the power, not by volume or forced tone, but the yearning and resolve she communicates as she reads…
“Let America be America again — the land that never has been yet — and yet must be.”
Appropriate. Just a week after America’s Independence Day. Watch, listen, feel, think. And when the opportunity comes (or you make it), ACT!
– @ojones1
Posted in Activism, Celebrity, Poetry, Videos | Tags: Alfre Woodard, Langston Hughes, Let America Be America Again | No Comments »
Maya Angelou: ‘And Still I Rise’ (Trailer)
May 13, 2017
Miss Calypso? Really?! Wow…Had no idea. And it’s a good bet there will be much more stuff many of us did not know about the late great Dr. Maya Angelou in the forthcoming “And Still I Rise” feature. Watch the trailer above.
Dr. Maya Angelou’s legendary writings including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Phenomenal Woman and On the Pulse of Morning are merely a few examples of how words can truly change the world. Although she is most well-noted for her poetry, Maya Angelou and Still I Rise celebrates her multiple talents including singing, dancing, filmmaking, academia and civil rights activism, how she inspired generations, pushed boundaries and never ceased in her long fight for freedom for all. Bob Hercules and Rita Coburn Whack’s extraordinary film seamlessly weaves the key messages of her poetry into the narrative of her life with rare archival footage, interviews and of course, recitals of her original works. Powerful, proud and prolific, Angelou’s story is one of true courage and creativity of a woman who fought for her beliefs and lived life to the fullest.
– HumanRightsFest
For more information, and the full program, go to www.hraff.org.au.
Posted in Activism, Celebrity, Dance, Film, History, Investigation, Poetry, Trailer, Videos | Tags: And Still I Rise, HRAFF, HRAFF 2016, Human Rights Fest, Human Rights Festival, HumanRightsFest, Maya Angelou | No Comments »
Stafford Battle – “MLK Mix”
March 31, 2017
Who really killed Dr. Martin Luther King? Who did it?!
Smooth with the undeniable roughness. Call for justice from Stafford Battle in the form of a battle hymn. Powerful song singing to the hearts of those who seek righteousness; especially those who can stand the heat, stay in the kitchen, AND stir the pot. And look, Dr. Cynthia McKinney, the firebrand politician and activist is definitely on board!
Have you heard ‘MLK Mix’ by Stafford Battle on #SoundCloud? This song is an absolute "must-hear." Still need justice.https://t.co/uTY2RRTXC2
— Cynthia McKinney PhD (@cynthiamckinney) March 31, 2017
Lots of revelations and little discussed facts in here, too.
Posted in Activism, Hip-Hop, Poetry, Politics, Videos | Tags: Cynthia McKinney, Dr. Martin Luther King, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Martin Luther King, Martin Luther King Jr., MLK, MLK Jr., MLK Mix, Stafford Battle | No Comments »
Kimeko Farrar – “Woman I Am” (Video)
March 23, 2017
Yes sir, and yes ma’am! I have been watching the moves of Kimeko Farrar from afar (because, hello… so smouldery smoking HOTT!), and have been impressed how she comes across as “all this and brains, too” time and time again. I have purchased and read her poetry, but this treasure I saw on my Facebook feed is EVERYTHING! ‘Phenomenal Woman’ level stuff! Press play above and see for yourself. Poetry beautifully brought to life on your screen.
Woman I Am is the title track from Kimeko’s debut spoken word album, Woman I Am. Woman I Am is a tribute to women. It acknowledges the beauty and strength of all women. The visual is all about fashion, fierceness and fun.
Below, after the jump, you can learn about and see more of Kimeko. Enjoy!
KIMEKO FARRAR – WOMAN I AM (ALBUM)
– @ojones1
Winning Performance: Tank And The Bangas (Video)
March 10, 2017
Meet New Orleans’ Tank and The Bangas — winner of the 2017 Tiny Desk Contest.
– PBS
Now you know we are all about the PBS ‘Tiny Desk Concert’ series on here. But who knew there was a contest and that a winning group like this would get pulled into the national spotlight?? Easy bet that Tank and The Bangas will be hitting more than a few more stages as more and more folks see what they can do in this clip. Looks like they are having fun and that they can bring the fun to any function. Check ’em out!
– @ojones1
Rapping Deconstructed: What Is So Great About The Greatest Rhymes And Rhymers Of All Time?
May 24, 2016
Get your notebooks and get on your think caps. This is a scholarly pursuit of RAP (as in ‘Rhythmic American Poetry) knowledge. All kinds of rhymers and rhyme styles studied – MF Doom’s to Rakim’s to Kendrick’s and back. A thorough rap analysis is encapsulated in the lesson module above. Press play and dig in deep!
