Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events.
In entertainment, spoken word performances generally consist of storytelling or poetry, exemplified by people like Hedwig Gorski and Gil Scott Heron, the lengthy monologues by Spalding Gray, and improvi...
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Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events.
In entertainment, spoken word performances generally consist of storytelling or poetry, exemplified by people like Hedwig Gorski and Gil Scott Heron, the lengthy monologues by Spalding Gray, and improvising ranters/commentators like Henry Rollins.
Spoken word poetry originated from the poetry of the Harlem Renaissance and blues music.
Modern day spoken word poetry became popular in the underground African-American community in the 1960s with the Last Poets. The Last Poets was a poetry and political music group that was birthed from the African-American Civil Rights movement.
Spoken word poetry came more towards the mainstream in popularity a short time later when Gil Scott Heron released his spoken word poem The Revolution Will Not Be...
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