Def Jam Poetry – Daniel Beaty “Knock Knock”

http://youtube.com/watch?v=TlI4IN03Obg&feature=related Def Jam Poetry – Daniel Beaty “Knock Knock”

Using his hands to show his father knocking on the door, used his arms to show, being right next to the bed, and then with a pleased assurance (on his face) he, uses his arms to show the getting up and jumping into his fathers arms.  He changes his tone to show him as a little boy was talking. And his facial expression was that of the exited little boy (as he would have been).  He simply says we shared a game.  “Until that day when the knock never came”, was said in a loud voice concerned voice, as one would be.  In the first 30seconds he has changed characters from narrator to the young boy and back.  This is not false but there is acting involved for him to show the different characters of his story.  Would this be counted as a performance?  Yes I would.  A reciting of his poetry where he explores or takes on the different characters init.  But I agree with crisis that people feel it is essential to categorise and understand; therefore I prefer to use sharing.  As I myself when I have written something I enjoy, I simply want to share my piece of writing but get caught up in the titles and analysis of poems and performance. 

 

When showing or telling an action like “knock knock” his voice takes on a different tone and always has the same rhythm and tone but a little louder or quicker when it becomes more intense (the tone, I am not sure how to explain) this tone does emphasis the knocking.  This is something that some readers may not do while reading a poem or any piece of writing, as it does not occur to them or they’re not a strong reader, but when hearing it recited you get it how it is meant or intended to be read, which has a lot more power and impact (certainly for me).  When talking of the “never ending highway” he says it without taking a breath until he gets to the “the place of high rusty gates”, which emphasis the long journey.

As soon as he begins telling of the room of windows his voice changes, becomes deeper and more emotional (as he would be feeling).  His knock knocks and his hands, knocking when appropriate and his hands moving forward show breaking through the glass and to show his mother pulling him away his arms are drawn towards his body.  He brings his hands towards his stomach to show the little boy in him, and his head nods when saying “papa’s knock” maybe to show the knocking, maybe it was his conviction and belief in his words, maybe it was subconscious and just happened.  When saying “papa come home…” he puts on the boys voice and his facial expression becomes that of a sad child.  The different tone of beginning “25 years later” emphasised, the narrator or himself as a man when he performed.  His arms rise up as he says, “Dream up a father” and his voice deepens as if with this dream he is more powerful and assured can be more of a ‘man’.  His voice deepens to emphasis the third ‘character’ his father, and his arm moves with each word said, as if his arm is directing the words.  Which is like some one who is rapping they are constantly using their arms, for the rhythm, for expression but most importantly because it comes naturally. 

 

His arm shows the shaving, and his arms is held and pushed or driven smoothly and firmly to show the ‘strength and stroke’.  His hand is extended and used as if writing, his arms lift his body to show a strong posture and ‘walking like a God’ his arm comes up again to show the knocking of doors. 

The ending is powerful as he captures the entire poem, and the intensity has built up to the point where he is in the character of his father and his voice is at its strongest.  The end he says “knock knock. Who’s there?  We are” this captures the audience as his voice has been so intense actions been profound and the intensity is at it’s peak, and the last line is helped by his hands risen in the air as he shouts the last line.       

 

In-Q Freestyle

http://youtube.com/watch?v=DZJcq1eZHJM&feature=related 

In-Q Freestyle

The beat begins, and straight away In-Q begins nodding his head to the rhythm, allowing him to get in tune with the rhythm so he can be guided by it.  His rhythm is consistent, this is what is labelled rhyming/rap/spiting because his next line is dictated by a word (often the last word of the last line), also because he is using words to express a point but in a straightforward, raw way.  This is something I am developing late, as when I first started writing I was being told it was poetry so my aim was to express my emotions through images and visions, where as In-Q in this freestyle was using images like “chop of your neck with a battle axe” which is an image, but most of the time they are used to impress as when rapping you are trying to keep a persons attention, which is why he (and many rappers) switch topics so rapidly, because he is using punch lines, which I do not do and if I do they are not intentional, they just come out.  I am not insinuating this skill has anymore or less significance, but that my mind does not naturally work in that way / has not been trained to. 