Special thanks to the research of Martin Connor who was interviewed in this piece. More of his rap analysis can be found here: http://www.rapanalysis.com/
Posted in Education, Hip-Hop, Poetry, Videos | Tags: deconstructed, Rapping, The best rhymers of all time | No Comments »
Saul Williams – “Coltan As Cotton” (A Message From MartyrLoserKing) [Video]
July 13, 2015
Saul Williams conceived MartyrLoserKing’s title character, a cyber hacker living in the East African country of Burundi who builds a Frankenstein’s Monster-like super-computer from the parts of abandoned desktops, teaches himself how to code and develops an online cult following. He’s in love with a transgender woman named Neptune Frost and hosts a cryptic and anarchist podcast, through which his eventual hacks into Google and the Pentagon turn him into Public Enemy No. 1, a kind of militant Edward Snowden. Find here the seeds through which MartyrLoserKing is set to bloom.
– Tribeca
Posted in Poetry, Videos | Tags: A Message from MartyrLoserKing, Coltan, Coltan As Cotton, Cotton, Martyr Loser King, MartyrLoserKing, Saul Williams | No Comments »
Darius Simpson x Scout Bostley – “Lost Voices” (Video)
July 2, 2015
Watch ’em double up and switch up to bring awareness, style and rawness to Slam Poetry in another way. Darius Simpson and Scout Bostley speak for each other, and in so doing, show us the “Lost Voices” that result when society’s downtrodden do not get to express their struggle their way themselves. Good stuff! FREE download of the audio available.
Posted in Performance, Poetry, Videos | Tags: 2015 College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational, CUPSI, CUPSI 2015, Darius Simpson, EMU, Lost Voices, Poetry Slam, Scout Bostley | No Comments »
Samuel King – “What I Wasn’t Taught In School” (Video)
October 29, 2014
OMG! This was me in secondary school. Can’t help but laugh a bit. But this Samuel King… some serious business with the message he’s delivering in this dramatic spoken word piece delivered in a classroom setting.
A Spoken word short film for those frustrated at Black History teaching in schools. Disillusioned student Samuel King relays his grievances to his teacher that Black History Month isn’t taught with as much depth and with as much pride in schools. Samuel engages in a short rebuttal with his teacher, before arguing that education in school does little to satisfy his thirst for knowledge of influential people in Black history who seem to be elusive in the curriculum.
“There seems to be a lot you haven’t told us, and you shut down and hold back on the bold ones who stand against the way you’re trying to mold us.”
Great video. A must watch!
Posted in Activism, History, Performance, Poetry, Videos | Tags: black history, Samuel King, What I Wasn't Taught In School | No Comments »
Spoken Word Poetry: Prince Ea – “Michael Brown, Same Story” (Video)
August 18, 2014
Another timely find by our own @Carmen_Breezy.
Price Ea delivers a powerful spoken word piece (above) at the site of the shooting of Mike Brown, by officers to whom he was surrendering (e.g. putting his hands up). In short order, the Prince covers the angles… the humanity of the cops as well as the victim, the realization that rioting will not fix what is wrong in this case, and that maybe Brown was a robber caught by the authorities…maybe. But that was for a court to ultimately decide. And a court can’t rule if the accused is deceased. Now, the police would certainly not be held at fault for using lethal force if a suspect acts in a way that makes them feel they are in danger; but even civilians know a man putting his hands up is surrendering, not endangering anyone.
Matters not, because the police decided Brown’s fate that day. All we can do now is grieve and wonder. Sadly wonder.
Were this a rare instance – black male gets killed by cops – we might add shock to the grief and other feelings being suffered. But like Prince Ea poignantly points out: We are not even surprised anymore when this happens. In the grand scheme of things, that might be the saddest realization of all.
“Every few months it’s the same story…over and over…You remember Eric Garner.”
Divided Time (Documentary Preview Trailer)
June 19, 2014
A sneak peak at the latest from Atlanta filmmaker W. Feagins Jr.? Um yeah, gotta check for that ASAP. And now…you get your peak!
“Divided Time” explores how several Hip-Hop artists attempt to find a balance between the responsibilities of fatherhood and the demands of pursuing their dreams.
Also noted some buzz around the Interwebs about the Feagins film “Underexposed” (we posted on it here). A screening at Philly’s Black Star Film Festival. Nice!
Posted in Film, Hip-Hop, Human Interest, Lifestyle, Poetry, Videos | Tags: Def Poet Abyss, Def Poetry, Def Poetry Jam, Divided Time, Ekundayo, W. Feagins, W. Feagins Jr., wfjr, Will Feagins, Will Feagins Jr | No Comments »
Poetry: Abiodun Oyewole – “Something Beautiful” (Video)
April 4, 2014
Last Poet Abiodun Oyewole has a new book due out this Spring called Branches Of The Tree Of Life, a collection of poetry that spans more than four decades. To help promote the book, Vagabond Beaumont produced “Something Beautiful” – the first in a series of short films highlighting the life and poetry of Oyewole. Branches will be out soon, so keep an eye out for it… and for more Beaumont shorts in support of the book’s release.
