Spoken word soul
Encyclopedia
Spoken Word Soul is a contemporary, eclectic blend of Poetry
, Jazz-funk
, Electronica
or acoustic Country soul music elements that originated in the African-American community. The style is largely considered to be an underground offshoot of the Neo Soul
movement from the 1990s and became very popular around 2000 to the present. Poets Amiri Baraka
, Gil Scott-Heron
, The Last Poets
, The Watts Prophets
developed the art-form in the 1970's.
From origins in Mid 20th century Beatnik
culture & Jazz poetry
associations, Spoken Word Soul music has become very popular today as indie
artists (Musicians, Singer-songwriters, Poets) & their eclectic
fans, dissatisfied & frustrated with current major Media offerings & commercial radio programming began utilizing the
power of the internet
to globally connect directly with other fans & artists. As a result, the Genre has become an international "Underground culture
" of sorts via the use of various Internet Radio
programs & Podcasts, blog
s, social networks and download sites such as Facebook
, Myspace
, You Tube, London
's Solarradio.com, CDBaby & Apple's iTunes
, etc. Recording artists like Maggie Estep
, Meshell Ndegeocello, Jill Scott
, Floetry
, & Ursula Rucker
are considered the recent "progenitors" of this genre, while Indie (Unsigned
) acts such as Detroit bred-Atlanta, Ga based artist Abyss, Chicago's own Tara Betts
, Cincinnati acts like Vernon (Elemant), Wayne "Box" Miller, "Gifted", Lady J, along with Kim "DuWaup" Bryant, "Mizzan", "Jori Cotton", "L.I.F.E.", Symana "She-Speaks", "Loe" & Ty Stuckey push the poetic "envelope"...Kentucky
's "Black Falcon" & "NAM", Berkeley, California
based artist & radio personality Epiphany, Fayetteville
, North Carolina
's Val "Imani" Jones, famed L.A.-based Actor/Poet-Bassist Malcolm Jamal Warner, Indy's "Tasha Jones" Nashville's Rashad"thaPoet" and others are constantly releasing powerful, thought provoking blends of original Poetry
& music "fusion
", all while expanding the Genre worldwide. "It's still evolving", says Shades of J Guitarist
"Dee M", "It's Real. Spoken Word Soul
has been around for years & will Always be relevant."
Print
hardcover (Flammarion)
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...
, Jazz-funk
Jazz-funk
Jazz-funk is a sub-genre of jazz music characterized by a strong back beat , electrified sounds, and often, the presence of the first electronic analog synthesizers...
, Electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
or acoustic Country soul music elements that originated in the African-American community. The style is largely considered to be an underground offshoot of the Neo Soul
Neo soul
The term neo soul was originally coined by Kedar Massenburg of Motown Records in the late 1990s as a marketing category following the commercial breakthroughs of artists such as D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and Maxwell...
movement from the 1990s and became very popular around 2000 to the present. Poets Amiri Baraka
Amiri Baraka
Amiri Baraka , formerly known as LeRoi Jones, is an American writer of poetry, drama, fiction, essays, and music criticism...
, Gil Scott-Heron
Gil Scott-Heron
Gilbert "Gil" Scott-Heron was an American soul and jazz poet, musician, and author known primarily for his work as a spoken word performer in the 1970s and '80s...
, 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 Watts Prophets
The Watts Prophets
The Watts Prophets are a group of musicians and poets from Watts, Los Angeles, California. Like their contemporaries, The Last Poets, the group combined elements of jazz music and spoken word performance, making the trio one that is often seen as a forerunner of contemporary hip hop music...
developed the art-form in the 1970's.
From origins in Mid 20th century Beatnik
Beatnik
Beatnik was a media stereotype of the 1950s and early 1960s that displayed the more superficial aspects of the Beat Generation literary movement of the 1950s and violent film images, along with a cartoonish depiction of the real-life people and the spiritual quest in Jack Kerouac's autobiographical...
culture & Jazz poetry
Jazz poetry
Jazz poetry is poetry that "demonstrates jazz-like rhythm or the feel of improvisation". During the 1920s, several poets began to eschew the conventions of rhythm and style; among these were Ezra Pound, T. S. Eliot, and E. E. Cummings...
associations, Spoken Word Soul music has become very popular today as indie
Indie (music)
In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....
artists (Musicians, Singer-songwriters, Poets) & their eclectic
Eclecticism
Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single paradigm or set of assumptions, but instead draws upon multiple theories, styles, or ideas to gain complementary insights into a subject, or applies different theories in particular cases.It can sometimes seem inelegant or...
fans, dissatisfied & frustrated with current major Media offerings & commercial radio programming began utilizing the
power of the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
to globally connect directly with other fans & artists. As a result, the Genre has become an international "Underground culture
Underground music
Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...