 

 

When free styling you is caught in the moment, so clarity does not always happen, but with practice you become clearer, concise and quicker in thought.  When I was performing at N.A.C for example, when I say “I come with precision hitting you with precision” I began rapping a freestyle over the drums, but my thought process was to slow and I could not follow the rhythm, which caused me to loss my rhythm.  And as In-Q showed it is about you (the rapper) and the beat meshing to create the sound that work together, so when people hear the beat the words are in rhythm with it, and is easier to follow.  And free-styling is about capturing the moment, and often you find a way of saying something about your surroundings, like when brought up the biscuits I had before me in “performance with bad juice”.  The beat boxer stopping the beat, and letting In-Q continue to then come back in shows their harmony, but also In-Q’s rhythm and his ability to continue even when the beat stops.     

 

John Cage “4’33”

http://youtube.com/watch?v=hUJagb7hL0E John Cage “4’33”

 When starting everything is done as normal, the layout of the orchestra, audience applauding and then he holds his stick down (I don’t know why) the silence allows you to hear the finer sounds of a packed auditorium, like the digital sound of a watch being set.  The movements are as if it were a normal performance with the notes being read of the page, only there are no notes to read, therefore there is nothing to play.  The most noticeable sound is a slight humming of a machine.  You can see the audience members and even some of their movements, some of the musicians appear to have their eyes closed (which would be a way of getting through it) though I think it is best with eyes open as this is how they’d usually play, and the point is for everything to be as normal only for the compare (John Cage) to have no instructions or notes to instruct with. 

Seeing this on television / through a visual medium is not only removed and taking away the impact of the atmosphere in the auditorium but you can only see throw the cameras prospective.  From this point of view the silence looks awkward because it is forced, the audience have come to view a silence, so they know what is happening and why.  But with the “awkward silence” I impose in ‘sorry’ it is different as there are no rules.  The audience can talk if they want to, or do as they feel as they would if there was a performance happening, but they do not because they are expecting to be entertained with sound.

 

A shot (1:56 minutes) of one of the musicians repressing a slight smile on his face, because he knows the silence is an act and everyone in the hall has come specifically for this. 

A performance I did in Val’s room where I had a silence but the audience (which was less the a hand full) and myself could not keep composed, partly because we knew what was coming and why but also it was awkward but we are friends and friends who feel comfortable to express ourselves.  Maybe if there was more people there may have been more tension.  To keep the feeling of awkwardness, once one person began laughing I should have kept my composure and given the impression that I was being laughed at, and showed signs of insecurity etc.

 

When turning the page the silence was cut by the musicians and the crowd as, their were coughs, as if they had been waiting for the opportunity to make noise.  The compare (john cage), even makes humour by dabbing his forehead with tissue (I don not think he makes noise) but the crowd laugh. 

 

As the silence comes back into play there are one or two coughs and yawns.  The silence does allow you to appreciate silence as music, but it is not authentic and pure because of the guidelines, a real silence not being acted has no guidelines.  But this silence is following the format of a specific musical piece that would be formed in this way with different sections.  Maybe music performed in this way is not a true representation of expression for those enduring and performing this act.  That is why my performance I find interesting and now I know I do not need to act at all, as that is false.  Merely standing still and looking at the audience (obviously, different sections and sometimes directly at specific audience members), for as long as I want to keep the silence, as I am in control of the performance, but the audience can be the protagonist of any performance if they wish.  As was shown in “4’33”.  By making noise every time the pages were turned the audience are allowing the musicians to break the silence (who are the primary performers), otherwise the musician would have to remain as silent as possible, leaving only the sound of pages and small adjustments.  Therefore I guess I am only in control of a performance if the audience let me or I am not discouraged by their actions / demands.  The things you hear in the silence are interesting, as you hear, shuffling of feet and fingers or hands.  There are clips of the crowd showing them being still, and looking directly ahead.   At the end of the act, the presenter says the turning of the page was not counted as part of the silence.  4’33 was the performance time, but if you consider the philosophy “as long as you are being observed you are performing ” the ‘performance time’ was the moment there were people on stage or even in the auditorium seats.      

 

For this to have the most impacting effect the silence needs to be and not planed or not set.  It’s like a silence in a conversation, the reason it is awkward is because there are two people present (or however many are in the conversation) who were talking but have run out of things to say, and they do not want to be rude and walk away or end the conversation.  

 

Though there was tension of some sought, as there was complete silence in a room of a couple of thousand people. 

