MIC THA POET

MC GURU

2010-03-01T14:22:00.004-05:00

Damn. Last post got a shout out to tha late DJ AM, now i gotta show love to another one of tha GREATEST...

I love this video. It's truly "MUSIC THAT THE STREET LOVES" ...this track really reflects tha urban environment that much of hip-hop was born of...it ain't just half-naked ladies in tha club poppin bottles and sh*t...

MC GURU, our prayers are with you and your family. In fact, u might as well consider us here at micthapoet.com your EXTENDED FAMILY. Tracks like this right here are why we got love for hip-hop...u kno our steez

Much love to GangStarr.... we pullin for you Guru...stay blessed!!!!!!!!!!!!

mtp

DJ Jazzy Jeff

2010-02-27T09:11:00.000-05:00

In our opinion, DJ Jazzy Jeff is the best DJ that ever did it. This is one of those rare videos that does a great job of showing his skills.

Listen to what he does at around the 1:20 mark to 2:00 minute time in the video.

Absolutely crazy.

Then pay attention at about 2:25 while he slows it down to the end.

You'll notice the late DJ AM up there with him, and he seems to agree with us.

Have a fantastic weekend.

**APOLOGIES if you came to the site yesterday and it was down. We did a server upgrade so that we can continue to improve. Be on the lookout for some exciting changes soon. We'll be adding more Underground Poetry Spot content, a forum for everyone to fight on, better multimedia pages and merchandise etc. So stay tuned and thank you all for continuing to support Mic Tha Poet!!**

message from UPS

2010-02-24T20:08:00.018-05:00

What up Underground Family,

Once again the UNDERGROUND POETRY SPOT has delivered a great night. I would like to send a special thanks to YOU for coming out and keeping the Underground moving (we had about 125 people), to all the poets who set the stage on fire, to Kaushen and WORDS for a great poetry battle, to our host Marquis aka Prophesa X who gave us a great show, and the features of the night Prophesa X and Mic tha Poet for their great performances. A special thanks to Carey Ann for bring out about 15 people.

Our next show will be Thursday March 4, 2010.

Poetry Battle
Kaushen remains the Underground Poetry Battle Champion. WORDS , gave it his best shot, but Kaushen was just too hot for him! If you are looking to compete in the next poetry battle please email or message your name, and I will put your name in the hat for this week.

Remember April is National Poetry Month, we will be having a show every Thursday, and we are bringing in national poets.

Keep spreading the Word! See you on the 4th of March at 7pm.

message from SENECA WILSON, aka KIND OF A ONE, UNDERGROUND POETRY SPOT Poet and Founder

Feb. 24, 2010

Verbal Blend

2010-02-23T23:14:00.024-05:00

One of tha most honest nights of poetry i've ever seen took place on SU's hill-top campus tonight ...

...I still don't even know what happened with tha basketball game...

On Thursday, Cedric Bolton, and Verbal Blend, will host another event for students. This one is geared directly at exploring tha development of freestyle rhyme and hip-hop flow...CYPHR

if you are on Facebook, follow tha link to tha CYPHR facebook event page... However, if you are going to someone'es Facebook event page whom you do not know, it would probably be a good idea to "friend" tha person who created tha event, and send a personal introduction & "hello" to their inbox....you might be required to do this anyway.

jus' sayin.

And if your following tha blog and you are on SU's campus, you'll know where to find me on Thursday night...I am really hopin to learn some things my damn self at tha CYPHR

peace

mtp

Brett Dennan Interview

2010-02-23T16:59:00.001-05:00

Well it's a far cry from SOPHISTAFUNKor TECHNO CHICKEN, lol, but here is an interview with a song-writer someone turned me onto recently...

this is Brett Dennan's "Heaven" w/ interview...and yes, it was a girl that turned me on to tha music, lol, i'm jus 'sayin...but still...i know a lot of good songwriters who like his style, and I have LOVE for anyone who proves to be artistically emotional. It def adds a different element if you are hearing him and SEEING him, both for tha first times...

can't wait to see what tha WEB TEAM thinks...lol

peace

mtp

Jack Brown & So'FUNK

2010-02-22T17:36:00.015-05:00

Checked out one of my favorite lyricists last night, Jack Brown, of SOPHISTAFUNK

I shouldn't have to tell you what there music is like, just break down tha name...feel me??

