Poetry in Chicago

Tag: #dcase

  • First-Ever One Man Show “Evolution of a Sonero” by Flaco Navaja Salsas with Vitality and Vocals

    First-Ever One Man Show “Evolution of a Sonero” by Flaco Navaja Salsas with Vitality and Vocals

    With the flair of a linguistic troubadour, Flaco Navaja seemed born to be on-stage as he presented his one-man show titled “Evolution of a Sonero.” Navaja both wrote and performs in the show – but much more, he sings in it. He took the audience on a thrilling ride from his parents first date, through his own life as a troubled teenager all the way through becoming a father himself, all while making comparisons of his life to the composition of salsa. His pride in his Puerto Rican heritage, and being raised as the youngest in a family of five (his parents are still married 59 years later, he announced to thunderous applause) was evident through-out the performance which skillfully blended Puerto Rican culture with living in the Bronx in New York.

    He adeptly takes the audience through the ups and downs of everyday life. Some moments hilarious, and others, intense, like the day he ruined his mother’s birthday by being caught smoking weed on his high school campus. He describes her as he sings,”5 feet tall, 80 pounds, all gangster.” Through his performance, the audience shares his fear of his diminutive firebrand of a mother, and empathizes with him as his Puerto-Rican proud, hard-working father’s blow provides a fitting crescendo to the dramatic scene.

    Directed by Miranda Gonzalez, the show has a libretto arranged by Carlos Cuevas. It was produced in the NEIU Auditorium at 3701 W. Bryn Mawr by the Urban Theatre Company in conjunction with the National Puerto Rican Museum and was backed up by a powerful band called “The Razor Blades” that never missed a beat. The band was totally in sync with the performer as the pianist directed from his place on-stage. To find out more about Navaja and his work, go to the National Puerto Rican Museum’s website.

  • The History of Hip Hop with Emcee Monte

    The History of Hip Hop with Emcee Monte

    Welcome to the first-ever podcast for Poetry in Chicago (<-click here to hear it!) We are looking into the history of hip hop today, with Emcee Monte, who is also known as Monternez Rezell. In “Jammin’ with the Boombox, Volume 2: 50 Years of Hip Hop” he has created a poetic album that is rooted in Hip Hop culture, and funded by a grant from the city of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, (commonly known as DCASE.) His journey into Hip Hop began at Kenwood Academy High School on Chicago’s Southside

    “The University of Hip Hop and my mentors. Lonnie Raven and Hector  really gave me the foundation of the culture, so not only was I practicing how to be a Beat boy or how to break dance or practicing rapping, or practicing graffiti, practicing rapping. I was really engulfed in the culture of hip hop and all of the elements, and learning the history, learning the importance of knowing my foundation and the founders of the culture, and being a part of the legacy of hip hop, and not just being on the side rapping and thinking “I’m gonna rap! I’m the best rapper!” But  being a part of the community as a whole, and contributing to Hip Hop culture. Not just participating in one thing. Not just being on the sidelines, but participating in the culture and passing it down to the next generation.  My mentors taught me, and now it is about being the best mentor I can be to the next generation” 

    – Emcee Monte

    Poetry in Chicago: Tell us something about the history of Hip Hop since you are so well versed on it. 

    “One of the things that you need to know is that hip hop started in New York City in the Bronx, DJ Kool Herc is credited with inventing the first break beat in that moment, in that year in 1973. When DJ Kool Herc revealed his merry go round technique, and that was the catalyst for the bridge to bring all of the elements of hip hop together. That creation of breakbeats sparked the moment and growth of  break dance and creating break dance to go with the break beats and those two things were the birth that inspired the growth with the hip hop culture. From there, you add the emcee, and the other elements. But now, hip hop culture has come to be more and more popular and become a force within the music industry. Now, as we know, it is one of the most popular styles of music in the world, rap and hip hop music has now surpassed rock music in being one of the most popular styles of music.”

    – Emcee Monte

    “Yes! Isn’t it fabulous? There are so many layers to it. And I love how it comes from the people, it is a shout out from the souls of the people. We really needed something from the people.”

    “It was counter culture when it started.”

         As you can see, Emcee Monte is a true artist, Southside born, and raised in the University of Hip Hop, who is struggling to make sense of the world, not a big-time star who is making money from a huge music conglomerate. This fact makes him accessible to people who will be able to relate to his fresh, innovative approach to hip hop music while being firmly rooted in its history. His poetic approach is rooted in the 5 branches of Hip Hop: Mcing, DJing, Breakdancing and knowledge all of which are rooted in one dynamic album that celebrates history and pushes the edge of the art form all at the same time. To find out more about Emcee Monte and the Movement Revolution Dance Crew, go to https://emceemonte.com/ Let’s give his music a listen.