Making her TV debut for BET after her debut poem, ‘Pretty For A Darkskin’ was released in 2017, Princess Latifah has made her mark as a spoken word artist to watch out for. Although her talents have been with her from a young age, the artist and mother of two has found a new perspective on what it’s like to create and to be a creative. As many poets do, Latifah has always found writing a therapeutic outlet. What started as a personal hobby eventually turned into a practice where she enjoyed writing for the world. When I needed a plaster, there was poetry. Call it poetual healing. Princess Latifah Although she still mostly writes for herself, Latifah explores different layers of life when it comes to her work. She writes to study the inner realms of her being which allows her to maintain and sustain her sense of freedom. Her writings touch upon themes such as feminism, empowerment, and the many controversies that plague todays society. When it comes to being a mother, Latifah shared that it hasn’t come without its challenges but it hasn’t stopped her from being who she’s always been. Performing has always been engrained in her personality and becoming a mother has added a new element of joy to the process. Becoming a mother added new feathers to my wings. I gained more inspiration, more passion, more love, and more perspective. Princess Latifah A helpful note that Latifah shared for those who are both mothers and performers is to not juggle, just be. Don’t force it or fight it. Creativity is actually a spiritual thing. We ourselves are a creation, and not only do we birth babies, we birth words and ideas too. Neither of these can be rushed. Creation is sacred. Princess Latifah Princess Latifah was nominated for Best Spoken Word Newcomer at our Wordplay Awards earlier this Summer for her Nicola Adams poem commissioned by BT Sport after her first ever piece ‘Pretty For A Darkskin’ went viral. These were extremely memorable moments for the poet which set her on the creative journey she’s on today. My headline set for Mind Over Matter was one to remember because I was heavily pregnant. I remember it all though. It’s all special, even being interviewed for Wordplay & Flow. Princess Latifah As the year draws to a close and a new one approaches we explored what Princess Latifah has in the works moving forward. She will be releasing her debut single; a musical spoken word piece that she wrote and recorded when she was pregnant with her daughter. It gives me all the feels. Powerful poetry, soft soulful vocals, and beautiful music. It’s the loveliest combination. Princess Latifah Without giving too much away, Latifah shared that the new track will be released in November followed by visuals she can’t wait for all to see. The track will be part of an EP released in 2024 and we have no doubt that it will be a hit among her audience and beyond. Until then, you will surely want to catch this powerhouse headlining a stage near you sooner rather than later. Watch ‘Pretty For A Darkskin’ here. Creative Director & Writer: Tannika Taylor @tanniktaylor Photographer: Seun Sontan @seunsontana Cover Design: Simplexity Creative Counsel @simplexitycc
Tag Archives: Musical Spoken Word
Spencer Mason Talks Where It All Began and The Fox & The Butterfly
Our Flow Feature series continues with the incredible poet and artist, Spencer Mason. The two time Wordplay Award nominee has made a heartfelt impression on the London circuit despite calling Scotland home. Their journey as a creative has been an eventful roller coaster over the years as they draw upon personal experiences with mental health and life to produce some of the most moving musical spoken word projects that have graced our platform. Formally known as Ghoststory, Spencer flirted with spoken word for the first time through their involvement in the Ignition Project which consisted of 12 creatives from across the UK tasked with developing a show from scratch in five days. The initiative exposed them to theatre and team bonding which built on the acting experience they gained in college. They later started a band with some friends, however due to Covid, the band decided to go their separate ways Both arts were organic discoveries and I enjoyed putting them both together. Spencer Mason Spencer Mason has made a statement with his musical spoken word projects ‘These Branches’ and ‘The Fox & The Butterfly’, with the latter being unreleased but still gaining a nomination for Best Musical Spoken Word Project at this year’s Wordplay Awards. Funding by Help Musicians allowed them to rebrand and focus on delivering the music that they wanted people to hear. These Branches was the first offering of myself as Spencer Mason and not Ghoststory. Spencer Mason The Fox & The Butterfly was long in the making before the release of These Branches and we’re looking forward to the highly anticipated drop towards next month. Initially meant to be an EP, Spencer decided to do a full album that explores how different mediums of creativity can co-exist together. My fuel for creating projects is being able to get inspired by anything and everything. It’s good because I always have something to write about but it’s bad because I can go off tangent and have 12 genres on one project. Spencer Mason It will be a full circle moment when Spencer is back in London to get involved in the Ignition Project that first exposed them to the art of spoken word poetry. Their latest project, The Fox and The Butterfly will be released on the 27th October before the artist headlines Glasgow on the 29th October with an exciting line-up to be announced. Outside of the music world, Spencer will be heading to India in 2024 for a yoga qualification and some well deserved self-care. They have multiple novels in the works that link to their musical spoken word projects, and we’re sure they’ll be hitting some of the biggest stages across the UK as people are exposed to their raw, authentic talent. You can stream ‘These Branches’ now on all major platforms including YouTube and Spotify. Creative Director/Writer: Tannika Taylor @tannikataylor Photographer: Seun Sontan @seunsontana Cover Design: SCC @simplexitycc
