MANIFESTATIONS OF NOMMO IN DEF POETRY
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JOURNAL
10.1177/0021934704273148
Walker, Kuykendall
OF BLACK/ NOMMO
STUDIES
AND/ NOVEMBER
DEF POETRY
2005
MANIFESTATIONS OF
NOMMO IN DEF POETRY
FELICIA R. WALKER
VIECE KUYKENDALL
Howard University
Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry is a cable phenomenon bringing the
art of performance poetry into the homes of millions of television viewers.
Performance poetry is present for a new generation to appreciate. This
research focuses on how the African oral element of nommo is present in
Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry. This research seeks to uncover how
the concept of nommo is manifested in Def Poetry and how the use of
nommo becomes an effective element in this genre. Using an Afrocentric
rhetorical analysis, the characteristics of nommo studied were rhythm,
soundin’ out, repetition, stylin’, lyrical quality, improvisation, historical
perspective, indirection, call and response, and mythication.
Keywords: nommo; Def Poetry; orality; Afrocentricity; spoken word;
rhythm; soundin’ out; repetition; call and response;
mythication
The power of words can build or tear down
Create a big smile or produce a sad frown:
So in all your contacts with people each day,
Be sure to encourage in all that you say.
—Anonymous
Research in African American communication examines various
oratorical styles. Nommo, the generative power of the word, is a
delivery style distinctive to African Americans. Orality is a signifi-
AUTHORS’ NOTE: Please address all correspondences to Dr. Felicia R. Walker,
525 Bryant Street, NW, Howard University, Room C-206, Washington, D.C.
20059; e-mail: frwalker@howard.edu.
JOURNAL OF BLACK STUDIES, Vol. 36 No. 2, November 2005 229-247
DOI: 10.1177/0021934704273148
© 2005 Sage Publications
229230 JOURNAL OF BLACK STUDIES / NOVEMBER 2005
cant aspect of African American communication and is one com-
ponent used for examining the manifestations of nommo, the pri-
mary focus of this study. Nommo is manifested in characteristics
unique to African orality. They include rhythm, soundin’ out, repe-
tition, stylin’, lyrical quality, historical perspective, indirection,
call and response, protests against the White establishment, and
mythication (Cummings & Roy, 2002, p. 63). One of the ways to
study orality is to examine the contemporary art of spoken-word
poetry. Spoken word became increasingly popular in the mid- to
late 20th century. One hip-hop mogul, Russell Simmons (2004),
has managed to bring the creative efforts of spoken-word poetry to
the homes of millions.
The African culture gave birth to nommo, and it is manifested in
the creative efforts of the poets in Russell Simmons Presents Def
Poetry (Simmons, 2004), which is performance poetry. Recently,
there has been a resurgence of performance poetry, also called spoken-
word poetry. This revival has brought about hundreds of spoken
word cafés across the country, such as the well-known Nuyorican
Café in New York City. There has also been a cable television series
on HBO. Produced by Russell Simmons (2004) and Stan Lathan
(2004), Russell Simmons presents Def Poetry has been a successful
way for artists to display their poetic abilities. Simmons is an entre-
preneur in the hip hop arena and is responsible for enterprises such
as Def Jam Records and Def Comedy Jam, also seen on HBO. Tele-
vising spoken word has broadened awareness of performance
poetry.
