Spoken word
Encyclopedia
Spoken word is a form of poetry
that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary
. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events.
In entertainment, spoken word performances generally consist of storytelling or poetry, exemplified by people like Hedwig Gorski
, the originator of performance poetry
, the lengthy monologues by Spalding Gray
, and improvising ranters/commentators like Henry Rollins
.
and blues music.
Modern day spoken word poetry became popular in the underground African-American community in the 1960s with the Last Poets
. The Last Poets was a poetry and political music group that was birthed from the African-American Civil Rights movement.
Spoken word poetry came more towards the mainstream in popularity a short time later when Gil Scott Heron released his spoken word poem The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
on the album, Small Talk at 125th and Lenox
in 1970.
In the late 1970s Los Angeles poet Wanda Coleman
brought modern spoken word poetry into written form with the release of her poetry collection, Mad Dog, Black Lady in 1979 on Black Sparrow Press.
Spoken Word was adopted by college circles in the early 1980s to describe a new wave of performing arts that was birthed during Postmodern Art Movement.
Many artists and poets have not published any of their works in book forms. Some use video and audio recording, the means used exclusively by Hedwig Gorski
, who rejected what she called the "dull-drums" of book publishing in the 1980s. Spalding Gray
's film Swimming to Cambodia
is a well-known example of spoken word, with Gray siting at a desk, talking about his experiences during the filming of The Killing Fields
. Nevertheless, spoken word today is part of the oral culture movement spreading literary expression that includes all minorities and women, unlike the domination by the white male community as was case with the Beats in the 1960s.
The Nuyorican Poets Café
on New York’s Lower Eastside was founded in 1973 and is one of the oldest American venues for presenting spoken word poetry. The Nuyorican Poets Café in 1989 held the first documented poetry slam.
On the West Coast Da Poetry Lounge and The World Stage
are two of the oldest venues for spoken word poetry. The World Stage presenting the more literary side of the spoken word tradition and Da Poetry Lounge embracing the more performance side of spoken word tradition.
The Nuyorican Poets Café and Da Poetry Lounge have a close association with the poetry slam movement which was popularized by Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry
Lounge with both main hosts Bob Holman
and Shihan apprearing several times on the show.
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary
Social commentary
Social commentary is the act of rebelling against an individual, or a group of people by rhetorical means, or commentary on social issues or society...
. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events.
In entertainment, spoken word performances generally consist of storytelling or poetry, exemplified by people like Hedwig Gorski
Hedwig Gorski
Dr. Hedwig Gorski is an American performance poet and an avant-garde artist who labels her aesthetic as American Futurism...
, the originator of performance poetry
Performance poetry
Performance poetry is poetry that is specifically composed for or during a performance before an audience. During the 1980s, the term came into popular usage to describe poetry written or composed for performance rather than print distribution.-History:...
, the lengthy monologues by Spalding Gray
Spalding Gray
Spalding Rockwell Gray was an American actor, playwright, screenwriter, performance artist and monologuist...
, and improvising ranters/commentators like Henry Rollins
Henry Rollins
Henry Rollins is an American singer-songwriter, spoken word artist, writer, comedian, publisher, actor, and radio DJ....
.
History
Spoken word poetry originated from the poetry of the Harlem RenaissanceHarlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned the 1920s and 1930s. At the time, it was known as the "New Negro Movement", named after the 1925 anthology by Alain Locke...
and blues music.
Modern day spoken word poetry became popular in the underground African-American community in the 1960s with the Last Poets
The Last Poets
The Last Poets is a group of poets and musicians who arose from the late 1960s African American civil rights movement's black nationalist thread...
. The Last Poets was a poetry and political music group that was birthed from the African-American Civil Rights movement.
