Thursday, November 1, 2012

Spoken Word

                                         image credits: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXYE2XBk3EbnxC3sSiYNTPVxX7l29SmBwf52j1Pr9Sk-6ujWkkCkrmEq9rK3EExeg9Ud25YykElIFwXYk8KLSd6j0WC1wysJY2aTBRKZoub5wvHsMQYQzO9cUj5hmSfRFGQamVQyDoo5N/s1600/sp+word.jpg


I believe that poetry is one of the more underrated and difficult things to do when it comes to music and art. Specifically spoken word. It involves the combination of a creative mind, a great performer, and passion for whatever topic he/she is discussing. And often times a deep vocabulary. Great spoken word artists usually leaves its audience in absolute awe and will have them dwelling on the subject matter hours, even days after a performance. That is why I respect this so much. Much like hip hop it is a form of poetry, but without a beat. It focuses on sending a message to an audience about a particular topic and it has an authenticity to it.

The underrated and often overlooked part of delivering spoken word is just that. The deliverance. Conveying the emotion of a message is vital. It requires sound stage presence, and authenticity. Personally there is nothing better than a performer delivering a message so profoundly that it makes you convey an emotion as well; laughter, crying, awe, etc. Often times the deep vocabulary of a spoken word artist is what transcends a performance. There is a great appreciation for finding a “ deeper meaning” in a message and there is something about it that can touch people. This comes through subliminals, puns, and wordplay, most of which is difficult to execute. It is hard to fully explain just how gifted one has to be to pull off a great performance, so I will show you an example.

I listened to a spoken word group a few years ago called The Recipe. Take a listen. Be amazed!



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