Tha Syracuse based trio has been making BIG moves ever since they started together...last night their show was aired LIVE on radio station TK99's SOUNDCHECK w/ Dave Frisina ...

TK99 is a classic rock station. Just goes to show tha sweeping appeal of what these three innovative musicians are producing... SOPHISTAFUNK combines elements of Spoken-Word and Hip-Hop with energetic FUNK explosions...

I've listened to many of these SOUNDCHECK live on Sunday nights...I visit tha show live (at SHIFTY's on Burnet ave)... then listen to tha second set as I cruise downtown...this was tha best i've heard on tha radio side of things.

Well, gotta get ready to go support Melissa Bamerick at her Poetry Open Mic on Water St...

And if tha links don't keep you busy long enough, peep tha TECHNO CHICKEN below.
LMAO WEB TEAM !!!!

mtp

Techno Chicken!!

2010-02-22T12:02:00.000-05:00

This chicken goes in for real. Maybe we can get him at the next open mic night.

Tar and Feather

2010-02-19T01:17:00.013-05:00

For Warmth -
I put pen onto paper
and watch my Heart Ignite

With Strength -
I take my Heavy Hammer
and make it look so light

A roofer's fists
A poet's wit
Third-Eye Gift: Foresight

Winter Weather me,
Tar and Feather me,
I will not go without a fight.

Mic Tha Poet

R.I.P. JOE STACK

2010-02-18T16:33:00.006-05:00

There was a tragic and unfortunate event this morning.

FEBRUARY 18--The man suspected of intentionally crashing an airplane into a Texas office building today appears to have posted a lengthy online diatribe attacking the Internal Revenue Service and declaring that, "I know I'm hardly the first one to decide I have had all I can stand."

While it is difficult to "agree" with his suicidal reaction to his frustrations, i agree with nearly every word uttered in Mr. Stack's "rant"...and i am aware that it is also not tha most "politically" intelligent thing to say...

I know many will decide he was nothing more than a whiner and in tha end, a quitter. But i feel his pain and understand his utter confusion while looing at his fellow man and woman, being ushered around like sheep...

Please take a few minutes to visit The Smoking Gun, and read Mr. Stack's last words. It was tha least i could do.

mtp

Sonia Sanchez

2010-02-17T23:06:00.017-05:00

At tha Underground Poetry Spot we will highlight tha poetry of Sonia Sanchez

Damn. Check it out. SOMEBODY's gettin good with this blog isshhhhhhhhhh

I think i have chosen a poem that i would like to read. I will be a featured poet, so it's only right I mix in some knowledge of this particular historical author and activist. Plus, reading from a woman's perspective, in this case, an African-American woman, presents a challenge that can only result in a gain of perspective, when taken seriously.

Sanchez, born Wilsonia Benita Driver, was born on Sept. 9th, 1934, in Birmingham, Alabama...[poets.org]

Besides her many personal achievements, Ms. Sanchez was at one time married to Etheridge Knight, our highlighted poet from our last UPS show...Though Etheridge Knight passed in 1991, Sonia Sanchez currently lives in Philadelphia, PA.

peace

mtp

UPS REMINDER

2010-02-17T15:20:00.002-05:00

On to tha next one ..on on to tha next one...!!!!

Yup. Tha UNDERGROUND POETRY SPOT is on again tomorrow night, and guess who tha featured poet is...????

