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Poets tapped for slam with Malcolm Jamal Warner By Carla McCrary
Photo By Terry Gilliam
Some of the state's finest poets took the stage Saturday at the King Arts Complex in hopes of returning for a bigger engagement next month. The event was the third of three competitions in which they vied for spots in Slam, Jam & Jazz with Malcolm Jamal Warner, formerly Theo on The Cosby Show. Warner, the multi-talented actor, musician and poet who gained fame as Theo on The Cosby Show, will host and perform at the slam on Nov. 14, at the King Arts Complex, 867 Mount Vernon Ave. Though the crowd was small on Saturday, there was no lack of enthusiasm from the poetry lovers. They cheered on every act with excitement and booed if they didn't agree with the scores given by the judges. In opening, hip-hop, soul group G. Finesse and the N.S. Crew livened the crowd with its dynamic act. For all the true hip-hop fans out there, if you love the rap groups The Roots and Slum Village, this is the band for you. Renowned spoken-word artist William Evans hosted the event along with Nick Brown. Evans set the mood for some much-needed poetic therapy for the soul. Dim, red lighting, candles and sounds of smooth jazz created a warm and inviting ambiance for the night. Some of the poets in the competition spit out tongue twisters and alliteration like verbal vomit, while others took a more docile approach. Either way they got their points across while expressing their feelings and raising social and political consciousness.After two rounds of battling it out, the top five poets, actually six, were chosen for the November slam. Tying in fifth place were Ethan Rivera and Izetta Thomas, whose pieces were inspired by love and "life in general." Fourth, Kyla Young, an African American Studies major at Wright State University. Young, who is white, gave an insightful reading of her piece The Wake Up Call. She recalled witnessing black youths struggling and sadly making little effort to strive for empowerment. So she said "excuse my white face"…"hear me out" in an effort to do her part and get people to "wake up." Third, was Michella Minter, who received much praise from the audience for her inspirational words. A bold "say it!" sprung out of the crowd as Minter ministered to the people. She has the ability to move people because she has "just been through a lot," said Minter. She has even spent several months in a homeless shelter but says that God brought her through. Mild-mannered Wali Crowder, also known as "Mr. Nice Guy," finished second. His lyrical delivery engaged the audience in his recitation about violence and injustice in America. The occasion was special for Crowder because his father was able to see him perform for the first time after several years of incarceration. First place winner Barbara Fant spoke about "the personification of a bi-racial police officer," whose experiences showed different sides of racial and social issues that often divide urban communities. A dark vision in which Fant saw images of crows and black feathers inspired another piece that dealt with today's youths and the hardships they face.
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