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Poet Extraordinaire 9/1/06
Taheem Jamaal’s poetic words, once spoken, drop unforgettably like Chinese
water torture on your mind, forcing you to go where you do not care to venture.
Taheem’s wide-eyed-front-row-roller-coaster-seat-world-wide-tour via his vocabulyric
imprints forever jingle in your mind like a pocket full of leftover bus tokens.
The Philly born I. C. Norcom graduate has been performing spoken word for
three years on the local and national circuits, visiting to Dallas, D. C., Baltimore and
New York. As he spits memorable mesmerizing mentalities all masterfully
monopolized for all of mankind, it becomes clear, Taheem is a memory waiting to
happen.
Taheem speaks to the societal ills, sky-para trooping knowledge pills with madd
skillz. His, “Are You Finding Everything O.K.?”, poem about black shoppers being
profiled is the perfect lead for his new compact disc, “Anger Management.” “Welcome
To The Republican Convention,” addresses the young black Americans’ political
landscape, complete with feelings of un-representation!
“Homicidal Poet,” addresses women’s issues, intentionally exposing the light of
day to the night’s darkest secrets: abuse, rape, and incest. Taheem takes word risks with
long strings of sentax puppet master style-poetically dancing through life’s mine fields,
one quick stanza at a time, until audiences nod and applaud knowingly at his pull.
Taheem walks the tightrope without a net- no script- nothing but a mind and a mic.
As a young man, he represents the best of what future spoken word has to offer.
He delivers every time, every poem, every cut, every word heard. Try this CD. Taheem
is not coming, he has arrived and he is right on time.
Taheem’s goal, is to “inspire others to do more than just poetry, and to take
proactive steps towards global solutions.” One of his typical poems started, “If you could
only write one poem, what would it be about and speak to?” Well, Taheem, today’s
article is a tribute to you and your efforts to frame the issues of today on your way to the
stardom of tomorrow. Taheem can be usually be caught at Fuzzy Wednesday’s at 10
P.M., at Reign Restaurant, 112 Bank Street in downtown Norfolk, Hampton Road’s
longest running “open mic.” For more info about Taheem’s CD go to
www.taheemjamaal.com or myspace.com/hidefpoet
To contact the author regarding HR’s poetic spoken word scene for maps, spit spots and details e-mail Voiceboxheros@aol.com - Sean Bowers-New Journal and Guide
Poets blend rhymes with reason
A scheduled poetry slam becomes an opportunity for two poets to share the message of faith with teens.
BY LISA B. DEADERICK
247-4733
May 1, 2006
Saturday evening at Crittenden Middle School was supposed to be three rounds of verbal competition. The scuffed, hardwood stage was supposed to be the platform for performance wordplay. It was supposed to be a poetry slam for teens hosted by The Newsome House Museum & Cultural Center. Instead, it was more of a relay between an old-school and a new-school poet.
Nathan Richardson and Taheem Jamaal took turns on the mike, with lines about nearly everything.
Romantic love: "You put me in a place where your morning breath is all I want to breathe."
The innocence of youth: "Growing up before your time ain't all it's cracked up to be/She's the age every girl thinks she wants to be."
The power of words: "My mind's my 9/My pen's my Mac-10."
The subjects change, but the reason both poets get on stage is the same. They want to speak a message of faith and of God's love.
"That's how you're gonna reach the youth these days, is through poetry," Richardson - old school - said to the 10 people peppered into the first couple of rows in the school auditorium.
There were other, conflicting events that kept a couple of groups of teens from attending, and transportation was limited. Still, Richardson and Jamaal had a chance to talk to a couple of kids who were there watching them perform.
"It's not really about poetry. It's about bringing a message," Richardson said. "Finding your gift. If you can wrap yourself around what God has given you, you're gonna be happy."
He wants to encourage them to find something they love and are good at, whether that be anything from poetry to medicine, and use that to live.
It's fine for people to tell them to have an education to fall back on. At the same time, he wants kids to know that if they're fortunate enough to recognize their gift early on, their education should revolve around developing that talent.
For Jamaal, poetry is a vehicle to start changes and to get God's message to others. His view is that a lot of religious writers are poets. Sometimes people can get defensive and feel like they're being judged when people want to start talking to them about God. When it's in a poem, it's less threatening.
"Poetry is more open, and people are more receptive to that because it's personal, from the poet" as opposed to listening to a priest or a minister, he said.
That's important for the younger generation. Jamaal said his focus is on counteracting what they're seeing on television or hearing in the music. Someone has to show them that there are other ways to express themselves, to live their lives.
This is one way that opens a door for him to connect with and relate to them.
"A lot of times, spoken word and poetry is that bridge and that mediator," he said.
Even if that bridge leads to the handful of people who made it Saturday night, it's still an opportunity he and Richardson gladly take advantage of. - Lisa Deaderick-Daily Press
Discography
Debut Album Anger Management released in 2006.
Photos
Bio
This spoken word artist began writing in November 2001 shortly after completing a 180 degree turn in life after moving to Virginia from Daytona Beach, FL where he attended Bethune-Cookman College. This 180 degree turn was due to a new found relationship with God through Jesus Christ and he would not describe it as anything less than divine intervention. Taheem did not perform any of his work until May 04' when he finally ventured out to Twisted Tongue @ Alice Mae's Soulfood Cafe. Unexpectedly, he heard some of the hottest performers in the area including godchild the omen and Queen Sheba, who both inspired and encouraged him to continue to write and perform poetry and he has done just that. Although he was given the name "Hi Def" after a recent performance in Hampton, VA, he still remains simply Taheem Jamaal. Recognized as one of the premier poets on the VA poetry circuit; he continues to walk in humilty, expand the versatility of his craft, and move crowds to tears. After winning several slams in 2005 from Norfolk to New York; he began branching out to feature at various venues from TX to the genesis of spoken word for Taheem: VA. At the tender age of 24, this wordsmith has embraced spoken word as a new found love, so continue to watch closely to see exactly where poetry takes him. His debut album Anger Management, released on July 7th 2006, is a fusion of hip hop, a'capella, soul, and spoken word versatility. Taheem is available for features, hosting, workshops, church services, community services, and will occasionally update your resume (seriously). Keep him in your prayers and he will continue to glorify God not only through performance poetry but through his lifestyle.
Taheem has won several slams, featured in venues in various parts of the US, and has taught and performed his original poetry in churches, public schools, and alternative schools alike.
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