Philly stand up!!!
Yo Viz, Rahnda, Reuben - we were there!!!

Congrats to Greg.
Here is the commercial below - I'm getting hype just watching it.

http://www.hbo.com/events/bravenewvoices/index.html

Yeah I saw a commercial for this on the telly the other day. Proud of the youngins. They issue quiete a challange to the older poets to dig deeper and STOP TALKIN BOUT THE SAME ISH!!!!

whisper, I can't agree with you more. Me and Traycee talked about that all the time last year. The ONLY thing that motivated me to write and push forward with this were the youngins. Everytime I heard them spit, I had to go home and put something on paper. I'm so proud to have been a part of that. And I'm so happy for Greg because he put a lot of sweat into this. We'll never know how much he sacrificed for those kids.

I was just talking to alyson and thinking the same thing - might have to get cable just for this!

my kids will be happy. i'm going to get some premium channels just for this (so i hope my kids don't get used to it b/c as soon as it's over, the cable will be gone.)

another option could be that we have viewing parties at different places (perhaps when they show the reruns cuz i know folks aren't beat to drive late on a school night.)

i'm SO proud of the youth poets. they're not boxed in the way many of the older poets are and they ARE inspiring and quite literally amazing. (and i only went to a handful of events.)

i can appreciate greg's commitment because i tried to organize a team in AC when i worked at the boys & girls club and there was NO support. and unfotunately for the kids, i wasn't in a place where i could make the sacrifies in my life to make it happen for them. so i bow to greg for his sacrifice, commitment to the youth, and perserverance in getting it done.

I am in in complete awww...

I was actually talking about this with a couple people at work and told them to view it too. I love new poets. I agree about the boxed in issue. But to the boxed in poet....that's all on you. That ain't got a damn thing to do with the rest of us. Read a damn new book, expand ya damn life and stop being a effin' coward and other bull$#!+. Some poets spend sooooooooooo much time trying to get applause that they swagger jack until their poems sound like canned speaches. Sometimes you just gotta say fuck it and spit some hearty ish instead of that watered down trash juice. Feeling this way though let's me know it's time for me to head back to the stage. Imma let it build up a bit longer though cause if I come to a venue and don't hear one new piece when I ain't even been in a spot for over a year!?! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooo!!!!! Anyways, offah me. These youngins, I love their poetry. There's so much to say about it. For instance, most of them aren't trying to be famous poets. Alot of them are in school or they wanna do other ish. They write what they see and what they feel. And their writting a performing gives us sooooo much hope because of how negatively so many haters speak of our youth. They have so much to offer the world. Plus they write and perform the way youngins live their lives....like they have nothing to lose and will never die. It's like they sayin' eff the world and pullin the sheets back on ish that people have been tryin to hide for years. I LOVE IT!!! Cause I don't give a damn either. As a poet who is growing in wisdom, notice I didn't say getting older cause I just get better....yeah Im an arrogant ass but atleast I know it...well whenever I hear a young poet spit something moving I'm just like beaming.....it makes you feel like all the community work was worth it. Going to the centers talking to the kids....working at the centers....spitting for the kids....holdin' cyphers on the block....bringing a youngin to the lab.....sittin' and writting with a youngin....stayin up late night talkin to youngins....speakin to youngins on the block....keeping your promises to them....that hell even if that ain't your youngin up on that stage...you feel proud. Like poetry is worth somethin besides another means for communications companies, promoters, and wanna bes to exploit art. If one can put a thousand to flight...then 2 can put 10 thousand.

Whisper... what you just said!

I was at the College & University Nationals Slam over the weekend at Penn. F'in incredible. They spit with wreckless abandon. Like it's the last piece they'll ever spit. I just sat there and ate up every moment. That, along with Greg's kids make me remember why I started in the first place.