YOU GUESSED IT

will...somebody....please.... MIC THA POET...

actually, i'm bringin my own damn mic this time, lol...but still

**TOMORROW NIGHT, 7PM, REDDICKS SPORTS BAR/LOUNGE, 2960 ERIE BLVD, SYRACUSE, $3 COVER**

Meth x Ghost x Rae

2010-02-16T20:26:00.007-05:00

Check out the new artwork for the upcoming Method Man, Ghostface, Raekwon collaboration album.

The Chef apparently twit pic'd the image, while hinting at a March 9th release date!

This is one of the sickest covers we've ever seen!!

Auburn Public Theater

2010-02-16T15:14:00.013-05:00

'gonna head over to tha Auburn Public Theater tonight. We (Underground Poetry Spot founder, Seneca Wilson, and I) saw Komplex and Ainsley Burrows at this spot not too long ago and now they have a Tuesday night open mic of sorts...musicians and spoken-word/poets welcome.

Seneca and i have been on tha grind lately spreading tha word of tha Underground Poetry Spot and creating more and more opportunities...so its time to go leave a lasting impression on yet another mic...

When: 7:30 PM TONIGHT (Feb. 16. 2010)
Where: AUBURN PUBLIC THEATER
(108 Genesee St, Auburn NY, [315]253-6669)

**UPDATE**

Seneca and I def killed at tha APT...of course Seneca made us late, so we didn't get on stage til real late..!! But for those who were still around, it seemed we were a big hit, at least they were asking us to come back...

Seneca set up his cam and got some vid, i think, so i'll keep my eye out for it goin up on youtube...we went back and forth, each doing two pieces...here is tha poem i recieved tha most feedback for:

Map of Love (I Remember Holding You)

Laying on my left side, my body turned
generously towards
tha empty side of my bed, that used to be yours,
and underneath tha silence of our sheets
I remember holding you -
Tha palm of my hand absorbing tha warmth of your back
as i gently massage out tha kinks in your heart.
At times i would squeeze you so close, as if to say
hurricanes nor earthquakes could not shake us apart.
Not one inch of skin is lost on these fingertips;
not one inch of your skin is forgotten.
See, it was not left to chance that our fingertips,
each complex, and genuinely unique in design
resemble tha semi-concentric lines that define
a topographical-map.
For our unique fingerprints each are made of tha
mountains and valleys that we climb up and over to find
someone willing to journey with us.
When we hold hands, tha special design of our maps' countours
fit together like lock and key; each geographical notch
in perfect form to receive one another -
and where it appears not, tha very ground will then shift
upon experiencing tha comfort of recognition's permissive ways.

Laying on my left side, my body turned
generously towards
tha empty side of my bed, that used to be yours...
I remember holding you.

mic tha poet

GOOD NEWS!!

2010-02-16T14:30:00.006-05:00

This past Saturday i attended and performed at the launch party for THE STAND, Syracuse's SOUTH SIDE NEWSPAPER PROJECT

http://mysouthsidestand.com/

I was incredibly impressed with tha vision and tha hard work of all those involved with bringing this interactive online newspaper into fruition... I plan on keeping a close eye on tha progress of THE STAND and getting those close to me involved, as well....The Stand focuses on bringing positive community news and information from the people who live it to tha people who read it.

At the 2:23 mark, you will see a young poet named Liz Mills, a sophomore at Syracuse's Corcoran High School.... I had tha pleasure of meeting Ms. Mills and offering her my full support and encouragement. To see a student, at her age, get up in front of a crowd and display tha courage to RECITE a poem of this magnitude, was touching beyond words. I have already been looking into devoting more of my focus on working with kids of all ages, but this opportunity secured my vision. I cannot wait to enter more and more school settings to encourage verbal expression and perhaps introduce poetic charm to tha youth... Students like Liz Mills are tha proof-positive of our efforts as adults.

...in fact...it was in part due to tha effort of one Mr. Cedric Bolton, my good friend and administrator of SU's Verbal Blend program, that Ms. Mills was moved to write her poem. She had recently attended a poetry workshop orgainized by THE STAND and led by Cedric...and they have since been in contact so she could proudly show her finalized product...

mtp

Rudyard Kipling

2010-02-15T20:50:00.001-05:00

One of tha greatest poems of all time.