" of sorts via the use of various Internet Radio
Internet radio
Internet radio is an audio service transmitted via the Internet...
programs & Podcasts, blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
s, social networks and download sites such as Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
, Myspace
Myspace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
, You Tube, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Solarradio.com, CDBaby & Apple's iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
, etc. Recording artists like Maggie Estep
Maggie Estep
Maggie Estep is an American poet and writer. She has published six books and released two spoken word albums: Love is a Dog From Hell and No More Mr. Nice Girl.Estep was born in 1963 in Summit, New Jersey...
, Meshell Ndegeocello, Jill Scott
Jill Scott
Jill Scott is an American soul and R&B singer-songwriter, poet, and actress. In 2007, Scott made her cinematic debut in the films Hounddog and in Tyler Perry's feature film, Why Did I Get Married? That year, her third studio album, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3, was released on...
, Floetry
Floetry
Floetry was a British R&B duo comprising Marsha Ambrosius and Natalie Stewart . The group recorded two studio albums, one live album, and sold over 800,000 records worldwide. Formed in 1999, Floetry started on the performance poetry stage.In 2002, the duo released their first album entitled, Floetic...
, & Ursula Rucker
Ursula Rucker
Ursula Rucker is an American spoken word recording artist. Rucker is known for a diverse repertoire, and for utilizing techniques that catch her listeners' attention.-Biography:...
are considered the recent "progenitors" of this genre, while Indie (Unsigned
Unsigned artist
The term "unsigned artist" or "independent artist" is used in the music industry as a marketing technique.-History and current scene:Many unsigned artists used to sell their music and music-related merchandise without the financial support of a record label, while often seeking a recording contract...
) acts such as Detroit bred-Atlanta, Ga based artist Abyss, Chicago's own Tara Betts
Tara Betts
Tara Betts is the author of the book Arc & Hue, her debut collection on the Willow Books imprint of Aquarius Press. In 2010, Essence Magazine named her as one of their "40 Favorite Poets"....
, Cincinnati acts like Vernon (Elemant), Wayne "Box" Miller, "Gifted", Lady J, along with Kim "DuWaup" Bryant, "Mizzan", "Jori Cotton", "L.I.F.E.", Symana "She-Speaks", "Loe" & Ty Stuckey push the poetic "envelope"...Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
's "Black Falcon" & "NAM", Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
based artist & radio personality Epiphany, Fayetteville
Fayetteville
Fayetteville is the name of a number of places in the United States of America. Many are named for General Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, a French officer who fought under General George Washington in the American Revolutionary War....
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
's Val "Imani" Jones, famed L.A.-based Actor/Poet-Bassist Malcolm Jamal Warner, Indy's "Tasha Jones" Nashville's Rashad"thaPoet" and others are constantly releasing powerful, thought provoking blends of original Poetry
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...
& music "fusion
Fusion (music)
A fusion genre is music that combines two or more styles. For example, rock and roll originally developed as a fusion of blues, gospel and country music. The main characteristics of fusion genres are variations in tempo, rhythm, i a sometimes the use of long musical "journeys" that can be divided...
", all while expanding the Genre worldwide. "It's still evolving", says Shades of J Guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
"Dee M", "It's Real. Spoken Word Soul
Spoken word soul
Spoken Word Soul is a contemporary, eclectic blend of Poetry, Jazz-funk, Electronica or acoustic Country soul music elements that originated in the African-American community. The style is largely considered to be an underground offshoot of the Neo Soul movement from the 1990s and became very...
has been around for years & will Always be relevant."
- Beat Culture and the New America 1950-1965 published by the Whitney Museum of American Art in accordance with an exhibition in 1995/1996—ISBN 0-87427-098-7 softcover, ISBN 2-08-013613-5
hardcover (Flammarion)
- Sanders, Ed Tales of Beatnik Glory (second edition, 1990) ISBN 0-8065-1172-9
- The Word Is Here: Poetry from Modern Africa. New York: Anchor, 1973.
- When the Clouds Clear. Johannesburg: Congress of South African Writers, 1990.
- Approaches to Poetry Writing. Chicago: Third World, 1994.
- To the Bitter End. Chicago: Third World, 1995.
- If I Could Sing: Selected Poems. Roggebaai, South Africa: Kwela and Plumstead, South Africa: Snailpress, 2002.
- Eargasms:Crucialpoetics." Mike Ladd, Saul Williams, Shariff Simmons, Brad Walrond, Carl Hancock Rux, Vybe Khameleons, Tai (Grfx) Allen, Rha Ghodess, Jessica Care Moore, Native Sun et al.
- Easy Listening For Armageddon Mike Ladd with guests muMs, Shariff Simmons, Jessica Care Moore, Latasha Natasha Diggs, grfx, beans, high priest(Mercury 1997)
- Jazz Poet's Society." JPS f/danja mouf, grfx, unspoken heard (Fifth Child 2000)
External links
- Interview with Gil Scott-Heron from December 11, 2007
- Saul Williams at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
- Official website of THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ALLEN GINSBERG
- Bob Kaufman: The Jazz Poet of the Streets
- Bob Kaufman at the Beat Museum
- Selected works by Langston Hughes
- Jazz Poetry @ All About Jazz
- Official website