  

Saul Williams Performance in Germany 1 of 3

 

The camera work is poor and does not allow for the best documentation of Saul Williams performance, but you at least get an idea of what is produced.  

It starts with a dramatic entrance as (orchestral performances often do, as the music is powerful, exuberant and expressive).  Saul stands observing what is happening around him looking relaxed and composed. His hands behind his back, which is a good way to stop nerves or anxiety from inhibiting the performance or showing, as your hands are not visible but the drawback being it can feel awkward.  His opening lines work well with the music. When saying “bearers of the day” it comes across as if he is forcing it out, and trying to get into it, as he motions his hands and pushes himself forward as if the momentum of himself moving forward and of his hand gestures would encourage himself into the performance. 

 

The emphasis on ‘red’ is help by his and hole body going forward but also the pause before saying red, as if the red is the most significant word of the line.  At some points right at the beginning like after he says ‘red’ it sounds as if he is not in tune with the music, but maybe this is the intention.  If that were the intention then the music would need to be a little quieter.  As when he is talking about the ships sailing, the music is going over him and it comes across that he is projecting more than usual to be heard (though his voice is still clear and consistent, and it might be the microphone of the camera is not very good).  His rhythm breaks at let them sell, and then continues and keeps going without breath, this might be the natural rhythm of his words but it sounds like he is battling against a wave of musicians. His line break to emphasis a word is done again with ‘new language’, as if just another point to be added on the end, but it stands out because of this.  He says she, then pauses, and there are people in the background who echo, and linger on his words as if a whisper in the wind. 

 

When saying “no pin…” he starts on the tin sound, and bounces along the sounds of the orchestra, then the music is quiet until he says books.  This is good as the music is emphasising his words, and adds drama and greater intensity to the telling of the story.  Though his voice is drowned (but not completely) by the power of the orchestra.  His snigger when saying and to think comes naturally, as if in a conversation and out just had a realisation, this shows good acting of his character, or just being lost in the message and in touch with his writing.  There is a slight pause and an intense look (the kind of look I am uncertain, but it’s certainly intense and holds emotion).  His words and the music now seem to work in good synchronization (or I have just got use to the sound of the orchestra with his voice.)  when crouching down it is as if he is ducking from the view of the audience as it is an orchestral solo, showing his comfertability on stage but when not performing / of being on the stage in general.    When starting again (after crouching) with “most beloved” he and the music are not quite in sync but very close, the music is quite sombre and whining (as it is violins I think) but it works well as he is talking in a tone almost like a prayer and it is to his ‘most beloved’ which could be anything or one but I assume it is what some may call God.  And the music stops precisely for ‘for you, my colley flower’ and the music picks up and continues for every each word each is emphasised has a instrument hit a note before or after the word is said i.e. “I’m eternally destroyed by your love” at which point the loud tin drum is struck.  Also the compare/conductor of the orchestra is pointing to Saul to say when it is time to come in.  

 

When saying “friends laugh at me and talk behind his back” he has his hands and arms around his stomach as if protective of himself, and a when saying they say that you’ve changed me…”  he points outwardly with you’ve and inwardly with me.  “To touch them is to touch you…” he has his fingertips pressed together as if he has held/does hold those words or sentiments between them.  When saying his philosophy on love he uses his hands as if unravelling the words while / before speaking them.  When saying a kiss the pause allows it to be taken in and absorbed / contemplated on which is what he said could / will happen in his writing, the vocal backing hissed as he turned to look at them, it looked as if there was tension there (that is probably the act).  I think the hissing was meant to be a lingering of a kiss, but it sounded and reminded me of a snake hissing.   His pause after saying how the pyramids were built let you take that in as the music had stopped by this point, and then I said and used his hands to show from the top down, his face was expressionless if anything stunned by the notion of the pyramids being built from the top down.  He shows breath going into him.  And bites his lip, is this because he is unsure, or just uncalculated.  Then he carries on the notion of something/one breathing into him, with a bass or drum thumping continuously as if a heart beat. 