Here it is in text:

IF.....

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

Rudyard Kipling

Mikey Powell

2010-02-15T20:49:00.006-05:00

I don't think i've posted anything from my good friend Mikey Powell in a little while (aka THE POLITE REBEL)...looks like this video was shot at one of Mike's favorite Syracuse bars to play at, SHIFTY'S

Recently, Mikey's show at Shifty's was aired live on Syracuse's own TK99 "Soundcheck w/ Dave Frisina" Everyone in Syracuse that knows anything about local rock/indie music knows Dave...

i'm guessing this video is from that night, but i could be wrong....

This is a fun tune Mikey wrote acknowledging the address where he grew up...sitting next to him in this video, playing lead guitar, is Syracuse native John Hanus. Like myself, Mikey is often incredibly honest in his lyrics, while trying to create something we can, at times, all relate to...

Check out MP's website and spend a few minutes in "The Donut Shop." Mikey has been all over tha world and those experiences, i believe, lend themselves to his natural knack for turning his most modest moments into entertaining pearls of wisdom...

http://politerebel.com/wordpress/

MP has got a lot going for him...trust me, you will be hearing his name a lot in tha near future...keep an eye on his site for upcoming shows, too...

peace

mtp

P A P E R G I R L

2010-02-14T18:09:00.004-05:00

An all-around excellent performance. Dare i say perfect?

Sure we could always examine every last little word and so on an on...but i think this is one poem that i would have to give a "10.0" if i saw and heard it at a Slam...

and that is saying a lot. I am definitely willing to say that she maintains "perfect" composure throughout, which is a huge selling point for me...

Well...Happy Valentine's Day to tha lovers and to tha lonely, for we are altogether ONE.

peace

mtp

FLYGYPSY

2010-02-13T13:43:00.000-05:00

A video from my man Komplex and his brother-from-another-Russian, Alexei...

Ok that was cheezy. But check out this Jamaican-Russian hip-Hop Duo...they are pretty damn slick...and KOM is a hell of a spoken-word artist, too, which u know if u have been paying attention...

check out their website, too

http://flygypsy.com/

THE STAND

2010-02-13T12:26:00.010-05:00

I'm about to head over to Syracuse's SouthSide to perform at tha Launch Party of "THE STAND" : Syracuse's South Side Newspaper Project :

"The Stand is an online South Side community newspaper that is written for and by South Side residents. As the voice of the South Side community of Syracuse, the paper aims to start a community conversation online by inviting residents of the South Side to share their stories. The paper is the brainchild of the South Side Newspaper Project, a collaboration of the South Side Community Coalition, Syracuse University and a number of dedicated South Side community residents."

I am honored to be a part of today's festivities...My good friend Tiffany Viruet a.k.a Ms. Contrary will be droppin' some poetry on tha people, as well, and I believe there may be one or two more poets gracing tha stage.

The Party is set to "launch" at 2 PM and go until 5 PM. Tha Spoken Word element will take place in tha first hour, it is my understanding...

Thank you to THE STAND's director, Ashley Hanley, to reaching out to me, via twitter...

To visit THE SOUTH SIDE NEWSPAPER PROJECT online, click HERE.

SOPHISTICATIONS

2010-02-12T12:22:00.009-05:00

Open mic tonight at SOPHISTICATIONS...and "your boy WORDS is in tha buildin'"

WORDS will be one of tha features tonight, so come on out and show some love to tha Syracuse Spoken Word scene.

**Update*********

My man Free wasn't our host tonight, but he was also one of tha features. Everyone did their thing, from lyrical masterminds to kinky Valentine's... !!

I recited "tha Birth of Lit-Hop" ...a fun one. It's like tongue-in-cheek, i guess you'd say. I get to poke fun at myself, at hip-hop, at poets, etc...while asking tha audience to respect all of those things. Its like, I want to have some educational value in what i do, but not take it all TOO seriously. I appreciate my time on stage, any or every night...

