Monday, May 27, 2013
Saturday, May 25, 2013
TARUWA FESTIVAL OF PERFORMING ARTS IN NIGERIA kicks out June 6, 2013
TARUWA FESTIVAL OF PERFORMING ARTS IN NIGERIA (TAF) is an annual performing arts event, which kicks off this June in Lagos, Nigeria. The 3 day festival [6th - 8th June, 2013] presents ground-breaking events in Theater, Music, Comedy, Spoken Word, Dance and Fashion. Lagos are you ready?!
LONDON LIFE LAGOS LIVING
(The Theatre Production)
The festival makes a grand opening on Thursday, June 6 with the adaptation of Bobo Omotayo’s bestselling book LONDON LIFE LAGOS LIVING live on stage with a stellar cast!!! This 2-hour show also opens with a musical performance and the one-woman play CHRONICLES OF A HEROINE by Ijeoma Grace Agu. You really don’t want to miss this!
DATE: Thursday, June 6, 2013
TIME: 7:00pm – 9:00pm [Please be seated by 6:30pm]
VENUE: Terrakulture, Tiamiyu Savage, V.I, Lagos
PRICE: N3,000 *Get discounted tickets at N2,400 on www.dealdey.com from Tuesday, May 21 – Saturday, May 25 2013
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Pictures of Poetry lovers at WORD UP Volume 4....!!!!!!
We had over 200 people that came to enjoy Word Up Volume 4 that held on May 18, 2013 at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The audience was a mix of people that knew about Spoken Word Poetry and those who wondered what the fuss was all about.
Well, the show was indeed wonderfully entertaining as you can see from the happy faces of the people at the event, and it made the people who knew nothing about Spoken Word Poetry become fans of the art.
Shihan Van Clief, our guest poet, was the icing on the cake, and his performance was so captivating and inspiring, that when he ended, the audience yearned for more.
If you are a doubting Thomas about the happy faces, well go ahead and check out the pictures of people at the event.
Stay tuned for the red carpet and the performing poets pictures later this week.
Duvy (elegant, delectable and lovely)
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| Shihan and Opeyemi Atte |
Monday, May 20, 2013
Half Man, Half Amazing...!!!!
Sage Hasson
Half Man, Half Amazing
Sunday May 26, 2013
Time is 2pm
Venue is LitCafe, 1st Floor, E-Center, Yaba, Lagos.
brought to you by
Unchained Voices
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Sneak Peek - WORD UP Volume 4!!!!
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| Shihan Van Clief on stage at WORD UP Volume 4 |
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| Cross Section of people at the event |
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| Shihan enjoying Nigerian Poets on stage |
Friday, May 17, 2013
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
The need to see the bigger picture (for Spoken Word Poets).
Life has taught us not to always see things in black and white,
for there are always shades of grey.
The
business expert had always advised that one of the ways to run a successful
business is to discover a need and fill it.
Reality
has shown that delayed gratification leads to an extended run of inflows.
History
has shown that pride cometh before fall.
Common
sense has shown that helping others succeed will make you excel.
As
an individual, I had a “9 to 5” I did and could had comfortably live off on it,
with no complaints.
However,
one day I had a dream with my eyes wide open and ever since then, I have not
slept soundly.
I
had a dream of building a business around my passion, which was to create an
industry for Spoken Word Poets in Nigeria.
We
all know that, no man is an island, and the wise people will say, life is life
with others.
So
I told my “crazy” dream to my friends and as many people that cared to listen.
Many
laughed it off, some offered advice, others offered criticism, yabs, mental
evaluation and the likes, but a special few decided to support this “crazy”
dream of mine.
How
do you write a business plan on creating an industry? Well, we didn’t.
I
wrote down what I saw, my friends / partners wrote what they think I should
see.
We
read it, we argued, we discussed, we fought, we reconciled and then we agreed.
We
started in February 2012 co-organizing, a monthly open mic poetry show
(Chill and Relax).
Co-organizing
is actually a fanciful word for “apprenticeship.” Yes, we were apprentices at a
live poetry show (well, we still are, and please do ask, are you a learner?).
This
afforded us the opportunity to see how things were being done. We gained
experience, publicity, media relations, contacts and content, (over a 100 poetry
clips and still counting).