Showing the wings out stretched is good, and bringing his arms together showing being hugged/clutched.  Then he begins talking with great intensity and the music is enhancing this intensity with the chords and bangs.  It is like he is pleading with whom addressing (which since he turns to those giving the backing vocals, it would be them he’s addressing, to which the audience scream out “stanstern”) the speed of his rhythm increases with the musical intensity.  When saying about seeing or not too, there is emphasis so the difference in understandings and spellings are made obvious.  With she had eyes like two turntables, it would have been better if his gesture was clearer for the turntables, but their would not have been time, or would not have been natural as his hands were already fixed into a position and the rhythm of his words was not to be broken, as he was in synchrony with the music.                

Sonia Sanchez – “Poem For Some Women”

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Y0z25G4yQvk 

Sonia Sanchez – “Poem For Some Women”

 When the crowd stand up and applaud Sonia Sanchez on to the stage that showed respect from the audience, which she returned with her bows.  This for me created the sense of mutual respect and community.  This is what the idea of sharing your poems is about, which crisis said “he uses the word sharing more than performing” this is exactly what I feel Sanchez does, she is reading from the page, but she is so connected and in tune with the poem that it does not matter that her face is constantly in the book (though after her entrance she says what the poems about and the poem alone, without the performance self is very powerful. 

Her voice is very important as through her vocal range you her emotion and the characters emotions.  I am interested in whether it has in the written poem the repetition and dragging of syllables of words like “I’m alright…” which is all part of the character who is a drug addict, therefore it would make sense to have it written like this in the book (though it would break the rules of literary language).  But hearing this repletion and stuttering of words lets the listener know it is the drug addict talking.  There is rhythm in her speech and delivery, which is important as she is reading, giving less chance for her to address the audience through actions and gestures. 

 “Want her to know how hard it is for a single woman out here on her own” she emphasises the words in bold by lingering on them and changing the rhythm of that word.  These are important words of the character therefore she wants the audience to recognise this and it can only be done through her voice. While reading she is constantly moving to the rhythm of her words.  When impersonating the little girl she rocks and starts of with a gentle solemn voice and then begins whining as a hurt child would which helps with the images created.  What helped to create the image of the girl crying was the voice hitting a high pitch and her shaking her head as if liberating herself of the feeling she has.  This leads into her (the mother) singing a song for the child to calm down, which has greater impact as it is read or sung as it would be to sooth or send a young child to sleep.  When saying “she just stared at me with her eyes”.  She turns away from the book briefly to show her eyes that are squinted.  At the end, saying ‘I see you’ she closes her eyes and points her head outwards in different directions of the crowd, the last time she opens her eyes and lingers on ‘you’ which has a greater impact because it is as if the she makes a point of who she can see but the last person she sees is a lot clearer, which is why her eyes are open.     

 