Much love to the Hills', Sophistications' owners

8:30 pm FRIDAY NIGHTs at SOPHISTICATIONS in tha Galleries on Salina St.
Downtown SyraCuse

NOW U KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and you also know were back at tha Underground on Feb. 18th...Marquis Woolford aka Prophesa X will be hosting.

mtp

Uncle MTP-to-be

2010-02-12T12:00:00.000-05:00

I wrote my first poem on my little sister's 5th birthday. It is over twenty-one years later...

Upon Seeing My Sister Pregnant

Almost nine-months pregnant.
My brother’s face frozen
in the reality of life.
Mother glowing –
He will be her first;
a continuation.
The Enabler.
Easing the fear of eventual pass
And giving new reason to life.
Jennifer has never
been more pretty.
Her husband, excitable.
Ready.
The father-to-be-
able to
learn from my own.
He is confident and intelligent.
His son will have great skills at his reach
and many able hands to teach.
An abundance of potential’s enthusiasm
fills the air and enters the most
human elements of my central nervous system.
With eager curiosity, I am hopeful;
with humble respect, I resist from indulgence,
as if not to establish a precedence of expectation
Still my mind wanders.
I will be a blood Uncle.
Pride is a human element,
after all.

Michael Gaut
aka "Mic" tha Poet

Carter WHO? Ken Carter

2010-02-12T11:38:00.010-05:00

Coach Ken Carter was tha sh*t last night at Syracuse University!!

Dude even had us screaming WHO? as he repeatedly yelled out "MIKE JONES" lol...you had to be there...! Coach raised us to our feet, had our arms over our heads, touched our hearts, and turned us all around! Literally.

I def encourage anyone out there who has tha opportunity to see and hear this man speak, TO DO SO!!! He gave a very motivating Commemorative Lecture...I don't even wanna say anything about it other than it was a VERY worthwhile experience. I don't wanna take anything away from anyone who hasn't seen him. (He's almost like a good movie, just by himself...I don't want to give away tha good parts!)

I'm sure many of you have seen tha movie based on his coaching at a high school in California. "Coach Carter." I truly loved tha movie and after meeting tha real coach, Samuel L. was perfect as him. They both yield uncompromising confidence and charisma.

Here are two great quotes derived from tha evening's lecturer:

"A punishment lasts a day...a week...a month. A DISCIPLINE lasts a lifetime"

"There is only six inches between here and success. It is the space between your ears."

Coach Ken Carter

I just gotta shout out here my high school football line Coach and Defensive Coordinator, Paul Stoecker. Since "Steck" is older, I'm gonna go ahead and say Coach Carter is a man after his own heart. "Steck" is as tough as they come, and he taught me a great deal about intenstiy, poise, and pride. He liked to quote Vince Lombardi...so I'm not sure exactly who to attribute this quote, but he always told us

"You strive for perfection...not to be perfect...because that is impossible. But by striving for perfection, you WILL reach excellence."

Gotta love coaches, man.

mtp

EYE OF THA TIGER

2010-02-11T15:45:00.002-05:00

So staying on today's theme of "Children"...

This gave me goosebumps. Maybe it's cause i'm partial to tha song ever since regularly blasting it in tha varsity football locker-room, pre-game style, lol...yo, those were tha daaaazze...

actually tha good ol' days are certainly when we were kids just like these incredible children - so full of energy and potential - it is def encouraging to see this type of video on YouTube... Tha kids are so innocent, they sing together for tha pure joy of doing so. Just like that game of football i mentioned,, these kids are learning tha life-skills inherently embedded in a team oriented process, too. And what's more - they sound pretty damn good!!

