Def Poetry Jam confronts race, politics, pastries

Poetry has definitely come a long way since Shakespeare's sonnets. War, society, love and even doughnuts are now all commonly spoken words.

The Social Planning and Events Committee To Represent Undergraduate Minorities brought Russell Simmons' Tony award-winning Def Poetry Jam to a packed Harrison Auditorium on Saturday night.

Proving that poetry is not just for stodgy old men, the audience reacted enthusiastically. Judging from the frequent murmurs or outright cheers of agreement and laughter, many empathized with and were entertained by the poets' powerfully delivered messages.

"I thought it was awesome," College sophomore Albert Lee said. "It addressed a whole spectrum of different issues."

The diversity of the eight Def Jam poets was reflected in their recitations, as subject matters ranged from cooking Latin food to being Michael Jackson, tone varied from serious to uproariously funny.

Some standouts included performer Poetri's touching dedication to his greatest enemy and best friend -- Krispy Kreme doughnuts -- and Beau Sia's boast of being the most extreme guy on the planet.

"I'm so extreme I woke up at dusk, at dusk to mock your mother for giving birth to you," he said.

Yet the show did revolve around certain themes, such as identity crises, tributes to influential artists and love.

The poetry often had a political message, commenting on the growing violence pervading American youth, a society obsessed with image and racial profiling.

"Don't let it be people who look like my brothers," Suheir Hammad said, referring to 9/11 attacks and the obstacles she faces when going through an airport.

The poets waxed eloquently on affairs of the heart, though, pointing out many of the downsides, often to hilarious effect.

"Everywhere I go I see cute people with ugly people," Poetri said. "From now on, I'm dating myself."

"The sensitive side sucks," Sia said. "You can only imagine the kind of sweaters they make you wear."

Race was a common topic among the poets, as they presented their view on the problems people from their background face. Georgia Me asked black women, "Sister to sister, why do you show your ass?" One of Bassey Ikpi's poems about the struggle to reconcile conflicting identities particularly resonated with the audience.

"Nigeria quietly urges me to remember," she said. "America urges me to forget."

Sia's thoughts, though, claimed that Asians were a rising force in America, not to be defined just by movies and Chinese food.

"We are programming your Web sites, making your executives look smart," he said. "The Asian invasion is a reality... you're not shutting me up until the egg roll becomes an American food."

The multilayered performances hugely entertained the students on several levels.

"It was part funny, part serious, always made you think," College freshman Shelley Lawes said. She added that the performance was a reminder to "respect all cultures."

Bringing the poets to Penn was a break with tradition for SPEC-TRUM, who usually present a comedy show at this time of year.

"We feel that there was a lot of demand for this," Co-Director Tracee Hairston said. "Spoken word's becoming a lot more popular," the Wharton senior added.

Co-Director Darryl Wooten said he thought groups such as the Excelano Project were testaments to the campus popularity of this art form.

"I'm very pleased with the turnout, the crowd was enthusiastic," the College junior said. "It's something different, it appeals to a larger audience."

The diversity of the audience, and their appreciation of the performance, suggest that Wooten is right.

"It absolutely, completely met and exceeded my expectations," Lee said.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.