Omar Musa & Luka Lesson 'The Light'
I’ve been remiss in not linking to this, a video dropped in November. Melbourne-based spoken word artists Luka Lesson and Omar Musa in Istanbul transcending, produced by Tenicee.
I’ve watched these poets over the past few years absolutely grasp hold of and embody and master their craft. They both tell stories from their hearts and from the heart of Australia in all its struggles and joys.
This is quickfire and intense, short and sweet and sour, quite emotional. Dancing on the line if-there-really-is-one between spoken word and hip hop – call it whatever you will but revel in the light of Istanbul and in the fire of poetry and very personal storytelling:
Two Sydney artists, two great communicators, have joined forces to inspire us to action. Candy Royalle & Kween G combine - and seriously, what a combination! - for a confrontational, unapologetic track about racism in Australia and the world over.
A spoken word video of Melbourne rapper 1/6 is being shared far and wide today and that fact gives me hope. That when truth is simply spoken it resonates. That we stop and listen. That we take it as meant, and work together to manifest more truth in our daily lives. This piece, writes 1/6, "was inspired by and in support of the #BlackLivesMatter movement. It's purpose is to help raise awareness of the ongoing race issues happening not only in America but worldwide."
A powerful poem by Abdul Hammoud, directed by Charles Williams, filmed by Aaron Farrugia
It feels good to be writing about two Australian spoken word long-play releases in the same week. And particularly good to be writing about a release from a storyteller who tells the heart of this country, and who is taking storytelling to a whole new level.
The first time I saw Joel McKerrow perform live he was onstage alone belting out the poem Ugly Words, which features as the coda of this new long-play album, Welcome Home, with an urgency that surged and waned multiple times, from a tongue-in-cheek slyly self-knowing beginning to climactic shouting torrents of words that made it seem he might leap from the stage headlong into the audience, gather them all up and lead them on a poetic revolution through the streets.
This beautiful poet, beautiful voice, critically important story, captured with a very light touch by Luka Lesson on Kabalko Island …
Released today (May 1st) the new album from Greek-Australian poet Luka Lesson takes great leaps musically. Refreshingly mutable, fluidly shifting through styles, musical and poetic ideas, EXIT is an album with a heart of uncompromising truth.
The final instalment of Candy Royalle’s cinepoems series arrived this month, bringing the project to completion and maybe, full circle.
Officially launching in June, a fresh compilation of spoken word and music by Melbourne based female and gender diverse poets and producers.