Def Poetry- Linton Kwesi Johnson- Top Notch Poet

http://youtube.com/watch?v=4dDSpsrA5pA

Linton Kwesi Johnson- Top Notch PoetIn his walk to the stand, his posture and approach looks strong and assured, which was confirmed by his hand shack. When saying the poets name after the first line of the poem he pauses briefly between each name for punctuation and so they stand alone. With “I wuda write a poem so damn deep dat it bitta sweet” it is rhythmical and it is the first introduction to the natural rhythm of his words. He emphasises “damn deep” and “bitta sweet” which the crowd found humorous, his emphasis was the deepening of his vocal range. When saying “like, a precious memory wha mek ya weep, mek ya feel incomplete” it sounds out of rhythm as if he lost it or forgot the words. But is picked up again with the next line and then broken of when saying “but the music done already” which emphasises the “music ending” (both I in the words and in terms of the music for the night) as the rhythm is broken, and the words are said in a completely different tone.The chorus is always said in the same rhythm / his own timing as he says which is important as he is not only saying he has his own timing an rhythm he is showing it, and it is down by braking the rhythm when and where he wants to emphasis a point, which does not happen with music / where following a musical rhythm as it can go against the music unless it is stopped at the point your rhythm changes. This is something I often try to do, show my own sense of rhythm but this often gets confused with me pausing to remember a word or when improvising, finding a word I want to fit. But when rhyming / rapping I there is no need to pause to find a word or go of rhythm as you are following the rhythm of the music.When saying Mandela’s thousands I think it would have been a greater impact if he had looked at the crowd, but this can be the problem with reading you have to refer at points it would be good to address. When saying the second group of names of the ‘top notch’ poets he nodes his head in as if in conviction of what he is saying. “Like a condombly, voodoo, comina chant/a old time calypso or a slave song” he says with conviction and edge, as they are strong words. “Each and every one can recite dat deh one” he uses a different tone than the previous lines. This for me did not only make that line stand out but the previous as well. The rhythm, and the emphasis of granny and gran Pinckney stood out, as he wanted it to because of the difference in age and generation. When saying ‘simple’ he says ‘it as if it has always been there the answer is simple’ there is no need for a complicated and confusing thoughts. Which he then demonstrates through the personification of a girl, he also shows his rhythm or maybe the girl’s rhythm, as it is a girl he is personifying. With ‘still’ he pauses once he has said this and then goes on. With talking about the girl he says “with a sweet style and a subtle smile” he uses a different tone, a lower tone, which emphasises the subtle as some of the audience recognise and grunt to agree.The next bit is important as he says it with tenacity, aggression but also the projection of his voice, which is possibly why it comes across with more aggression; this is particularly true with “peddle in no puerile parchment of ethnicity with only a fleeting hint of authenticity”. I think this had taken that tone because he was saying what he is not doing therefore when saying I am not doing something you emphasis either the not or what you say. And then says like a babbling buffoon who lose him tongue, he pauses and hold this tension in his voice to emphasis those words. His tight facial expression (though it is hard to see his face because of his hat and shadow created, the camera’s far away) all the way through this recital helps with the tension of his words. When saying no he shakes his had to emphasis his point but also it follows the rhythm of his speech (as his has done all the way through the reading, with the nodding of conviction and rhythm). He adds a hint of humour but also shows he has his own timing and rhythm by going throwing in “Scooby dobby do”, capturing the moment and creating humour out of his own poem and statement. Once finished he smiled and bowed, to then turn sharply as if stepping out of character and briskly walking of as he came on stage with a strong and proud posture.

Helena D. Lewis- Stank Breath & poem-cess “power”

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8GqoEUhbQ54 Helena D. Lewis- Stank Breath

Starting the poem by saying the first vowel ‘I’, pausing and turning slightly to the side looked and felt natural.  It was as if she was getting herself into the mode and imaging the story or images she was about to relay.   Pausing after smelt, allows you to do he first line, and emphasizes the next two, as the first has had time to process.  And ‘checks’ does not rhyme, but because of her facial expressions and tone of voice it did not matter as they communicated the emotion she was feeling greater than the words.  She is delivering it by punch lines, which is something many comical poets do.  And “in an” are delivered slowly and emphasized before you’re hit, with the next.  She uses her body and arms a lot, which adds to the expression.  When saying a match with his breath could set the world on fire, she plants her feet and bends slightly with clenched fists, squinting eyes, as if his breath was burning or harming them.  When saying she cut the conversation short, she uses her hand to show cutting her neck, which is what she was doing cutting the life of their conversation/him so she wouldn’t have to bare the pain.  Pointing and talking in a direction to show someone calling her, although it looked more like stretching in a direction trying to pull herself in that direction away from him.  Her head shacked and eyes bulged when saying but he didn’t, as if she was surprised.  Pointing as she said every punch line after “he followed me across the room”, but each one had a certain rhythm and her pointing hand motioned every note of the rhythm.  When saying “asking me” she reminded me of a sermon at church giving a speech; because of the position she held, strong and her voice rhythmical, energetic and loud.  When saying and then it happened she pushes her hand up and out as if pushing and image out or grabbing an image from the air, to then use when saying it landed on her for head.  When using her hand she is slowly moving it so you can picture her image.  Using the matrix analogy is very dramatic but the execution gives it humor. ‘Hypothetically’ the event was so traumatic she puts her hands to her head and is breathing heavily.  And now she is angry and is shown when saying that broke her back, she is frowning and points the ground when speaking.   While talking of the different brands of toothpaste she says each brand as if they have there own block, with her hands either side of her face being the end of the block, and they rise when saying the word and fall once finished.  The ending is strong, and comes back to the gum (in her hand the entire time), and tells him what she’d been attempting from the beginning, with each word having great importance and clarity.        

 

 Poem-cees- Power

 Check it, is how many rappers have begun their raps. 

