Wow...mi gente, does it get any better than this? The last two shows were crazy...and after a great segment on Dialogo De Costa a Costa (HITN TV), we were ready to do it again.
The heavy hitters of the Capicu scene to take the stage tonight were Dean, Derek Brooks, Rescue, Blaze a Page, OL SoUL, Chosen, Poeta Guerrera, Joe Ramon, Advocate of Wordz, Majestik, Yubelky Rodriguez, Avatar, Jamilla Firdausee, Conan, Marissa Bravo, and the fiery Amir Sulaiman (featured on HBO Def Poetry). Some of the poets like Amir Sulaiman and Poeta Guerrera were part of the filming of a PBS documentary that took place on Capicu's Stage highlighting Islam in Hip Hop and Poetry. The featured vendor was JusNata Spanglish Designs showing off their new line of t-shirts for the US Latino demographic. Also in attendance was Jaime "El Maestro" Emeric, Jose "Boricuation" Medina, Tato Torres (YerbaBuena), Nuyorican legend Keith Roach and Miss Belleza Latina herself, Margarita Santiago.
The show, truly a success with over 100 people in attendance has been a show of force in this Williamsburg community as Area 51 in conjunction with Capicu Poetry slowly transforms from a common lounge to the birthplace of the Latino Rennaisance in Brooklyn.
This time around The Capicu Players have incorporated a community building tool prior to the show. Lisa Centeno, a Capicu Supporter from Candidates On Demand Group hosted the Capicu Cultural Job Fair/Happy Hour just an hour prior to our regularly scheduled show for people in the community to network and explore possible career opportunities. This event is the first of many upcoming initiatives Capicu is planning to serve the community in Brooklyn and beyond.
Here is the recap of the night:
It is April 20th...2007 and Capicu Poetry has decided to dedicate the show to Don Pedro Albizu Campos on the eve of the anniversary of his death. "We are here to celebrate his life and legacy, not his death" says The Urban Jibaro as he gets ready to hand the mic to the first poet of the night. As tradition has it, the first poet of each Capicu Show is usually an elder, a poet or activist that has established an identity in the realm of "nuyorican" poetry. Before this actually takes place, the master of ceremony, the real pirate of the caribbean, Papo Swiggity engages the crowd with his call and response piece celebrating community and speaking out against gentrification...a cause he is very passionate about.
Reinvest in your hood or you'll lose it for good!
Red, yellow, black, brown, we're taking it back now!
Tonight's first poet to take the stage is no other than Bobby Gonzalez, Taino Poet, Historian and Storyteller and author of the book, "The Last Puerto Rican Indian". Bobby spoke briefly but very eloquently about the man we came to honor in this night of cultural exchange...Don Pedro Albizu Campos. After a strong round of applause, he recited a poem from his last book entitled "ANACAONA" which he dedicated to a very strong Boricua woman and Capicu supporter, Lisa Centeno (Boricua Godess).
The night's featured poet, Chilo from the 21 Poetz and Grito de Poetas took command of the stage as the night's honoree Don Pedro did in his heyday. His poetry laced with boricua pride and revolutionary thoughts truly paid homage to a man's dream that unfortunately to this day has not been realized, but still has the support of the community...and who knows, Chilo via his words, his work as a teacher in the Bronx or as a tutor in Harlem can very possibly ignite the thoughts that inspire the mind of the next great Boricua leader, that is if it that leader is not Chilo himself.
