Live From 215

things i didn’t know about def jam poetry (2002-2007)

i have a folder on youtube with my favorite def jam poetry performances. today i was rewatching them and got curious about the show, so i did a little research and this is what i found…

- it premiered on hbo in 2002, executive produced by russell simmons and directed by stan lathan (the same duo behind def comedy jam)

– the first episode opened with mos def reciting langston hughes’ “harlem sweeties” and naming him a “def poet” (which is how the concept was introduced)

– the show was filmed at the supper club in new york city, with a live audience

– the idea of a “def poet” wasn’t explained. it became clear through the range of voices on stage

– the poems focused on love, race, sex, politics, family, sexuality, and feminism, not academic forms

– the show drew from slam poetry and spaces like the nuyorican poets cafe

– the lineup mixed poetry legends (nikki giovanni, sonia sanchez, amiri baraka) with musicians, actors, and comedians (jill scott, alicia keys, dave chappelle, kanye west)

– the series expanded to broadway, winning a tony award, and later received a peabody award

i’ll probably do a whole substack on this because there’s more and this is already too long lol