He talks about stretching over the dresser, and moves his and with the rhythm of the beat box.  “Can’t afford CD’s just yet”, said slow, with emphasis with the last word lets you know it’s a sad thing.  With the lines slaps the tap into the box/ slaps play and turns the radio up” he uses his hands to show the three images, but with slaps and play it could be said that was just his rhythm being expressed through his hands, but then he shows the volume increasing, and his tone of voice emphasises the pleasure one would get from the volume increasing.  His voice changes as his hand does a waving (of the radio or sound frequency) motion to show the ‘deadly rhymes’ ripping through silence.  When saying and showing the cracks creeping up walls and moving his body outward just shows their timing and rhythm is  in great co-ordination and the picture falls at which point the beat box stops, as the characters consciousness of the music may momentarily stop because of the picture.  He shows the wobbly dimension with his hands but works well with the rhythm of his voice and words.  The it doesn’t compute, is done as if a aged broken computer in a sci-fi film and he is shaking his head at the same time which adds affect to the delivery.   

I do not think the ‘two fingers’ to the head to show the gun was needed.  If it was to be understood it would probably be picked up from the words and rhtym as it happened quickly.  Showing the alcahol by having his hand, and the slapping of his hands for the slapping of skin worked well.  And the pauses for ‘hiphop minus tupac and biggie/ divided by ja rule and fitty’ worked well as the pause was the division of which they where talking about. 

The drawing of the ‘flat line’ allows you to get a better idea (at least) of the death.  Showing his spirit going back into his body, which he moves (in rhythm).  When saying it kid hits the pause, that’s good acting and co-ordination again.  And the ending they remain composed and while one says the last line the other does the action.

 

 

MutaBaruka – Def Poetry (Dis Poem)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn-f8PgLVjU  MutaBaruka- Dis Poem

 The entire poem builds you up for the ending, as each new line start with “dis poem” and is said with the same tone each time.  Also he does not move from his spot, which is good as the poem is very continuous and movement will retract from his words.  The entire poem is delivered with the same rhythm and more or less the same tone of voice.

The ending he says “dis poem” will continue in your mind, and as he is stepping away from the microphone he continues repeating the last line (so it sounds like an echo, which works very well but can be irritating as that’s what sticks out).  Having “dis poem will continue in mind” as the last line is effective as he is stepping away so it sounds like an echo and is probably his intention.  But the fact that the poem drags out does make your attention in the middle of the poem ware a bit, though this is kept slightly without the humour and contradictions, especially towards 

Def Poetry – Paul Mabon – The Toothbrush

http://youtube.com/watch?v=qEPF4RXDoVw 

Def Poetry – Paul Mabon – The Toothbrush

 

The poem makes great entertainment especially when performed and some may claim it as a poem specifically for performance (which I don’t believe exists, though when a poem is on the page it may take on a different form and have a different impact than when performed).

Paul starts with a colossal entrance, stating how it started, which would also work as a title.  Before he says the first line he has a glum, unhappy look on his face.  Which could be mistaken for nerves, as his head is looking from side to side, there’s a slight twitch in his leg and his hand’s in his pocket, but this is to emphasis the distress of the poem.

His tone and voice in the first line is like when someone has been crying heavily and is struggling to catch their breath.  Throwing his hands up as he says

“Something was telling me, I should have known she was trying to move in”, an exaggerated expression but befits the poem, and shows the feeling of being pissed off.  He looks back when asking, “is that her jacket?”  As if he had to take a second glance, as you would do when surprised.    There is an upward flex in his vocal tone, this emphasises the surprise and rhetorical question.  While he is going through the days and what has been left on each day there is a slight pause between the days, just enough for the crowd to follow easily and it takes on a certain rhythm.  His bodily gestures and use of the stage when saying that she moved in play an important part in the story.  Each day of the week he addressed a new part of the crowd, and when talking of Friday I could picture where and what had been left as he held them and pointed and shuffled along where they’d been lined up. And when asking about the razor he screams and looks back as if she is their, showing sense of position and awareness.   

His hands are used to express his feeling but as you would do in a conversation, as if a friend is telling you the happenings of something.  He also uses the crowd very well, always looking at all sides and but doesn’t lingerie in a single part of the stage for long, making the crowd always having to readjust and always aware, which is the nature of the poem, which is a energetic, comical, exaggerated poem and performance, because of this the performer is using more energy in trying to be the entertainer than the crowd are in thinking or being entertained.  That makes it light-hearted, easy to follow and enjoy. 