It's gonna be exciting to see my sister's child come into his own and create friendships and all that!! Who knows, maybe i'll even have a wife and children one day. If i ever get off of my whole 'anarchy' kick, i will...!!! Starting to realize it may not just be a phase, tho...it's been like 15 years or so...!

peace?

mtp

******REMINDER***********

TONIGHT TONIGHT TONIGHT
at Syracuse University Schine Center (Goldstein Auditorium

Coach Ken Carter...tha real-life man behind tha electrifying film "Coach Carter" starring Samuel L. Jackson...

7:30 pm...FREE tickets have been available at SU Schine Center Box Office

This event is sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, The Partnership for Better Education and University College. For more information, contact Cedric Bolton, Coordinator of Student Engagement at (315) 443-9676.

Oscar Brown, Jr.

2010-02-11T15:27:00.003-05:00

Here is a video replay of Chicago legend Oscar Brown jr. on Def Poetry Jam...

Makes me almost wanna speed my life up so that my appearance will fit more of my poetry...i mean, i'm still so stuck on my own youth, that i sometimes end up making it difficult on myself to speak to future generations in an enlightening manner...

If Mr. Brown was much younger and still trying to break into tha scene, he would probably have a tough time, simply because his poetry still resembles something closer to what we were all taught in grade school. Much of today's spoken-word prides itself in tha very lack of knowledge of yesterday's poetry, as if it is paramount to creating something "new." While always encouraging a fresh take on an old subject, tha idea of abandoning artistic roots altogether is a troublesome notion for me...

besides... i've got some "news" for you...there is nothing "new," so we might as well be educated on what we are doing.

What do you think??????

...take for example tha video that tha WEB TEAM just posted by Kidz in the Hall. I can't lie, i was nervous when i saw mention of tha "ladies" in dude's post remarks because i just put up tha post 'bout Byron Hurt's Independent Lens documentary and i wanna be able to show my many human sides, but don't want to be outright hypocritical. In tha film mentioned, Hurt draws special attention to tha mysoginistic attitude towards women allegedly apparent in many black men. And i myself elaborated, repsectfully, how i agree that this should be a larger issue to blacks in America than the alleged consistent oppression from whites. Upon watching tha Kidz in the Hall video, though, it wasn't TOO bad, - meaning they don't seem to be selling sex as hard as some do - considering, for many people, tha suggestion of "shake your little thing" isn't much to scoff at these days. However, i would mention that beside tha beats, tha "song" or "rap" is created by a rhtyhmic arrangement of chosen words - at least a primitive definition of POETRY. So my problem with tha song and so many more is why waste poetry on repetition. The rap doesn't sound like anything i haven't heard before. In fact, i don't wanna argue bout who started what, but dude sounds a lot like Kanye, no??? Not just voice, but delivery, right??? But come on, lets be truthful. Kanye's nice. And so we will tolerate several knock-offs of anything we like. We say we won't, but we do it everyday.

...and i ain't saying Mr. Brown's poetry is something "new", in fact, i already said it was closer to something "old". It just seems today's poetry and art leans too heavily towards mode of delivery. And there was once a day when it leaned too heavily towards tha scholarly approach. I guess i'm just looking for a happy medium. I'm teaching myself to serve equal parts entertainment and education. I understand it doesn't result in tha most flashy or catchy approach, but i have to be happy with ME, if i want to reach YOU...

mtp

Kidz In The Hall

2010-02-11T00:24:00.001-05:00

Kidz in the Hall - New Music - More Music Videos

Whooooooooo...wassup ya'll. We was just up in the Adirondacks skiing like a mo'fluckah and now I come back home and I'm gettin burrrried in this snow game like Young Jeezy.

We're gonna let MTP keep posting like a beast as he should be, but let us interject with this slick new vid from the Kidz In The Hall called "Jukebox".

It features a lot of ladies gettin' tha game put on them, which seems to happen wherever the Web Team and MTP go. So we figured it belonged on the site. RIGHT?

It's shot by the dood BB Gun who did the Kid Cudi Video we featured here way back.

All my DMV folks stay warm.