Poetry Rocking Urban Culture

By Nompilo Mchunu

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A relevant way to connect with the youth

O

ut of all the various tried and tested methods by the elders to tame the younger generations from the social ills that have taken refuge in today’s youth, the young minds have uncovered their own cure, poetry. 
                                                  

                                          photographer: Nompilo Mchunu
                                          young poetry loves listening to poet, Nqobile Madla 
                                                        speak her word at the weekely PoeTree Thursdays
                                                        organised by the Writing Centre at City Campus.
                                              

One might say what’s new about poetry because it has been part of humanity since ancient times. From the days of England’s “National Poet or “Bard of Avon, as he is still referred today even long after his existence, the one man synonymous with the word poet, William Shakespeare. But, the youth will tell you something has changed since then.

In the past decade poetry has shifted away from the traditional English and narrative African approach. Though it still tributes its ancestral lineage, it has adopted new movements that are socially relevant to the current times. 

While most say that poetry is reclaiming its oral roots and language construct, they still maintain that it can there is no right definition of the new poetry.  It can mean many different things to young people today.” It’s an explosion of words that should move you even if the person reading it isn’t moving much” as poet, Nqobi Madlala describes it. “It cannot be explained but understood, it is a deep art form that needs no interpretation”, adds S’bo Dladla, a young poet.

With MTV, Channel O, and Vuzu channels having changed its content to meet the ever evolving demands of the urban youth, poetry too has seen the introduction of certain elements. Those who live it, have turned it into their lifestyle have mordanised it with Hip- hop, rap, performance, dance, social life, and clothes.

Hip-Hop

It is a different kind of art in its own form that has a different meaning to different people. But, when it’s comes to how it influences the young and poetry they all agree. Hip-hop is more poetic, using rhymes and verses to get out what they are feeling and thinking and they do use poetry in it. Hip-hop in a way is poetry with a beat.

Rap

It is more about the word, the deep freestyle. It’s incorporates the use of language and literature. And Bob Holson says, “Language is the essence of  humanity and poetry is the essence of language.”

Clothes

Image is one of the most crucial elements of poetry and its combination with music is one that makes image important. How you coordinate your wear is important for the street-cred, it can be the traditional Afro-centric look or the all black image that most performers opt for.

Young poet S’bo Dladla better knows the influence of poetry and its elements in his lifestyle. “Popular culture is a form of engaging the youth in society, and poetry is not just a way of expressing, it is a way of living. “ I live poetry, every single day is poetry to me”, he explains. He also touches on how he sees it as a representative voice of the urban youth. I consider myself an educator through my poems, my mission is to raise consciousness about issues that affect communities” adds S’bo. 

In Durban, the urban poetry scene has been bursting up. Active actress, performer and poet in the Durban cycles Thola Mhlongo believes that grooming is still missing in poetry.

   

                                          Photographer: Nompilo Mchunu
                                                        Poet, Thola Mhlongo performing for the crowd

She says that events like Poetry Africa raise awareness but it needs to start from the roots. She also says that poetry has it ills amongst young people as well. “Some people, especially young male poets that come into the game. They come with fake personas, do it for the girls and popularity which degrades the art of poetry.” But that will not change we loyalists feel. It’s a culture it’s a lifestyle and it will remain.”

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