He uses his variation of tone and surprise again when saying,

“Is this your hair in my razor”?  Showing anger and irritation but makes it comical because of the high, pitched voice and nature of the poem.  I saw femininity come out because of the pitch and the way he moved his neck and body in his expression.

Asking the crowd if its over not only allows there involvement (other than laughter) but allows him to state twice its not over and bring emphasis and join the next part with the previous. 

He points first at the ground to say, “this ain’t how I use to live” at parts of the crowd when saying, “when she comes here tonight I’m going to tell her how it is”.  All of this flows well verbally and his clicking of fingers for me emphasised the rhythm he had.  Straight away turning straight ahead with a controlled serious expression.

When saying “see baby there’s a few things that you fail to understand” his hand gestures facial expression and shaking of shoulders shows attitude, like an arrogant personality attempting to put someone in there place.  Receiving the slap to the face for those actions was done well, and relatively naturally for a monolog.      

With “it’s not funny” you see him screw up his face and stamp his feet as a young child unable to get there way, which shows the different sides of the character, and allows you to read further into the poem because of this animation of the poem. 

His hands when talking of the ties is used well and his whole body.  To show the keys he smoothly takes his and into his pocket as if a normal part of the performance.  The poem is about her moving in which is signified by the, which he becomes protective over turning his body and using vocal tone.  He is constantly flipping between the whining childish persona, like with ‘not my keys’ and ‘crab legs and lobster every Friday’ and a questioning or moaning way of talking.  Till finally he asks her what she wants and it’s the keys, to move in and he rejects it. 

And says I a man what’s left for me, with big firing eyes and an aggressive voice.  But you see the to persona’s merge when saying ‘nothin’ turning his head to the side and heavy breathing.  You see him trying to be a man and strong but the child in his face and words with nothin’ (as if his mother asked him what rude comment he said, but he does not dare say it again).  The third or narrators persona comes through last with ‘I do love your ass’ and the crowd remember the start, possibly because it was the loudest or he said it three times through out the performance.  Most likely the question he asks, “it started with a what” to which all they have to reply is toothbrush, which is a play on ‘it started with a kiss’. 

 

Saul Williams and Matisyahu – Black Stacey/Freestyle Live

http://youtube.com/watch?v=UPhNhSUWPVw   Saul Williams and Matisyahu – Black Stacey/Freestyle Live

What looks like an unplanned collaboration, they are simply going of the energy created in that moment. 

Starting is Matisyahu beat boxing gets the crowd energetic and allows the band to find the rhythm but most importantly allows Saul to compose himself and feel out the rhythm and energy.  This is something I often do when I freestyle.  It allows me  to find composure and find the rhythm (not think about what to say as thoughts tend to muffle the freedom of that moments expression).

Right at the beginning Saul is following Matisyahu and sings a note but decides to take a sit and wait a while (feel the rhythm and find it within him once found he uses his body to keep it by rocking with the it).  Then once the bass and band comes in he steps up, strolls around, steps to the front by the crowd and is waving his hands to begin singing.   That is a good thing as it allows builds the energy of the crowd, which is important in a performance.  The whole time bobbing his body to the rhythm (a way of feeling and keeping the rhythm and energy, which comes naturally to most) this is why its difficult to stand still when performing and adventure with being completely still, as even when there is no percussion or music I still have a sense of rhythm with my words (though it’s constantly being broken), but when there is not percussion in the background I can play with that an manipulate the silence and audience to my advantage if I am improvising.  Then he sings the end of black Stacey, the band play it out, whilst Saul goes to the front and is waiting his ands keeping the crowds attention and waiting for the band to die out, then begins with “now” at this point Matisyahu is important in the improvising as he finds the beat through his voice (beat boxing) again, and is really kept by him. 

While raping Saul muffles his words but finds his composure again without losing the beat or rhythm completely at the bit about “and even … my own style sometimes I’m 50cent”.  It is hard to tell whether it was meant and cut out or a muck up but judging by his flow before and after and facial expression while saying “sometimes I’m 50cent” I think he mucked up but showed composure as he picks up and carries on straight away. And the ending works very well with the beat box and heart simulation.  That for me was the, part that stood out the most; it would have been interesting to see what happened next.