As the popularity of poetry grows, so does the number of local enthusiasts who will no doubt welcome the new C.D. launched today. The disc samples the work of some of the best already in the business and newcomers hoping to make a name for themselves. This morning News Five’s Kendra Griffith enjoyed a preview of the performances. Angela Gegg, Poet [Reading Poem] “I saw it proud and I say it loud, just listen to me cause I’m a massive unstoppable force. Take the time, hear me now and listen to my voice because I’m from this land of the free, that’s B to the E to the L to I to the Z and E. So not because of the fact that I am blonde, beautiful and Caucasian, that **** don’t make me not from this nation because I’m one hundred percent Belizean.” Kendra Griffith, Reporting One Hundred Percent Belizean is just one of the ten poems on the C.D., “Spoken Word from Belize Vol. 1” which was released this morning at the Image Factory. Yasser Musa, Executive Producer, Spoken Word From Bz “In December 2006, this spoken word poetry compilation was conceived by the poets Angela Gegg and Leroy Grandmaster Young, who started a show, the G2 show on Positive Vibes Radio.” Angela Gegg “Well we’ve been doing the show on the radio station and we’ve had numerous different guests on and so many people have so much to say; everybody’s voice needs to be heard. So we all sat down one day and it just kind of just came out. We said why don’t we do a C.D.? Invite some of people that have been on the show and let them express themselves with their poetry, their feelings, their writings, their emotions.” Leroy “The Grandmaster” Young, Poet [Reading Poem] “I see many face of different race been displace due to malignorant haste to manipulize the little space, disgrace. I see the majority living in poverty, becoming their own enemy while the minority are upper society living lavishly, wealthy and healthy. Everything is just for awhile. When I’m in pain how can I smile? Do you see what I see?” Aside from Gegg and Young, the disc also features a newcomer named Gentle Giant and well-known poets Kalilah Enriquez, Dan Man, and Adele Ramos. Adele Ramos, Poet “So He Should Have Penned It really is saying that before you go and hurt somebody, pick up a pen, write a poem, because all of us can do it really, there is nothing really different about us than you. Just as we can write, you can write. You just need to challenge yourself.” Angela Gegg “There’s a few other artists that we would love to have involved in future projects so we’ll get them involved definitely but for the first one I think we got a great set of people and the variety of what’s on there is awesome.” Leroy “The Grandmaster” Young [Reading Poem] “Tomorrow may never come, could never be. Tomorrow is uncertainty. Today I’m alive, kicking and healthy. Tomorrow deh could have, right now, today, dah fi we. Tomorrow we wah wait and see, until tomorrow. I say later will be greater.” [crows] Kendra Griffith reporting for News Five. Spoken Word from Belize Vol. 1 is available from the artists and at the Image Factory for fifteen dollars.
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