Marcus Wright
Even on the spoken word scene you’re sure to find your underdogs. The poet who goes ‘unnoticed’ at slams and can sometimes be looked over at first glance during shows. Marcus Wright is a proven underdog, capable of swaying a crowd’s initial reaction by simply uttering his opening lines.
Born in Queens, now a resident of Staten Island, Wright is the youngest member of the tour. Younger in age, he has still passed through many of the same circles as his counterparts, competing in slams throughout the city and winning. He’s already performed on Broadway and on stages throughout NYC in front of some of the biggest names in poetry and urban entertainment alike.
While many poets perform pieces that only they can truly relate to, Wright’s performances are more about provoking thought in his audience. His poem titles say it all, with names like ‘Artificial Intelligence,’ ‘Sound of a Slave,’ ‘Hip-Hop,’ ‘Cancer,’ and ‘An Hour Before Time,’ one can only imagine the insight he can provide to any audience.
They say a team is only as strong as it’s weakest link. We’ll if Marcus is Parlé’s underdog, then there is nothing to worry about.
Marcus Wright ‘Artificial Intelligence’
Devin
“Poetry is my greatest love, I do it because I love it” Devin proclaims. As one of the most recognized poets young poets in the country he’s used those words to propel him from small stages at school to performances across the country. A few years ago when he decided he wanted to take his poetry to the stage, he tried aimlessly to find a poetry name that would fit his style. In the end all he could come up with was Devin “The Poet”, perfect when your poetry is a direct reflection of who you are and what you represent.
The Brooklyn native is a force to be reckoned with on the slam scene, a dangerous adversary to any because to his quick wit and intriguing prose. With that talent he was one of the youngest poets to win a spot on the historical Nuyorican Poets Slam Team. In 2006 he won the New York Knicks Slam competition and later that year became a finalist for Urban Word’s Slam Team.
Devin continues to make his mark on the poetry scene. He recently graduated from John Jay College of Criminal Justice majoring in International Criminal Justice. His poetry remains a hobby, but his goal remains to engrave his words in the psyche of history, never to be forgotten. He is well on the path of making that happen.
Devin ‘Your Poems About Nothing’
Kesed
Embarking on his journey at the tender age of fifteen, Kesed has been wowing and abusing audiences all over the globe.
The strength of the art of spoken word is powerful. It’s a way of life that can help guide through struggle and pain, while also commemorating the best of times. Kesed has seen it all and been through it all and spoken word has helped him find consolation when times got unbearable and for that reason the gift of spoken word will continue to bless him each time he writes or performs.
The unearthing of the talent came while Kesed sat through math classes at his Brooklyn high school. Math being his least favorite subject he found writing was a way to pass the time, but soon realized it could be so much more than that. He became truly captured in the art after seeing spoken word artist and actor Saul Williams. That is when he realized that he could be as great a performer as he was a writer. The slam circuit became his playground and his passion for being the best shined through.
The struggle and pain are still major influences of his pieces leaking fluidly in poems passionately displayed on stages to give the listener not only an inside look at his heart and soul, but also a dynamic performance.
Kesed ‘Oral Tradition’