The manifestation of nommo is prevalent in the delivery of Def
Poetry poets. To accurately study an element such as nommo, one
must also study the theory of Afrocentricity and the history of the
oral tradition, folklore, and storytelling in Africans and African
Americans. African culture and African American culture are oral
cultures and rely heavily on the spoken word to create and maintain
tradition within their culture. The spoken word is a powerful form
of communicating. The spoken word from one human being to
another is an entity that can create or change a life. Janheinz Jahn
(1958), author of Muntu: The New African Culture, affirms that
man has dominion over “things” by the force of his word; he canWalker, Kuykendall / NOMMO AND DEF POETRY 231 change things, make them work for him. The word is a powerful entity with almost a mind of its own. Words flow freely from the lips of those who choose to use them, some more artful with their words than others. Through various contexts or circumstances, the spoken word has evolved into many different genres, including rap, poetry, and storytelling. Speeches, radio shows, monologues are all valid spoken- word events. Over time, one cannot ignore the Afrocentric presence that seemed to overtake some genres of the spoken word. Radio disc jockeys are animated; many orators do not give speeches from a podium, and spoken word poetry is no longer an event that does not include audience participation. Audience participation is one of the key elements of Afrocentric discourse. There are specific styles and elements found in the Afrocentric approach of speaking. Nommo is manifested in characteristics unique to African orality using the elements mentioned earlier. African Americans added their own spirit and culture to the genre of spoken word through poetry. As national events, poetry slams began in 1984. Slams, competitive spoken-word perfor- mances, were designed to include audience involvement and to choose winners based on points. The judges are the audience mem- bers chosen by the organizer of the slam. Poetry slams differ from readings in that readings offer support to the poets performing. Slams offer a more critical involvement of the poets and their poetry. The audience may respond how ever they see fit. Russell Simmons (2004), hip-hop entrepreneur, noticed how poetry slams were beginning to invade neighborhoods across the country and how they had evolved from an alternative kind of art form to a main- stream kind of art form that needed greater exposure (Salinas, 2002). In 1998, Russell Simmons (2004) and Stan Lathan (2004) cre- ated an HBO original program featuring nine spoken-word poets. The program, Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry, was used to spotlight the country’s most popular spoken-word artists. Simmons brought Def Poetry to television to facilitate a movement that was already underway. He provided a vehicle for expression (Salinas, 2002).
232 JOURNAL OF BLACK STUDIES / NOVEMBER 2005
The program was so popular that it expanded to Broadway
(Salinas, 2002). Both series are a result of the resurgence of spoken-
word poetry, which has infiltrated the urban areas and spilled out to
other cultures and ethnicities in the suburbs. For example, the
Broadway show as well as the HBO show stars poets from many
cultures, including those from Asian, Hispanic, Jewish, Italian, and
Middle Eastern descent. This gives way to those who are not bio-
logically African but seemingly demonstrate communication char-
acteristics from an Afrocentric culture. The presence of nommo
gives life to the word, and the poets help the audience feel the
breath and heartbeat of their poems.
FOCUS OF THE STUDY
This study examines the manifestation of nommo in Russell
Simmons Presents Def Poetry (Simmons, 2004) through Afrocentric
lens. This research is significant in that spoken-word poetry, as a
movement, is communicating beyond the culture of the poet. Peo-
ple of African descent are delving deeper into the rhetorical nature
of their culture. As stated, many of the poets are not of African
descent, but manage to involve the crowd in an Afrocentric manner.
Often present in sermons, civil rights speeches, and motivational
speeches, nommo has become an element experienced by people of
many different cultures and backgrounds. The African American
culture is not the only culture to rely on oral tradition; however, in
the annals of poetry, the manifestation of nommo has been limited
to the African American culture.
