Starting Date: 02-11-2006
Starting Time: 8:00pm
Carolina Theatre
310 South Greene Street
Greensboro, North Carolina 27401
United States
310-663-2392Proletarian poets from all over the country will converge on downtown Greensboro, NC for the Red Bull Word Clash (RBWC), February 11, 2006, at the Carolina Theatre, 310 South Greene Street. Poet welcome and registration begins at 5 pm; the Clash begins at 8 pm.
Now in its fourth year, the RBWC pits twenty of the nation�s rawest politically charged poets against each other in head-to-head battle for the $500 cash prize and the honor of winning the esteemed competition.
For a list of competing poets and where they are from, visit http://tinyurl.com/awl4o.
Host and producer of the RBWC is NC agit-poet Monte Smith (www.33Third.com/monte), author of Don't Shoot the Hostages: Poetry and Social Commentary for the New World Survivalist, Volume 2. Smith�s poetry has garnered praise from Amiri Baraka and Mumia Abu Jamal, won standing ovations in venues like NYC�s Nuyorican Poets Caf�, and is currently featured at www.softskull.com as a showcase piece from the forthcoming Bandana Republic: An Anthology of Poetry and Prose by Gang Members and Affiliates (Softskull Press, July 2006).
A noted speaker and workshop coordinator, Smith�s empowering and informative public tirades against police corruption, poverty, globalization and �the prison industrial complex� have turned him into a sought after interviewee for television, print and radio media who report on the Hip Hop generation, poetry, social issues, race relations and politics.
is last interview on Greensboro�s 102 JAMZ Sunday Morning Show was the highest rated in the show�s history, a real feat for a poet considering the station plays only �commercial� Hip Hop and R&B.
Smith and Matthew Stibbe, co-producer of the Word Clash and co-owner of the record retailer 33third.com, started the Word Clash four years ago to offer an annual stage to those they felt were often shunned at conventional poetry venues for being �too threatening to the status quo�. Since its inception the Word Clash has met with resounding public support, quickly becoming a yearly gathering not only for poets and poetry enthusiasts, but also for activists and community organizers.
This year, as in previous years, attendance is expected to be upwards of 1000 people.
The Red Bull Word Clash is free to the general public with beats and breaks provided by the legendary DJ Soundmachine (BDP/B-Boy Records) during intermissions. Honorary returning judge for the RBWC is Def Poetry Jam co-creator Bruce George (www.brucegeorgemedia.com).
All media are welcome. This event is particularly suited for live news coverage, live radio broadcasts and print features.
For more information, all press inquiries, and for booking Monte Smith contact Matthew Stibbe at or matthew@33third.com. To hear Monte Smith�s podcast In the Raw with Monte Smith visit http://blog.badpoetryinmotion.com.Geographical Scope: International Convergence |
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