Fast
forward to August 2012, and we held our own first major show, WORD UP (a Spoken
Word Poetry and Soul Music Event).
People
said it was a success, I personally felt we could do better. So we kept at it
and since August 2012, we have held WORD UP on a quarterly basis.
After
the 3rd edition in
February 2013, we decided to go bigger than before and take a giant leap by
inviting a foreign poet.
As
fate would have it, we met Shihan Van Clief and he agreed to come for our show
on May 18, 2013, WORD UP Volume 4 (hey, you are invited to attend).
Let
me add that since we started, we have had support at different points in time from 3
different organizations.
Ok,
why all this “history and development?” well, because, we saw a need,
“unemployment” and we decided to fill it. We saw the bigger picture of the
various ways Spoken Word Poetry can be used. It can be used as a genre of
entertainment, a tool to increase literacy level, and a means of communication
among people across the globe. Ultimately, we can use Spoken Word Poetry to
create employment for poets to earn a decent living from their amazing
performances.
But
all these might never materialize if we don’t consistently and persistently
organize Poetry Shows, create awareness, promote poets and remain in the public
eye through providing them with relevant content.
Do
we get paid from these? NO.
Do
we have a big sponsorship deal? NO.
Ok,
do we have any sponsorship deal? NO.
Do
we make money from the gate takings? NO.
Where
do you get the money to finance it from? From personal savings.
But
why do it if it is not profitable? Nobody will pay you for what you want to
do, but they will pay you for what they have seen you do. Money follows
value.
But
what is the essence of doing it if you are not getting paid? Simple, delayed
gratification. In other words, we are looking at the bigger picture, and not
the immediate “Naira and kobo.”
Industries
don’t grow if the “beneficiaries” go insisting that they must get immediate
gratification.
Go
ask Ali Baba and Opa Williams.
Of
course one or two “beneficiaries,” might be making money now, but one out of
many is nothing.
There
is even a saying that “a rich man in the midst of poor people is also a poor
man.”
Besides,
if building an industry was that easy, why didn’t someone do it earlier?
Building
an industry requires forgoing self, and becoming selfless.
It
requires sacrifice, putting yourself on the line to make the dream a reality.
For
instance, imagine if some 10 to 20 years ago, only Ali Baba went to perform at
shows, do you think the comedy industry would be where it is right now?
Ali
Baba took people like Basket Mouth, AY and the likes along with him to shows,
so that people could see it was more than just a one man thing.
If
Ali Baba had been concerned about having to share the “Naira and Kobo” he was
to be paid, would he have taken others along with him?
And
pray tell, is Ali Baba still not relevant in the industry?
Is
there any comedian or even any one, that can claim not to know “Night of a
thousand laughs?”
Can
anyone authoritatively say all the comedians that performed there got paid?
Both the well-known and the unknown.
Opa
Williams started Night of a thousand laughs comedy show which helped grow the
comedy industry in Nigeria.
As
at when Night of a thousand laughs started we had maybe 2 or 3 well known
comedians. If they had insisted on getting paid before featuring on the show, I
bet you the comedy industry would still be in a state of comatose.
But
look what we have now, these days many comedians command decent performance
fees, because you don’t need to explain what comedy is all about, people know
it.
As
Spoken Word Poets, we all need to see the bigger picture and come together to
make this thing work. Life is a team sport, playing as a lone striker/ player
means you might not get the passes you need , or might not be able to hold on
to the ball long enough for someone to get a pass from you. Thus you play till
you are worn out and the desired results won’t be forthcoming.
Let
me conclude with this, “He who waters will also
be watered himself.”
The general principle of a great life, is that of living for the good of
others, because in doing that, we shall be profited ourselves.
By
Olumide
Holloway
08025070892
Monday, May 13, 2013
Spoken Word ENTERTAINMENT versus Poetry.
Debate!
Spoken Word vs. Poetry. If a spoken word poet cannot show that they are strong on paper, should they be labeled an entertainer, NOT a Poet?
Entertainment vs. Life in Literary Motion
As a writer, I have always had a need to read my work to someone. My ear's have to hear the creative work of my mind come to life as these lips work like an assembly line. I know that I am a part of the mass majority of most other writers out there, ESPECIALLY poets. Poets tend to be odd creatures. We are very egotistical on the outside, but our true existence consists of completely insecure kindergarteners hoping and praying somebody will know that their green elephant really is a purple snowman. Enter: Poetry Readings.