To date, there is no information on the manifestation of nommo
in poetry as a genre. Rap has proven to be somewhat similar in
nature, the only difference being that the spoken word poetry fea-
tured in Def Poetry has no musical accompaniment. Additionally,
this study illustrates the usefulness of an Afrocentric method in the
analysis of performance poetry. It demonstrates the appropriate-
ness of a culture-centered approach to research queries and encour-
ages the progression of culture-centered studies.Walker, Kuykendall / NOMMO AND DEF POETRY 233
NOMMO AND AFROCENTRICITY
NOMMO
Nommo is a characteristic of African orature, the comprehen-
sive body of oral discourse by a people. Because the African
brought to America a fertile oral tradition augmented by the perva-
siveness of nommo, the generating and sustaining power of the spo-
ken word, orature permeated every department of African Ameri-
can life (Asante, 1988). Harrison (1972) describes it as that
“nommo force which manipulates all forms of raw life and conjures
images that not only represent his biological place in Time and
Space, but his spiritual existence as well” (p. xiv). Nommo is a term
that is Afrocentric in nature. According to Molefi K. Asante,
nommo is an African concept of communication rooted in tradi-
tional African philosophies (Asante, 1998, p. 71). Afrocentricity is
a way of life, with Africa being the center or starting point of move-
ment in all areas of life. The African in America cultivated the natu-
ral fascination with nommo, the word, and demonstrated a singular
appreciation for the subtleties, pleasures, and potentials of the spo-
ken word, which has continued to enrich and embolden the African
American’s history (Asante, 1998, p. 95). The presence of nommo
is evident in great literature, poetry, and speeches. To bring an audi-
ence to life is the goal of great African American speakers. The
speaker appreciates the audience becoming a part of the perfor-
mance or occasion and welcome interaction, especially in informal
situations such as Def Poetry.
“To command things with words is to practise ‘magic’. And to
practise word magic is to write poetry—that holds not only for
Africa” (Jahn, 1958, p. 135). Nommo is the essence of the oral tra-
dition and holds a mystical characteristic that is described as magi-
cal. Jahn explains,
Nommo, the life force, is the fluid as such, a unity of spiritual–
physical fluidity, giving life to everything, penetrating everything,
causing everything. . . . And since man has power over the word, it is234 JOURNAL OF BLACK STUDIES / NOVEMBER 2005 he who directs the life force. Through the word, he receives it, shares it with other beings, and so fulfills the meaning of life. . . . And since the word has this power, every word is an effective word, every word is binding. There is no ‘harmless’ noncommittal word. Every word has consequence. (pp. 124, 133) Nommo is more than simply telling the story. Nommo gives the story a heart, lungs, and hands to help the listener interact and understand the importance of the history. Without the elements of nommo, it is difficult, as an African American, to obtain an illus- trated view of the history being told. “The word of the poet has not only called the ‘things’, it has produced them, it is Nommo, word seed. We see the ‘things’ when we read the verse. The poet made them in the word” (Jahn, 1958, p. 135). Harmony is the objective in the proper use of nommo. “The word itself is force. If there were no word, all forces would be frozen, there would be no procreation, no change, no life” (Jahn, 1958, p. 133). AFROCENTRICITY Molefi Asante (1988), the father of Afrocentricity, defines the logic of Afrocentricity as immutable, noncontradictory, and con- solidating. “Act on the basis of Afrocentricity, and you will consol- idate your own spiritual powers as well as join the symbolic uni- verse of our cognitive wills” (Asante, 1988, p. 87). Asante’s (1988) desire for the Afrocentric concept is for all the possibilities of a world where Africa is subject and not object, to see Africa from other angles. Afrocentricity involves placing African ideals at the center of any analysis that involves African culture and behavior (Asante, 1998). In Kemet, Afrocentricity, and Knowledge, Asante (1990) expresses that the Afrocentrist “seeks to uncover and use codes, paradigms, symbols, motifs, myths, and circles of discussion that reinforce the centrality of African ideals and values as a valid frame of reference for acquiring and examining data” (p. 6). As Asante further explains, “the Afrocentric enterprise is framed by cosmo- logical, epistemological, axiological, and aesthetic issues” (p. 8).
