I powerwalked from the train to make it in line before the crowd arrived. It was Friday Night Slam at the Nuyorican Poets’ Cafe. 10:00pm. I trembled in the brisk air before making my way inside where I was met by a bulky, bearded man who exclaimed, “Thirteen dollars!” over the loud music. The venue was small with dim lighting, bricks walls surrounding the bar, a DJ booth, and a makeshift stage. On the walls were pictures of well-known spoken word artists from Sav Williams to Falu. The VIP line filled all of the seats, so I stood against the DJ booth, not too far from the stage. There had to be over 150 of us crammed into the cafe before the MC Jive Poetic opened the show. “What’s up everybody? Welcome to the Nuyorican Poets’ Cafe! Who’s ready for tonight’s slam? Let me hear you say ‘yeah’!”
Seated to the right of the stage were the three poets who were competing for that night’s slam and the featured artist, Jamaal St. John. A New Rochelle native, Jamaal is a performance poet who has been at it for over fifteen years. He holds the record for being the Nuyorican Grand Slam Finalist five times and was crowned Nuyorican Slam King in 2000. He has been featured on Def Jam Poets and has competed in poetry slams throughout the US and Canada. He is also the author of the poetry chapbook, The Horror & The Hype and host of The Relationship Forum, which is held in Albany. I have always been a fan of his artistry, watching numerous YouTube videos and religiously visiting his website to read his work. This was the first time I would see him perform; excited was an understatement.
As the crowd finally settled after dancing to the Nuyo’s warm-up song, Poison by Bell Biv Devoe, Jamaal took the stage. He started his set with three short poems, or serials. “Haikus but doper” as he called them. He then went into a poem named “An Open Letter from Spike Lee to Tyler Perry.” It encompassed the struggles of the Black male fighting off stereotypes and one’s inability to grow. A surreal moment for me. I was hearing the voice behind that brilliant piece of work. As I took video of it with my phone, I shouted and snapped my fingers. Jamaal finished his set with two more poems, which led to the slam.
My favorite artist of the three who competed was Heath Legend. He had a rhythmical style of poetry; I could hear a beat as he spoke. His pieces were smooth yet gritty. At the end of the three rounds, he was the winner. The highlight of the night, however, was seeing Jamaal.
I really enjoyed my night at the Nuyorican Poets’ Cafe. I got to experience many styles of poetry through spoken word. I enjoyed the atmosphere filled with art from the decorated brick to the words that came out of the artists’ mouths. Seeing so many people spellbound by someone’s words amazed me. There is no need for a beat; poetry is a form of music on its own. Words carry a melodic tone. I ended the night with three videos, a tight hug from and picture with Jamaal St. John. I highly recommend the Nuyo for all who seek a place to chill, have fun, and become engrossed in “words of art”.
[It’s the red NYX lip gloss for me.]
Til the year of 2014 flies,
Ella.
The Daily Ella 