Def Poetry - Season 2 (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)Def Poetry is an entertaining HBO series that is far from a regular poetry reading. These poets all have a unique style of poetry. They hit the stage and run through their monologue like they are seasoned stage performers and some have the presence of actors and comediennes. Always mixing things up, the poets that hit the stage are of all races. In episode one an Asian poet hits the stage and runs through a monologue about the Asian race. White men and women hit the stage as well as African-American poets. This poetic melting pot is a groundbreaking show because the poets have the freedom to express themselves with limited boundaries as it seems no topic is off limits. At any moment you can see a poet talking about race issues, sexuality, infidelity, abortion, abuse, issues of the day, politics, and of course 9-11. Curse words are not bleeped, being that this is a cable series, the poets get wild. The most common topic it seems is race.
Def Poetry is a show for our generation. The show is hosted by rapper/actor Mos Def. Mos spits his own little monologue at the beginning of some episodes and he introduces each poet. Oscar winner Jamie Foxx performs in episode one of Season 2. He has a funny little poem called "Fashizzle My Nizzle," where his monologue is about getting with a woman who three days later gives him something to think about. Every poet has their own style and one poet whose monologue is based around 9/11 hits the stage with a book and reads. His monologue about a terrible event in U.S. history is performed so innocently that it brings a few chuckles from the crowd.
Def Poetry won a Peabody Award. Celebrities that drop by during season two include Jamie Foxx, Danny Hoch, Taylor Mali, Black Ice, Erykah Badu, and Malcolm Jamal Warner.
Erykah Badu is classic in her monologue about fans.

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Def Poetry - Season 5 (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)I originally bought this DVD because I had a hard time getting my students interested in poetry. Words on pages were boring to them, or emotionless, or archaic. When I first showed them a few pieces from the first couple of episodes, they were immediately sucked in. They were hearing people speak eloquently and beautifully about the realities my students often faced in their own lives. Many of the poems are funny, which I think surprised my class as much as anything else. Now we regularly return to the series to watch new poems and then compose our own. It's a life-saver for a class that needs a little creative passion. [A word of warning: often the most powerful poems on the show are also the most explicit, in themes or language or both. Choose carefully before showing them to students or any younger people.]
As for personal enjoyment, I think this collection beats out all the poetry books I have. Even though I can appreciate Frost and Shakespeare and other canonical poets, the passion that the Def Poets bring to the stage adds a new dimension to spoken word that I find really enjoyable. I highly recommend this DVD (and the other seasons) for anyone who appreciates spoken word and poetry, even if hip-hop isn't your thing.

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Experience the passion and fire of the hottest musicians, comedians and contemporary poets in each installment of Russell Simmons' Presents Def Poetry Season 5. Taped in front of a live audience at The Super Club in New York City, Season 5 of the improvisational, uninhibited series features the hottest talent lineup like DAVE CHAPPELLE (The Chappelle Show), WYCLEF JEAN (Member of The Fugees, The Carnival), ALICIA KEYS (Grammy Award-winner), and KANYE WEST (Grammy Award-winner). Each episode is hosted by the highly regarded hip-hop artist and actor MOS DEF (hit album Black on Both Sides).

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Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry: Season 3 (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)They did some great casting with this one! This is one for the collection!
Poetri killed me with the piece on Krispy Kreme. Whoa!
Black Ice, Ursula Rucker (she is the chick at the end of all The Roots records spittin' venom).
Philly poets have it on smash!! Need I say more.
Ohh and the Philly rapper Rosco P. Coldchain! Wow! He blew me away! If he doesn't make you understand ghetto life, you'll never get it. He broke it down!
Mums! That guy is a problem! He brings the same energy he gives you on OZ to the stage. Raw!
Flaco Navaja, what a beast. Nothing like a passionate Latin with crazy verbal skillz!
Too many others to go into. Definitely a great buy.


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Experience the passion and fire of tomorrow's hottest poets on HBO today! From the makers of Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam, HBO presents Season Three of the acclaimed late-night series that showcases practitioners of one of the country's fastest-rising performing-art forms def poetry in an intimate, uncensored format. Once again taped before a live audience at The Supper Club in New York, each installment of Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry is hosted by popular rap artist/actor Mos Def, and spotlights original material performed by contemporary urban poets and well-known music/comedy artists.

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Def Poetry - Season 1 (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)This DVD is definitely a must have for all dvd collectors. As Mos Def stated in a few of the shows, these artists get up there and say things you may already be thinking. They will have you laughing at times, and will have you reflecting on the state of our society at others. As they show clips of the audience, you find every skin tone and age up in there and its a beautiful thing to see them all laughing together and even shedding tears together...It's deep..
Based on my experience from Def Comedy Jam, I was expecting all of the artists to be African American, but Russell mixed it up with Caucasians, Asians and Arabs which was HOT...We never really know how different people look at the world and this gives you a glimpse into what each person sees and what they've been through.
DEFinitely a classic!!

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RUSSELL SIMMONS DEF POETRY SEASON 1 - DVD Movie

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