Walker, Kuykendall / NOMMO AND DEF POETRY 235 One of the key concepts of Afrocentricity is getting to know one- self through the truth and knowledge of African roots. The ability to identify with the roots and culture of the people of African descent has been emphasized by Africologists such as Diop (1974) and Karenga (1988). Asante (1990) believes language, myth, ances- tral memory, dance, music, art, and science provide the sources of knowledge, the canons of proof and the structures of truth. The idea that consciousness determines being derives from an Afrocentric ontology and epistemology. The Afrocentric epistemology vali- dates knowledge through a combination of historical and under- standing and intuition (p. 18). Asante (1990) further states that an Afrocentric ontology is one which is communal; therefore, individ- uals find their worth and most sublime expression of existence in relationship to a community, to nature, and to some supreme idea or being. The Afrocentric ontology seeks to use rhythm to harmonize with those forces, which appear external to the individual, but are in point of fact simply expressions of the individual’s potential (Asante, 1988). Asante (1990) describes an Afrocentric approach as “a frame of reference wherein phenomena are viewed from the perspective of the African person. The Afrocentric approach seeks in every situa- tion the appropriate centrality of the African person” (p. 171). Daniel and Smitherman (1976) identify the traditional African worldview as significant for understanding patterns of Black com- munication in the United States and the call and response pattern (a characteristic of nommo) as exemplary of a “deep structure” cul- tural difference (Myers, 1987, p. 75). In many cases, Black language consists of pronunciation, cadence, and grammar that reflect the African tendencies, which facilitate immediacy of expression and communication. Harrison (1972) also explains that gesturing and sounds are instrumental in getting a point across in a story, noting that if a story is not one that can be easily believed, the teller will add gestures and voice inflations to merit credibility and heighten the power of the word. Viewing Def Poetry from an Afrocentric perspective would mean to take the emphasis away from the audience as the central
236 JOURNAL OF BLACK STUDIES / NOVEMBER 2005 component, but highlight the creative process of the artist. To high- light the artist means that the creation and its function in society are uppermost. Therefore, the discourse is viewed as the creative mani- festation of what is called to be. That which is called to be becomes the created thing, and the artist, or speaker, satisfies the demands of society by calling into being that which is functional. The Afrocentric perspective seeks to “liberate African studies from this Eurocentric monopoly on scholarship and thus assert a valid worldview through which Africa can be studied objectively” (Oyebade, 1990, p. 234). Concerning African American oratory, Oyebade believes that Asante articulates nommo, the power of the spoken word, well. He also adds that this rhetorical power in speech, song, and myth is a carryover of the ancestral practice, reminding the reader that nommo was an “effective communica- tion power used by the enslaved Africans to protest their incarcera- tion. Sermons, lectures, raps, gospel songs, and poetry were effec- tive powers of the spoken word during the Civil Rights movement” (p. 236). From the standpoint of orality, the Afrocentric element of nommo signifies the generative power of the spoken word (Cummings & Roy, 2002, p. 63). In “Manifestations of Afrocentricity in Rap Music,” Cummings and Roy (2002) explain how rhetorical dimen- sions of Afrocentricity are manifested in rap music, highlighting the characteristics of nommo mentioned earlier: rhythm, soundin’ out, repetition, stylin’, lyrical quality, historical perspective, indi- rection, call and response, and mythication. The qualities and char- acteristics of rap music and poetry are similar in organization and technique. The missing element between the two would be that, except in free styling, poetry is not set to music as rap is. Both, how- ever, possess the qualities mentioned above. Characteristics of nommo remain the same no matter who enables them. How the story is told impacts spoken word. Charac- teristics unique to the African orality (rhythm, soundin’ out, repeti- tion, stylin’, etc.) distinguish Afrocentric orality from Eurocentric styles of speaking. Nommo is what gives a story life, which in turn gives a culture life.
Walker, Kuykendall / NOMMO AND DEF POETRY 237
METHODOLOGY
This study focuses on the concept of nommo and how it is mani-
fested within Def Poetry, poetry both live and recorded. This study
also answers the following research questions:
1. How is the concept of nommo manifested in the rhetoric of Def
Poetry?
