Spoken word poetry at the V&A this Friday 28/6/13

FRIDAY LATE AT THE V&A

Come and see a one-off showcase of spoken word poetry from Angry Sam, Poetcurious, Keith Jarrett and Benny Diction, performing poems about Hackney, London and life from 6:45-7:15.

Free Admission

Out Spoken 26/2/2013

Out Spoken returned to The Star Of Kings for another rammed out night of spoken word poetry, hip-hop and live acoustic performances from:

Curious - http://www.artofcurious.blogspot.co.uk/ - @poetcurious

Kat Francois - http://www.katfrancois.com/ - @KatFrancois

GREEdS - http://www.iamgreeds.com/ - @iamgreeds

H.L.I - https://www.facebook.com/pages/HLI/128854530496063 - @HLI_Starship

Rufio Summers - https://www.facebook.com/OfficialRufioSummers - @RufioSummers

Jacob Banks - https://www.facebook.com/JacobBanksOfficial - @MrJacobBanks

Hosted by Anthony Anaxagorou and The Ruby Kid, Out Spoken brings together a loyal and diverse crowd of creative minds in a sometimes sweaty basement in the heart of Kings Cross. The vibe is lit-hop and the production is slickly managed by the hosts. The line ups are always varied and crammed and breaks are in short supply. However, the spectacle makes the knee ache worthwhile, and the whole thing is thoroughly documented thanks to Luigi Karim Elliot so you can watch back the highlights from the comfort of your sofa at a later date.

Out Spoken has been running for about a year and has quickly eared a reputation as one of London's freshest nights to attend or perform at!! Check facebook for the next Out Spoken event and book your ticket early!

Big thanks to Anthony and Ruby Kid for getting me down. Looking forward to the next one - soon come!!

In the meantime, enjoy these videos from February...

peaCe

When Words Collide on iPlayer + download

Last night's BBC Radio 1Xtra documentary, "When Words Collide, was a truly epic look at hiphop, poetry and education. Made by sound recordist and documentarian Nick Taylor, this programme featured the words and work of such luminaries as Chuck D, KRS One, TY, Mystro, Akala, Mos Def and Dels from the hiphop camp, and Kate Tempest, Angry Sam, Mark Grist, Deanna Rodger, Scroobius Pip, Polar Bear, Kat Francois and many more.

Stand out contributions came from Kate and Akala, whose linking of hiphop and poetry through time was enough to have a spoken word performer and hip hop head like me shouting, "Tell DEM!" at my laptop screen!

The show, presented by Nihil, is available to listen back on iPlayer

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Download link

Big props to everyone who contributed and especially to Nick for doing the damn thang!

peaCe

Human Writes 3 - THIS SATURDAY !!

Come and catch me performing alongside a whole host of poetry and hiphop talent this Saturday at Human Writes 3. Restless Beings are a charity working to raise awareness of human rights issues. They put on a sick party!! One not to be missed!

peaCe

"This Month" - Manorlogz BHM Special 2012

My installment for Manorlogz BHM Special, 'This Month' is one of my oldest poems but still seems relevant. Shout out to Gee; the folks at Vox Africa, Battersea Studios and all the poets who represented for this. Certainly wasn't the usual 'Windrush-waving' celebrations of struggle and oppression that has often constituted BHM's past. 

By engaging with this project I have had numerous conversations about the appropriateness and relevance of BHM. Where it easy to write the whole thing off as segregation and tokenism, it seems that there are new conversations arising amongst a broad range of artists, social commentators and anyone else who gives a stuff about the changing nature of BHM and especially around how it is changing and adapting, as the context in which black politics is enacted changes and crosses over with other non-black (but still marginalised) groups experiences of inequality and resistance. 

Perhaps BHM will come to be known as MHM (Minority History Month) or OHM (Oppressed History Month) and just very maybe, one day, the history of all people will be taught with parity and we can do away with the whole thing.

Next Gig: Friday 2nd November, Intimates at the Poetry Cafe, London. Hosted by Kat Francois.

Come get some curious...

Upcoming Gigs:


Friday 8th June @ SOAS. 8pm onwards. Free.
Supporting '3rd Floor' - retro-fresh hiphop soul and funk. Spokenword and beatbox set.


Tuesday 12th June @ The Recreation Ground, Camberwell Green. 7-midnight. £5
Christopher Logue tribute night hosted by Angry Sam Featuring: Kate Tempest and John Hegley.


Friday 22nd June @ D'Gaf, Stratford. 7-midnight. Details tbc
Charity event in aid of Syria.


Saturday 30th June @ Kingsbury High School. 2-6pm. Free
Summer Festival literary tent + open mic


Sunday 1st July @ The Yard Theatre, Queens Yard, hackney Wick. E9 5EN. Midday-11pm. £7
Lyrix Organix: Relay with Restless Beings. Hiphop and poetry night. Gonna be BIG!


Sunday 15th July @ Theatre Royal bar, Stratford
Intimates hosted by Kat Francois. Details tbc


...That's all for now!!