Wordplay Awards x WAF Festival 2022
We are proud to finally announce that we will be hosting our first awards show dedicated to poetry and musical spoken word in collaboration with the Wandsworth Arts Fringe Festival this Summer. The Wordplay Awards will recognise the amazing talent that has emerged from the underground poetry circuit with a wonderful line-up of spoken word poets doing what they do best. All roads lead to The Bedford on the 19th June for a night of celebration and good vibes. Last month we made a call out to all poets and musical spoken word artists for submissions that allowed us to shortlist our nominees for this special event. Not only were we blown away by the amount of poets that got involved, but we were inspired by the level of quality and wordplay delivered in different ways. We have selected our nominees for the following categories: Best Female Spoken Word Poet 2022 Best Male Spoken Word Poet 2022 Best Spoken Word Newcomer 2022 Best Spoken Word Performance 2022 Best Musical Spoken Word Project 2022 Best Poem 2022 Nominees will be announced on our website and across our social media accounts on Monday 9th May when voting opens, and you decide who takes home the award for each category on the night. Our collaboration with Wandsworth Arts Fringe Festival has given us a platform to spread our wordplay and flows to a whole new audience which we can educate and inspire with our art. We look forward to coming together and making this evening one to remember. Tickets are limited and are now live on the Wandsworth Arts Fringe Festival website here.
Is All Wordplay Good Wordplay?
Wordplay has rapidly become a staple in the work of many of today’s contemporary poets, with verse-makers all over the world incorporating impressive variations of double entendre and unique puns in order to elevate a piece of work to even greater heights. So, then, what is wordplay exactly? Wordplay is a literary device whereby writers employ a clever or witty approach to the meanings and arrangements of words to create imaginative schemes where a particular subject has more than one meaning. Its mode of application certainly varies from poet to poet, but there is no denying just how popular the incorporation of wordplay is to modern-day verse-makers. That said, is all wordplay good wordplay? Well, the answer to that question, as is the case with every opinion-based discussion, is it’s subjective. There are no specific parameters for determining what comprises laudable wordplay. What is considered the ideal components to one listener may be completely different to another. I guess you could say: beauty is in the ear of the beholder. Nonetheless, if wordplay is a sum of its constituent parts then it can be surmised that the more meaningful its application is, the more impactful it will be. Granted, this depends on the subject matter, since inventive wordplay is also a common product of comedic work, it stands to reason that any wordplay entry that exists in a more serious piece of poetry should be the result of some judicious or utilitarian consideration. Truthfully, wordplay is often positively received regardless of its application or the meaning (or lack thereof) that it encompasses. This is largely due to the fact that it sounds fascinating and is thereby subsequently judged to be appealing even if when broken down it makes little to no sense, and that’s because it rarely ever sounds less than alluring. But, be that as it may, wordplay has equal potential to elevate a piece of work as it does contrariwise to attenuate it. In the end, it is up to the poet to decide when and how to incorporate wordplay without risking the integrity of the piece’s intended message. Written by: Liam Spencer
Exploring the Poetic Rise of Maryam
Every so often, a very special poet comes along, graces the stage and reminds us here at Wordplay of exactly why we love this. In 2021, that poet has been none other than the graceful and incredibly gifted wordsmith, Maryam. Since her emergence, Maryam has wowed audiences with spellbinding wordplay and breathtaking manipulation of the English language; captivating audiences with mesmeric storytelling and unmatched attention to detail, Maryam has quickly become one of the best poets performing on London’s poetry circuit. In less than a year, Maryam has catapulted herself from largely unknown to one of the scene’s most valued and sought after wordsmiths. Maryam combines a distinct and profoundly eloquent delivery with a masterfully complex and thought-provoking writing style to create an idiosyncratic experience like no other. What makes Maryam’s poetry