Spoken word poetry came more towards the mainstream in popularity a short time later when Gil Scott Heron released his spoken word poem The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
"The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" is a poem and song by Gil Scott-Heron. Scott-Heron first recorded it for his 1970 album Small Talk at 125th and Lenox, on which he recited the lyrics, accompanied by congas and bongo drums...
on the album, Small Talk at 125th and Lenox
Small Talk at 125th and Lenox
-Personnel:* David Barnes – percussion, vocals* Charlie Saunders, Eddie Knowles – congas* Gil Scott-Heron – guitar, piano, vocals* Charles Stewart – cover art* Bob Thiele – producer-External links:* at Discogs...
in 1970.
In the late 1970s Los Angeles poet Wanda Coleman
Wanda Coleman
Wanda Coleman is an American poet. She is known as "the L.A. Blueswoman," and "the unofficial poet laureate of Los Angeles."-Biography:...
brought modern spoken word poetry into written form with the release of her poetry collection, Mad Dog, Black Lady in 1979 on Black Sparrow Press.
Spoken Word was adopted by college circles in the early 1980s to describe a new wave of performing arts that was birthed during Postmodern Art Movement.
Many artists and poets have not published any of their works in book forms. Some use video and audio recording, the means used exclusively by Hedwig Gorski
Hedwig Gorski
Dr. Hedwig Gorski is an American performance poet and an avant-garde artist who labels her aesthetic as American Futurism...
, who rejected what she called the "dull-drums" of book publishing in the 1980s. Spalding Gray
Spalding Gray
Spalding Rockwell Gray was an American actor, playwright, screenwriter, performance artist and monologuist...
's film Swimming to Cambodia
Swimming to Cambodia
Spalding Gray's Swimming to Cambodia is a 1987 Jonathan Demme-directed performance film. The film is a performance of Spalding Gray's monologue which centered around such themes as his trip to Southeast Asia to create the role of the U.S. Ambassador's aide in The Killing Fields, the Cold War,...
is a well-known example of spoken word, with Gray siting at a desk, talking about his experiences during the filming of The Killing Fields
The Killing Fields
The Killing Fields are a number of sites in Cambodia where large numbers of people were killed and buried by the Khmer Rouge regime, during its rule of the country from 1975 to 1979, immediately after the end of the Cambodian Civil War ....
. Nevertheless, spoken word today is part of the oral culture movement spreading literary expression that includes all minorities and women, unlike the domination by the white male community as was case with the Beats in the 1960s.
The Nuyorican Poets Café
Nuyorican Poets Café
The Nuyorican Poets Café is a non-profit organization in Alphabet City, Manhattan. It is a bastion of the Nuyorican art movement in New York City, USA, and has become a forum for poetry, music, hip hop, video, visual arts, comedy and theatre.-History:...
on New York’s Lower Eastside was founded in 1973 and is one of the oldest American venues for presenting spoken word poetry. The Nuyorican Poets Café in 1989 held the first documented poetry slam.
On the West Coast Da Poetry Lounge and The World Stage
The World Stage
The World Stage is an educational and performance arts gallery in Leimert Park Village, Los Angeles. The Stage, as it is affectionately called, was founded in 1989 by the late jazz drummer Billy Higgins and by poet and community arts activist Kamau Daáood....
are two of the oldest venues for spoken word poetry. The World Stage presenting the more literary side of the spoken word tradition and Da Poetry Lounge embracing the more performance side of spoken word tradition.
The Nuyorican Poets Café and Da Poetry Lounge have a close association with the poetry slam movement which was popularized by Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry
Def Poetry
Def Poetry, also known as Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry or Def Poetry Jam, which was co-founded by Bruce George, Danny Simmons and Deborah Pointer, is an HBO television series produced by hip-hop music entrepreneur Russell Simmons. The series presents performances by established spoken word...
Lounge with both main hosts Bob Holman
Bob Holman
Bob Holman is a poet and poetry activist in the United States.- Career :After graduating from Columbia University in 1970, Bob Holman founded, with Sara Miles and Susie Timmons, the NYC Poetry Calendar, a free monthly publication with all the readings and poets "on the same page"...
and Shihan apprearing several times on the show.