Questions about Spoken word

Short answers, pulled from the story.

What is spoken word poetry and how does it relate to African oral traditions?

Spoken word poetry is a performance art that dates back to prehistorical times in Africa with the creation of hunting poetry. It includes elegiac and panegyric court poetry developed throughout empires in the Nile, Niger and Volta river valleys.

When did American spoken-word poetry emerge and what cultural movements influenced it?

Reading aloud erupted in the United States late in the 1950s. Some American spoken-word poetry originated from the poetry of the Harlem Renaissance, blues, and the Beat Generation of the 1960s.

Who founded the first National Poetry Slam and when was it held?

American poet Marc Smith started the poetry slam in November 1984. The first National Poetry Slam took place in Fort Mason, San Francisco in 1990.

Which French artists popularized spoken word over rock or symphonic music in the 1970s?

French singer-songwriters Léo Ferré and Serge Gainsbourg made personal use of spoken word over rock or symphonic music from the beginning of the 1970s. Their albums Amour Anarchie (1970), Histoire de Melody Nelson (1971), and Il n'y a plus rien (1973) contributed to popularizing the genre within French culture.

What topics do modern spoken-word poets address in their performances?

This art form conveys important or controversial messages to society including raising awareness of racial inequality, sexual assault and rape culture, anti-bullying messages, body-positive campaigns, and LGBT topics.

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