Spoken word poetry is taking Los Angeles youth by storm, or at least the droves of teen-and-20-somethings that pack the Greenway Court Theatre every Tuesday night.
And what once was a quaint living room gathering of artists in search of a safe haven to air personal grievances, tell of glorious moments or simply listen, has evolved into a verbal, literary tradition for people of all ages, backgrounds and ethnicities — Da' Poetry Lounge.
Da' Poetry Lounge at the Greenway Court Theatre is one of Los Angeles' largest and longest-running weekly poetry venues. Its open forum continues to allow artists from all walks of life to perform and showcase their work.
Launched in 1998 by Shihan Vanclief (who goes by his first name), Dante Basco, Gimel Hooper (known as "Brutha Gimel") and Poetri, who declined to provide his full name, Da' Poetry Lounge continues to be a hub for the most diverse of audiences and artists, particularly young people who are looking for more than the commercial hip-hop urban experience.
But when the foursome met at Johnny Rockets on La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles a decade ago, there was no grand scheme of design for what would later become Da' Poetry Lounge. There simply was a need to be addressed.
"Basically, what was going on was Dante used to have an open mic at his house and invited people over to read," Shihan said, "and all of a sudden there were like 70 people in his house. That wasn't working. So we had a meeting and said 'let's do it together, Da' Poetry Lounge.' That was it."
Years later, Da' Poetry Lounge is still going strong, filling a niche for the next generation of spoken word poets, and bridging various cultures and outlooks together, creating a distinctive collective of intellectual progression.
"The kids now are looking for a place to go, feel comfortable, read and find testimony ...(because) for some people, this is their church this is where they speak their testimony. It's important for people to have a place to go," Shihan said.
Brutha Gimel, who DJs the event, echoed Shihan's sentiments, adding that the lounge's location, which is adjacent to Fairfax High School, almost guarantees a youthful attendance.
The lounge has that "cool" element. It's where youth get to hear poetry that's not from high school, he said. It doesn't bore them. People, especially in the age group of 18-22, are drawn to the self-expression. Many of them are coming into themselves and Da' Lounge gives them an outlet to do so.
Before calling the Greenway Theatre home, Da' Poetry Lounge had roots at the Cabernet Cafe in Hollywood. Da' Lounge moved to the larger venue in June 2000 at the invitation of Blattz Pierson, co-artistic director for the Greenway.
Since then, Da' Poetry Lounge has launched DPL Productions, an agency that collects poets' work and helps provide exposure for artists who many not have the resources to break ground nationally and internationally.
More than 500 people, mostly youth, show up every Tuesday night, including celebrities. Most recently, Da' Poetry Lounge held its first "Celebrate the Word Los Angeles Poetry Festival" on Aug. 19-26, 2008, where nationally renowned poets made guest appearances, including slam poetry sensation Saul Williams, who starred in the 1998 film "Slam," and the Floisist Natalie Stewart from the neo-soul group Floetry. But one of the biggest claims-to-fame the lounge has is its ability to bridge diverse generations of people.
Mannie Jay, 20, who has been performing at Da' Lounge for two years, said the atmosphere is what keeps him coming back.
"The people who get up on stage and do their thing is inspiring," he said. "I mean I just don't appreciate the way music is now ...you just hear people rapping to the beat but you come here and what people spit is really lyrical and you can feel that."
Jay is not alone. Actress/poet Sufi Bradshaw, who is originally from New York, said she finds inspiration at Da' Lounge, and that it introduces her to fresh young voices.
"I feel that older people can learn a lot from youth," she said. "There was this 7-year-old girl who celebrated her birthday (at the lounge) and I thought 'man to be 7 and to have experienced something like (the lounge), I would have given everything for.'"
"The atmosphere is awesome," she added. "And for us to have a medium like an open mic is great. Anytime I can have a view into (another person's) experience, I'm happy."
Color lines are not an issue at Da' Lounge — performers are accepted on the basis of their work, not the color of their skin.
Nick "Nickname" Leggerro, who performs regularly, said he receives support from everyone at Da' Lounge.
"It's positive, because people support something that can create great moments that are created from nothing," Leggerro said.
While Da' Poetry Lounge's success seems to come as no surprise for its founders, Poetri says he can't take credit for the lounge's success. He leaves that to something greater than himself.
"It's all God," he said. "It's definitely all God. All we do is show up and have a good time, and there happens to be people there."
Da' Poetry Lounge takes place every Tuesday from 9 p.m. until midnight in the Greenway Court Theatre, 544 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles. Admission: $5. For further information call (323) 655-7679 or visit www.dapoetrylounge.com or www.greenwayarts.org.
Related info
www.myspace.com/dapoetrylounge
India Allen is a writer for the L.A. Watts Times.
Photos for collage from www.myspace.com/dapoetrylounge
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