 Look out for videos with human rights charity Restless Beings as well as a chance to see me spit in 3D in the soon to be released Peckham BMX club documentary by JetSet films


Much love for everybody supporting; enjoy the new video clips for Good Enough and My Beauty Remains and I hope to see you at a gig soon! peaCe

*new poem* FLASH BANG LONDON

FLASH BANG LONDON

by poetcurious

In a flash London was back

Back on the map, back on track

Back to back but never back to that

Dark days of 2011;

Its 2012 and London is heaven

All sins forgiven; despite there being more poor in prison

Isn’t this an old one Stephen? Just being retold

For the new youth, while the new old, remember

Stories from days past

When 10 pence could make the day last

Where we walked slow and we prayed fast

How does this one end again? The detail escapes me,

But I see through their gloss; what dem posh wanna make me.

Still, the fireworks were excellent; emotional, expensive

Which in ‘these times of austerity’ makes me apprehensive

Can we afford this? Really though, can we?

If we can, then that’s all good

But can you stop trying to skank me? And thank me

Come hand me a couple of Olympic tickets

(something close to the finish line)

While I’m writing these slogans on placards and pamphlets

For colleagues who are standing on picket lines.

See, it’s just a whole lot of politics

I need someone to help me unpick it

We all gotta have our fair share of the glory

Or lets tell dem man where to stick it.

Still, the fireworks were excellent; the party more intimate

The purse string are tight and them clubs I’m not into it.

So we rave on in maisonettes

Pissing through the xmas debts

Cut the decks, place your bets and laugh off your losses

A punch of rum, some drum and bass

Your wifey whining on ya waist

A smile on every drunken face

For whatever life offers.

WORDAMOUTH IS BACK!!

More details soon, but after a long summer break WORDAMOUTH is back at a new venue in Old Street, bringing midweek party poetry vibes to all comers. Come and join us at the newly refurbished Bedroom Bar (63 Rivington Street) for the best in spoken word, storytelling, MCing, beatboxing, freestyling...you name it, we've got it! All backed by sick DJs spinning hiphop and eclectic breaks from beyond the crate. Simply put: WORDAMOUTH IS BACK!!*

*Start talking!!

WORDAMOUTH presents FreeStyles @ Favela Chic 8/3/2011

Wordamouth returns to Favela Chic for the second FreeStyles event. This time round it Johnny 'Fluffpunk' Seagrave, Dean Atta and Paul Cree supplying the lyrical content with Bobby Gandolf from The Worm and Anarkali Elektra bringing the party vibes until 1 am, all hosted by myself and Angry Sam. The restaurant is open from 6pm and you can reserve a table via the Favela website (www.favelachic.com).

This is top drawer poets and live DJs in a top London venue for FREE! Tell EVERYBODY!!

Hope to see you there. peaCe

That's the true blue tune that's tooting...

I compiled this in anger at Sky News' reporting of students protesting in Parliament square today as 'just idiots', performing what a Metropolitan Police spokeswoman described as, 'wanton acts of violence'. A little historical research could have better informed their expectations...

1910

1936

1959

1981

1985

1990

2010

The true blue reality of Conservative politics in Britain.

The robots are coming...

Well, it would seem that when voting, protest, poetry and music fail to change the tide of returning right-wing/dickhead (Tory/Lib Dem respectively) politics; our last chance for freedom might just be this pair of satirical robots, created by Giles Walker. Check out more of their views at "Now's the time", a new exhibition of post-graffiti (don't!) /streetart works by some really big and expensive names, including Jean Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Shepard Fairey, Swoon, Barry McGee, Faile, Os Gemeos and one very elusive gift shop owner. Prints will almost definitely make up the bulk of this show and turn the most coin. Personally, I'm getting a little tired of graffiti's rich relative's polite conversations, but at least they're still trying to speak.

The show is on now at The Black Rat Press - Rivington Street, London. EC2A 3AY

Far from Humdrum - Theophilus London

Just come across this guy on Babelgum:

Brooklyn-based hiphop poet and rapper, Theophilus London's raw blend of live electronica; pencil-sharp delivery and that geek-chic street intellectual honesty, make him an interesting commodity. Check out this promo, shot in the woods in Pennsylvania, where Theophilus grew up. It's a very different version of Humdrum Town to the on you can download for free from his label:

www.greenlabelsound.com

(Funk) in your trunk...

If you are around London this summer, try and get down to Green Park to check out my man Ashwan's submission for Elephant Parade London 2010.

Elephant what? (I hear you say):

Elephant Parade is a conservation campaign that shines a multi-coloured spotlight on the urgent crisis faced by the endangered Asian elephant. Brought to you by www.elephantfamily.org, the event sees over 250 brightly painted life-size elephants located over central London this summer.

- Ashwan spent a few days in earlier in the year painting Harry (as my daughters named him!) in my garage and on my driveway. It turned plenty of heads and broke the ice for more conversations with my local community and neighbours than is usual in North-West London. It was a treat to see it come to being; from arriving as a white cast to leaving as a "...In Your Trunk, Turn The Bass Up"; a funky-ass piece of hip-hop painting/sculpture, destined to bomb one of the Queen's gardens - now that's gettin' up!

When you find it, look close for the curious tag nestled between the layers - props for that Ash!

Check the method:

peaCe