Now keep in Mind I did Not say or mean a Hip-Hop alternative. Here we Go..

Being part of a significant "Spoken Word" collective that meets weekly to vent, vibe, network...and
by virtue of that, getting into the Global community (if you will) that makes up the Myspace spoken word artists (Poets & Musicians), I cannot help but Marvel at the thousands of talented, creative
writers & players displaying their tracks in Cyberspace...So much good stuff is on this site & on the Web overall that I have to wonder..Why hasn't poetry (Spoken Word) caught on as a viable, marketable Genre? I know here in Cincinnati there's a sweet underground scene going on here, as it
is in many Major cities across the U.S....Hell, Poetry is as hot here as Karayoke was a couple of years ago, and from Tuesday thru Sunday evenings weekly/Monthly you'll find a set workin' out in different
parts of town, drawing All races, creeds, talking about everything Life throws in your path; you name a subject! Lightweight stuff to the heavy, Politically charged to Religious to X-rated...a veritable
'Gumbo" of ideologies working a room on any scheduled night. And...some of them are selling CD's of their work, and I mean Selling Good! That said, what's up? I don't see this going away. Back in the day, from the Late 50's up to about 1973, "Beat Poetry" as it was called was then was very popular and then as now was an Alternative( underground ) phenom..but look at it ; Now Poetry is Very popular......

          ...Question: Could this be a "Mainstream" Genre? I hear a lot of talk about "Overhauling" Rap music Lyrics, etc..could Poetry w/Music ( Hip-Hop beats, Jazz tracks, Afrobeat tracks, Reggae tracks, Go-Go Beats, Funk, Rock, Acoustic, Soul, etc.) with it's "Messages & Stories", be the "Rap Alternative"?

And if you think so, then what do we need to do to get it out there? If not, why?


www.myspace.com/spokenwordsoul

Don Cornelius leaving ST was a tragedy. I'd also say the show lost all appeal when it switched from SOUL train to RAP train. Lately, all you see is bad rap or R&B artists on the show. None of the dancers are even remotely as sexy as the ones from the 70's & 80's. The show lost it.
Now see, I LOVE Soul Music, Real Soul such as Patti Labelle, Jennifer Holiday, Teena Marie, Gladys, Anita Baker, Regina belle, even Fantasia & Jennifer Hudson(Dreamgirs). Now that we have all that wack "Rap" riding on the TRAIN, I'm just not interested.
Why not at least take a nod from BET J & feature some Neo-Soul? The Train definitely jumped the track when Cornelius left. It doesn't matter how old he is. He's just as much an icon to the Train as that Hourglass is to Days Of Our Lives!! Now that Don's gone and Everyone Lip-Synchs! Where's Beyonce & Dave Hamilton, or the Roots ( playing/ Performing LIVE..)? ......Well, I'm done..... P.S. Bring back the ScrambleBoard!!!!.......