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2008 EchoVerse Poetry Slam

2009 SlamMadness

Welcome to the EchoVerse Poetry Slam, official home of the 2009 Detroit Slam Team.

ECHOVERSE POETRY SLAM GUIDLINES

Regular Poetry Slam Inc. rules always apply during SlamMadness. Slams are held every Friday from November 2008 to the last Friday in March. The winner of each slam wins a cash prize and five EchoVerse Slam Points toward invites to special slam events, Slammadness Semi-Finals and the EchoVerse Final Stage Competition in April 2009. Top performances through out the season will get to compete to represent the EchoVerse Poetry and Slam Series in events like the 2009 Women of the World Poetry Slam, and potentially IWPS 2009. Poets must register at the beginning of each slam with the SlamMaster to qualify. Competition is open to all poets.

Each poem must be original, and cannot be repeated in either the semi-finals or Final Stage. If there's a tie breaker needed during Final Stage then the "No Repeat Rule" will be waived by the Slam Master. No props allowed. Poets have three minutes to perform in each round. A half point will be deducted after a ten second grace period. Scores are dropped after each round, so each performance must be a top performance to make the EchoVerse Team. The top performance will take the 2008 Detroit Grand Slam Champion title. The top four performances will be invited to join the 2008 Detroit Slam Team.

 

[ View Complete Rankings ] [ Passion Fruit Slam ] [ Meet 2008 Detroit Slam Team ]

Our 2009 Detroit Slam Team will represent Detroit, the EchoVerse Poetry Series in national competition this year in Madison, Wisconsin from August 3rd thru 9th. Team members will rehearse and workshop performances weekly; develop collective works; and fundraise through out the summer.

The EchoVerse Poetry & Slam Series will provide registration, membership, travel and housing. If your looking to fine tune your performance and writing skills, then you definitely want to be a part of the Motor City's award-winning poetry slam.

The main point of slam is the poetry not the points. Although the points do make it much more interesting. At stake is a free trip to the National Poetry Slam, which includes travel, accommodations, Poetry Slam Inc. membership and registration; national media coverage; potential for national and international touring; local & regional gigs. The national slam includes 75 teams from across the United States, Canada and Europe.

 

 

PEFORMANCES | BIOS | WHAT IS SLAM? | MPSL08 | RUSTBELT | TOP

 

 

PEFORMANCES | BIOS | WHAT IS SLAM? | MPSL08 | RUSTBELT | TOP

 

ECHOVERSE POETRY SLAM TEAMS

2008 DETROIT SLAM TEAM

2008 DETROIT SLAM TEAM

OMARI KING WISEOmari King Wise is a Detroit based poet and founder of Uhuru Cipher Artists Management. Since 2001, he has held the attention of audiences across the country including representing Detroit, MI as a member of the 2006 and 2007 National Poetry Slam Teams, and a member of the 2007 Rust Belt Championship Slam Team. As an artist, he has co-founded the super poetry group, 3rd Eye Open poetry Collective. King Wise is also the co-founder of a lecture group that is responsible for the activist series "Hip-Poe-Tics", which focuses on influencing activism through Hip-Hop, Poetry and Politics in Universities and communities around the nation.

MARSHA CARTERMarsha J. Carter Marsha Carter is a modern day poet. She was born and raised in Detroit and uses her personal life experiences in her performances. Her writing style is simple. She transforms life’s lessons into poetry. Her goal is to bring people closer to God by including messages about the Bible in her work. In December 2006, she independently produced her first CD “Broccoli Don’t taste Like Peach Cobbler.” The CD combines Marsha’s powerful delivery of poetry over jazz and soulful beats. People describe her CD as “down to earth,” “funny,” “professional” and “very strong opinions.” In 2007, she was selected from a pool of 500 to perform as a finalist at the Music Hall for Detroit’s “Bring-It Talent Competition.”

T-MILLERT-Miller resides in Detroit and produces the popular Exposure Open Mic at the Hunter Supper Club on Detroit's westside. She is the 2007 Detroit Grand Slam champion, and currently ranks as one of the top three female slam poets in North America.