2. How is the use of nommo an effective element of Def Poetry?
The Afrocentric rhetorical analysis of Def Poetry helps the
reader understand the elements of nommo as explained from the
African perspective. Although not all of the poems or poets pre-
sented contain Afrocentric qualities, the poems and poets chosen
are found to be suitable for the scope of this study. The Afrocentric
analysis is the most appropriate because of the social, economic,
educational, and political views that poets express in their poetry;
they do this with the concern of the African and African American
people in mind.
Hamlet (1998) is specific in her Afrocentric applications. She
explains that a “public speech in the Afrocentric perspective is ‘a
happening,’ a dynamic activity that springs from the attitude of the
speaker, the attitude and responses of the audience, and the out-
comes both accomplish” (p. 102). Hamlet notes that, in Eurocentric
discourse, the speaker attempts to persuade the audience; but for
Afrocentric discourse, harmony and stability with the audience
motivates the speaker. Finally,
an oratory grounded in an Afrocentric perspective differs from ora-
tory in the European American tradition. Therefore, in evaluating
African American speakers, the critic should use the lens of African
American culture to understand African American discourse. Afri-
can American culture is dynamic, highly artistic, and emotional.
(Hamlet, 1998, p. 104).
The researchers observed 10 episodes (50 poems) of Def Poetry,
as well as a live Def Poetry show (27 poems), looking for character-238 JOURNAL OF BLACK STUDIES / NOVEMBER 2005
istics outlined in the article by Cummings and Roy (2002), “The
Manifestations of Afrocentricity in Rap Music.” The researchers
chose to investigate Def Poetry using 5 of the 10 characteristics
outlined by Cummings and Roy. The five chosen randomly are
rhythm, soundin’out, repetition, call and response, and mythication.
Rhythm involves how well a speaker regulates his or her flow of
words with correct pauses and intensifications. Rhythm assists
with the flow of the speech. For example, Black ministers at the cli-
max of a sermon often employ a certain rhythm to keep the audi-
ence engaged and to help punctuate the point of a sermon.
Soundin’ out refers to a speaker’s creative manipulation of
volume and musical quality in the delivery of the message.
Smitherman (1986) says that an overriding device used in connec-
tion with sounding out is the use of the intrusive I and the use of
braggadocio. Rappers often brag about their money, cars, houses,
and women.
Repetition involves the repeating of a phrase or words for inten-
sification with the justification that the more a phrase is repeated,
the more an audience becomes involved. Sojourner Truth repeated
the phrase “Ain’t I a Woman?” in her speech at the 1851 Women’s
Rights Convention. Truth’s repetition of this phrase helped propel
her point.
Call and response includes the interaction of the speaker with the
audience. It is what happens when the spirit moves the leader. The
artist is not a solitary voice. There is a high level of synergy present
between the artist and the audience as the goal is to involve the
audience.
Mythication shows language suggesting that the message is
sanctioned by some suprarational force to demonstrate the righ-
teousness of the cause (Asante, 1987). The speakers speak of solu-
tions to conditions like joblessness, poverty, and disempowerment.
They speak invoking the name of God, truth, history, or ancestors.
After observing Def Poetry, either live or on HBO, the research-
ers then determined which poets and their poetry allow for the man-
ifestation of nommo. In doing this, the researchers looked for the
elements previously outlined.Walker, Kuykendall / NOMMO AND DEF POETRY 239
ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
This analysis investigated the poetry of Def Poetry. The research-
ers sought to examine the manifestations of nommo, as well as how
the elements of nommo are effective in the poetry. Specifically, the
elements examined are rhythm, soundin’ out, repetition, call and
response, and mythication.
Nommo is a rhetorical element typically found in African Amer-
ican rhetoric. When studying spoken-word poetry, the researchers
noted the cultural background of the poet and the audience. The
poetry of Def Poetry has been controversial, thought-provoking,
and humorous. People of various backgrounds and ethnic groups
make up the audience as well as the artists. The majority of the
audience on HBO, however, appears to be African American.