It's funny you mention the "most of them aren't trying to be famous poets" thing. Josh Bennet, who is arguably the best of the best in his age range came in 5th place last year at the Individual World Poetry Slam in Charlotte. Someone walked up to him, congratulated him, and said (I'm paraphrasing), "Welcome to your life." I guess homie thought he was being deep or some shit but Josh looked at him like he was crazy. Josh is a student at UPenn and his dreams are greater than just being a nationally known poet.

Can't wait for this to air!

http://www.hbo.com/events/bravenewvoices/index.html

commercial...

Still in awww....

I BEEN AROUND THESE KIDS SINCE 06 CONGRATS TO THEM AND JUS GREG JOB WELL DONE.BERNARD COLLINS,AMUN,VISION,LYRESPECT, LOCAL POETS AND TAALAM, QUEEN SHEBA ,13 NAZERETH NATIONAL POETS AND SO MANY MORE WHO ARE VERY DIVERSE.AS A POET WHO STILL GOES OUT THREE TO FOUR NIGHTS A WEEK.WHAT I FIND IS NOT SO MUCH SAME ISH POETS BUT GOOD GREAT,BAD AND MARGINAL POETS.LISTEN AS PEOPLE WE HAVE MANY OF THE SAME STRUGGLES SO YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE POETS DOING THE SAME POEMS. BUT THEN THERE ARE IDEAS WE HAVE THAT HAS NOT BEEN DONE OVER. FOR EXAMPLE WHEN I DO FATHERLESS CHILD THAT POEMS HAS BEEN DONE BY MANY ARTIST THE TRICK IS TO DO IT WITH NEW FLAVOR THEN FOLLOW IT WHAT A POEM THAT IS RARELY DONE SUCH AS GOD FOR PRESIDENT. PLEASE CAN WE STOP PUTTING ALL THE BLAME ON THE ARTIST BUT PEOPLE WHO ARE THE CONSUMERS OF ART AND ENTERTAINMENT JUST LOOK AT WHAT THEY BUY WATCH AND LISTEN TO. THAT WHY WE HAVE SO MANY CHEESY REALITY SHOWS AND JUST ONE POETRY T V SHOW OF NOTE. ONCE AGAIN I LOVE THE YOUTH TEAM SUPPORTED EVERY EFFORT JUS GREG NEEDED FROM ME AND I AM WATCHNG ON DEMAND A WEEK AHEAD GO PHILLY.

Can we stop blaming artist for what they create? Nope. I can't. What an artist shares is a personal choice. Bullshit is not the only dish served. However, I won't blame an artist for wanting to eat and you sure as hell can't eat compliments and applause. That ish only gets you 25 dollar features. Repitition gets you 2 g's or more +expenses for twenty minutes. Multiply that by atleast 100 if you manage to make it to a pop chart or move platinum units. Hell it's everybodies dream to drop the side gig but either way you pay.

FOR ME IT IS NOT ABOUT BLAMING THE ARTIST I JUST TRULY BELIEVE WE HAVE MANY GOOD TO GREAT POETS AND THE BEST SPOKENWORD ARTIST BRING SOMETHING DIFFERENT EVEN IF IT IS THE SAME TOPIC HE CAN RE WORK IT TO SOUND FRESH.AS FOR THE CONSUMERS THEY SEEM TO PAY FOR THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER SO THAT WHY R&B MAINSTREAM IS MOSTLY SEX AND LOVE. EVEN THE BIGGEST SELLING SINGERS ARE DOING THE SAME TPOPICS CLUBBING AND DOIN GROUPIES AS THE RAPPERS.I OFFER THAT URBAN FICTION GOT LARGE BY SELLING THE SAME STORY AS REALITY T V GOT BIG BY DOING THE SAME THING FLAVOR OF LOVE ,I LOVE NY ,I LOVE RAY J,ROCK OF LOVE AND HOW MANY BAND'S DID DIDDY MAKE. SO LET ALL ENJOY THE BRAVE NEW VOICES FOR THE BREATHE OF FRESH AIR WHILE THEY ARE ON AMERICA'S STAGE.

Well said.