so distinct and memorable isn’t only her astonishing command of the English language and poetic technique, but also her ability to construct pieces of work that transcend the quintessential composition of a modern day poem. It is bountifully clear with each individual performance and poem shared that Maryam not only wants you to hear her poetry, she wants you to feel it. With a catalogue of work that addresses and explores a plethora of pertinent topics including faith, politics, identity and injustice, Maryam has already found herself front and centre headlining poetry events across London, an expanding list that includes renowned spoken word nights like Mind Over Matter and Bring Your Own Bars Poetry, and brand new initiatives like Poetics. By meticulously interweaving layers of depth and substance into every sentence (or ‘bar’ for the poetry scene aficionados), and passionately exploring current affairs with faith-inspired poetry that is as relevant as it is enthralling, Maryam hasn’t just quietly arrived on the poetry scene, she’s effectively kicked the door wide open and announced to the entire scene: “I’m here… and this is just the beginning!” Written by: Liam Spencer
Birmingham Poets Set To Launch New Poetry Event Aiming To Empower
Birmingham based poet, author, and actor Ryan Sinclair is launching his very own spoken word event in his hometown. Empower Poetry aims to showcase the brilliant poets that Birmingham have to offer by giving them a new safe space to perform their art. Ryan was inspired to launch his new event after exploring the London poetry scene which is filled with open mic nights where poets share their truths. After featuring at various London poetry events and attracting a growing audience, Ryan has inspired more poets from Birmingham to connect with events in London. Currently there are only a few consistent poetry events running in Birmingham and Ryan wants to change the narrative of how poets from outside of the capital city are perceived and received. Alongside his Empower partner Kohinoor, Ryan and his team are determined to put Birmingham and Midland poets on the map, and we are 100% here for it. Kohinoor Yasmin is a writer and poet that has featured on Hayati Open Mic by Ort Gallery in addition to performing for virtual poetry platforms based in the United States. She found her love for writing at the age of eight drawing upon her early experiences as inspiration, and has been indulging in the craft ever since. I love reading, travelling, and cooking. I’m especially passionate about alternative education, and investing in our youth. One of my goals in life is to change the lives of those around me; one poem at a time. Kohinoor Yasmin – Poet, Photographer, and Mentor Ryan Sinclair highlights that it isn’t easy for all poets based outside of London to access the poetry events we have to offer on a weekly basis. Empower Poetry will be another step in bridging the gap between poets from Birmingham and London, and we are eager to see the new talent that the spoken word circuit has underground. I think it’s only right that I use my resources to boost the poetry community in Birmingham and help poets to get paid. Ryan Sinclair – Poet, Author, & Mentor Empower Poetry’s debut event is on the 24th November from 7pm onwards at the 7 Sins Lounge based in Digbeth. The night is set to be one to remember with feature performances from Birmingham based poets that have something to say.
World Poetry Slam Champion Shares Urgent Address at Climate Summit in Scotland
The 2015 Individual World Poetry Slam Champion, Sudanese-American poet and activist, Emtithal ‘Emi’ Mahmoud once again echoes the voices of the dispossessed at the 2021 climate summit in Scotland. The incredible ‘Emi’, whom took home the crown of World Poetry Champion in Washington, D.C., six years ago, is back with her palpably impassioned and thought-provoking style of poetry, delivering another heartfelt poetic address before world leaders at this year’s climate summit. Emtithal, herself a refugee and witness to the dire situation in Darfur (a region in western Sudan) has used her voice to call for urgent action, while concomitantly raising awareness to the efforts made by refugees to adapt to their habitats. On Monday afternoon, Emtithal took to Twitter to explain the inspiration behind the poem ‘Di Baladna’, which she wrote for the summit, citing, among other things, the village her father was born in no longer existing due to climate change and the conflict in Sudan. “I wrote this poem to open the door to our truth, the urgency & lasting change,” she wrote in the short yet apropos Twitter post, providing a straightforward and simultaneously profound summary of the urgent need to break ground and pave the way for long-lasting change. For years, the veteran poet has voiced her concerns over the plights of the dispossessed refugees she has met, determinedly bringing attention to the hardships endured by Syrian refugees in Jordan and Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh; struggles she once experienced as a child before escaping from Darfur. “How will the world end?” Emtithal expresses rhetorically. “I don’t know. And I don’t want to find out. Not in our generation, and not in the next.” To see the full video for ‘Di Baladna’ and more pertinent content from Emtithal, head over to her official Twitter page. Written by: Liam Spencer