Rap poets reveal their souls

Def Jam Poetry is an evening of piercing poetry, wicked humour, sex appeal and exuberant performance.

If poetry scares you, then you need to see Russell Simmons' Def Poetry Jam.

It will blow away your pre-conceptions and show how words can turn you on.

The St James Theatre, usually hosting bass lines and sweaty dancers, was an apt setting for the hippest show in town produced by one of the godfathers of rap music.

Eight young American poets strutted their souls for one of the funkiest crowds to grace AK05.

They did this all to a backdrop of tunes played by DJ Reborn. The only problem with the music is that once the DJ made her grand entrance she faded away.

Much of the poetry had such inherent rhythm I wanted to see them interact. Unfortunately this didn't happen.

No one cared however, as the poets were powerhouse performers. No pieces of paper here, just eight energetic individuals grabbing the audience by the scruff of the neck.

Beau Sia, a Chinese-American hilariously lamented the stereotype of small Asian manhoods while the passionate African-American poetrix, Georgia Me bemoaned the size of her booty.

However she was sexy, honest and just dirty enough.

Poetri, also African-American, declared donuts to the KKK for keeping the black man down and round and Staceyann Chin, a Jamaican-born New Yorker, was both intense and deliciously wicked.

Suheir Hammad, a Palestinian-American, provided pathos when telling of being Arab in the US post 9/11 and Flaco Navaja celebrated being Puerto Rican. Shihan, an African-American made every woman swoon with his love poetry and Ishle Park, a Korean-American blew everyone away with her theatrical recounting of how the Rodney King riots victimised Korean shopowners.

You may notice there are no white middle-class performers, and I did feel that perhaps that was a voice missing in a group touted as the Voices of the New America.

But then that group gets to speak a lot and here I heard brand new stories.

Def Jam Poetry is an evening of piercing poetry, wicked humour, sex appeal and exuberant performance.

To misquote Mr Sia; Their words ARE the shizzle my nizzle.

Word Up.

What: Def Poetry Jam

Where: St James Theatre

When: Last night

Season: Thurs, Fri, Sun 7:30pm, Fri 10:30pm