 

JUSTICE UMBIYAJustice Umbiya Justice is a driven poetry/spoken word artist, model & teacher who started making his mark in his craft in Detroit. He has performed at notable venues such as Café Mahogany, PicNap Poetry, The Byte this Poetry Series, EchoVerse Poetry & Slam Series, The Artist Village, and Detroit Symphony Orchestra, The Nuyorican Poetz Cafe & The Lizard Lounge among others. He has performed at schools across the East Coast and Midwest ranging from elementary to collegiate levels. Justice is well versed in topics but is well known in most arenas for his volley of love poems. Justice started bringing his political, comical, and self conscious variety to light, utilizing Slam competitions across the Midwest and East Coast.

 

PEFORMANCES | BIOS | WHAT IS SLAM? | MPSL08 | RUSTBELT | TOP

2008 SLAM MASTER

Johnny Jenkins Jr.JY-OBADELE, also known as Johnny Jenkins Jr., is poet-activist based in Detroit. He is currently the resident host of the EchoVerse Poetry & Slam Series. He has hosted at notable venues such as Detroit's Campus Martius, Lavendar Moon Cafe, Redd Apple Gallery, 1515 Broaday Theater and the Meetery Eatery Cafe. JyObadele's work has been spotlighted in the Sunday Detroit Free Press and WDET FM101.9. He is currently working on his first collection of poetry to be released in Autumn 2007. [ More ] [ Web ] [ Slam Master Blog ]

 

2007 DETROIT SLAM TEAM

  • T-Miller (2007 Detroit Grand Slam Champ)
  • Londell "HiStory" Thomas
  • Marsha Jean Carter
  • Omari "King Wise" Barksdale
  • Lonnie "One" Hamilton
  • Tom Budday - Coach

2006 DETROIT SLAM TEAM

  • Jamaal "Versiz" May (2006 Detroit Grand Slam Champ)
  • Karega Ani
  • Omari King Wise
  • LaShaun "Phoenix" Moore
  • Ben Jones
  • Cassie Poe - Coach

 

PEFORMANCES | BIOS | SLAM MASTERS | WHAT IS SLAM? | MPSL07 | TOP

WHAT IS SLAM POETRY?

Simply put, poetry slam is the competitive art of performance poetry. It puts a dual emphasis on writing and performance, encouraging poets to focus on what they're saying and how they're saying it.

Slams are competitive events in which poets perform their work and are judged by members of the audience. Typically, the host or another organizer selects the judges, who are instructed to give numerical scores (on a zero to 10 scale) based on originality, content and performance.

 

[ VIEW 2006 FINAL STAGE ]

 

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[ POINT BREAKDOWNS | SEASONAL FEATURES ]

 

ECHOVERSE SLAM POINT SYSTEM

• Slam Champion - 5 pts
• 1st Runner-up - 3 pts
• 2nd Runner-Up - 2 pts
• Slam Participant - 1 pt

 

PEFORMANCES | BIOS | WHAT IS SLAM? | MPSL07 | RUSTBELT | TOP

 

PEFORMANCES | BIOS | WHAT IS SLAM? | MPSL07 | RUSTBELT | TOP

 

2007 Midwest Poetry Slam League

Team Detroit-Ignition

MPSL 2007DETROIT IGNITIONSCOTT WOODS @ GREEN MILL CHICAGO

 

 

 

Congratulations to the Milwaukee Noun Hounds for taking Midwest slam bragging rights at the Green Mill in Chicago. Detroit-Ignition and Dayton Dunbarhoppers came in second and third respectively. Much luv to Omari King Wise, HiStory, Lianna Trimble, Epiphany, Tom Budday, Karega Ani, LocMama and Jy-Obadele for representing the D with some spectacular performances. [Official Website]

 

2008 Rust Belt Poetry Slam

2007 Champs: Team Detroit

Detroit was a winner at the 2007 Rust Belt Poetry Slam on many levels. Omari King Wise, Cassie Poe, Epiphany and HiStory won the team title with outstanding individual performances. Jamaal "Versiz" May battled Chicago's Alvin Lau to perfect 30's twice in the indy bout. In the spirit of Midwest love they both decided share this year's title. Detroit was also represented with strong performances by Justice, Tom Budday and JyObadele. Mad Luv to Black Pearl Poetry and Columbus, Ohio for hosting a great weekend of quality poetry.

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