Do NOT confuse poetry reading with Spoken Word Poetry. Poetry readings are held in places like libraries and tea houses...Starbucks and churches. Spoken Word Poetry Venues are just that...venues. They are loud. They are ruckus. They are spiritual. They are humanitarian. The Spoken Word is sexual and sensual...emotional and philosophical. The Spoken Word Poetry venue is ENTERTAINMENT through and through!
Which brings me to the debate at hand. Spoken Word vs Poetry. Are both Poetry? Or is Spoken Word entertainment?
My answer is this.
If a spoken word artist cannot show you their piece on paper...if that piece is not on paper without grammatical and spelling errors so drastic that you cannot easily read the piece. This person is not a poet. If a spoken word artist freestyles more than they spill ink...then I am more apt to label him/her a rapper/entertainer than a poet. If a Spoken Word artist has never even considered publishing a chapbook, I question why?
A poet writes. A poet cries tears of blood. They dream in stanzas, and wake in the wee hours of the night...unable to fall back to sleep because poetry refuses to allow it. A new poem, that new born child lying next to the Poet in the bed... whimpering and whining, screaming and crying until the Creator agrees to finish...and the Poem and Poet can sleep. This Poet? This Poet is the Poet that gets on stage and leaves sweat in pools on stage. This Poet leave tears on the cord of the mic. This is the one who steps off stage and can barely speak because everything just short of life was left on that stage in the name of Poetry. This one... is a Poet... not an entertainer.
Spoken Word vs. Poetry
Entertainment vs. Life in Literary Motion
Source:
Friday, May 10, 2013
A hint of what to expect from Shihan Van Clief at Word Up Volume 4!!!!!
I could write pages and pages about Shihan, and yet the words would not capture all what I would want to say.
His words are so deep, and its such joy knowing we will get to enjoy this live at
WORD UP Volume 4
on May 18, 2013
from 2pm
at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
Don't miss it.
Meanwhile enjoy the videos below, they are just a hint of what to expect from Shihan Van Clief on Saturday at #WordUpVol4
Deep words!!!
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Video entries for "War Of Words" is now on......!!!!!
i2X Media
(organizers of WORD UP, the biggest Spoken Word Event in Nigeria)
Presents
War Of Words
(A Spoken Word Poetry Competition)
This June, Spoken Word Poets will grace the stage like never before to kiss words and make them dance.
Up for grabs
- $300 for the winner and
- The top three poets get to perform at the next edition of WORD UP on August 17, 2013 alongside popular international Def Poet – Black ICE.
Do you have what it takes? Here is all you have to do
- Submit an original poem that is in English, pidgin English or a combination of both. Please note that All non-english words used in the poem must be explained in the information box of the video.
- Ensure The title of your poem contains the official hashtag #WarOfWords, else your entry is not valid.
- Ensure your name/ stage name, email address and wordings of the video are in the information box of the video. If the information box cannot contain the wordings of the poem, send it to wordup4one1@gmail.com
stating your name and title of the poem with the hashtag in the subject box of the mail. - Ensure your video submission is not be more than 3 minutes long and remember it must be uploaded on your Youtube channel. If you don’t have a Youtube channel, please open one.
- The submitted video must be one camera, one poet and recorded specifically for the competition. No live performance videos and no special effects. Please note that all poets are limited to one submission ONLY.
- You will be required to post the link of the Youtube Video in the comment section of any posts on http://wordup411.blogspot.
com, to render your entry as valid. - You will also be required to tweet the video link with the official hashtag #WarOfWords to @WORDUP411
- The theme of the video entry is, “In it to win.”
Ready to WOW us?
Video submission starts NOW till Midnight of June 14, 2013 !!!!!!
Follow us all on Twitter: @WORDUP411 , @
Like us on facebook https://www.facebook.
The Actual date, venue and time of the competition will be communicated once we have our finalists.
A total of 15 poets will be chosen from the entries for the competition. The first ten will be chosen by our in-house judges. The last five will be chosen based on most viewed, most liked and the videos with the most comments.
Thus, if you are a Spoken Word Artist, Performance Poet, or a Wordsmith,
then you should not miss this one chance, to kiss words and make them dance.
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