The Broadway version of the show follows a specific format
split into three sets or acts. The first set of poems is about identity;
the second set finds each of the cast members paying tribute to a
specific person or influence; and the third tackles love. The individ-
ual subject matter and presentation of the poems can vary greatly.
In the first set, Suheir Hammad explores the identity of her Pal-
estinian heritage since September 11, 2001. She wonders how the
Fourth of July in the United States compares to the Fourth of July
everywhere else and uses her poetry for protests against the White
establishment. The second act is opened by a poem recited by all
the show’s women. This poem focuses on the importance of how
women should be treated versus how they are treated (Murray,
2002). Through Def Poetry, the artists’ purpose is to make others
aware of what is functional in their world or the world of others
whose perspective possibly would not have been heard otherwise.
To call it to being is how the concept of nommo is used.
RHYTHM
Nafessa Monroe performs “White,” a poem about identity with a
rhythmic style common among spoken word artists. She begins her
poem with the words “I wasn’t always a Black woman.” The next
words, phrases come at a much quicker pace, and the pace contin-240 JOURNAL OF BLACK STUDIES / NOVEMBER 2005 ues until she has reached the end of her sentence and her point is made. “When I was a kid, I was a Black girl with a White Mom in a Mexican neighborhood, and all I wanted to be was a Chola! But, no I didn’t speak Spanish.” The beginning of this sentence is spoken swiftly and is significantly slower as she states that she “didn’t speak Spanish.” The next sentence, “so school starts, but my Mom noticed that I was too smart for the public education available in the barrio, so my White Mom finds another job, not a better job, in the White neighborhood,” shares the same pattern. Monroe’s words are at a rapid pace until the end of the sentence, “in the White neighbor- hood.” This element helps to keep the audience engaged and inter- ested. Identity is often the theme of the work of a Def poet. Monroe quite often points out the fact that her mother is White in her poem. She uses her rhythm to describe the different cultural and ethnic environments she grew up in and how those environments shaped who she is and how she sees the world. She talks about how she was treated in college. She was attracted to Black men for the first time and disliked by the Black women. Monroe’s use of rhythm illus- trates the effectiveness of this particular element when used in per- formance poetry, as well as a Def poet. The flow of Zena Edward’s poem, “Laugh,” represents rhythm as well: Bust up, crease up, bend up, mash up, crack up, twist up, bend up, crack up—the laugh. Howling like a wolf at the moon, grinning like a field of daisies in full bloom as I bust up, I crease up, bend up, and I mash up, crack up and I bust up, twist up, and I bend up—the laugh. SOUNDIN’ OUT Soundin’ out is prominent in Def Poetry and most often found through braggadocio. Braggadocio, which involves bragging about self and the material possessions, is also found in Def Poetry. These possessions may be tangible or intangible. Artists brag about their sexual experiences, the cars they drive, the fact that their children are well cared for.
Walker, Kuykendall / NOMMO AND DEF POETRY 241 Beau Sia is an Asian poet who brags about the unknown sexual prowess of Asians. He does so to dispute the apparent stereotype that Asians are not good in bed. MC Lyte was the first female rap artist in the world. She debuts her poem “I Was Born” to tell her story as an artist who is wiser. She uses braggadocio to remind those who hear her of her position in the rap industry. “They green ’cause you got more cream in your hand. Mad ’cause I’m hot and I stay on top. I laid the femme fatale brick to hip-hop shit.” Michael Eric Dyson, an author, brags that he “writes books like niggas write hooks.” Mos Def, Def Poetry host, gives an example of soundin’ out, but with musical accompaniment: I’m Def, yeah, holdin’ it down for real. Black champs now boxin’ them out. Straight connect, bam knockin’ ’em out with the whole world talkin’ about how me and mine rockin’ ’em out . . . who they gon’ call when they want the beat crunk? M to the O, S. D to the E, F for freaky. Straight off the heazy fo’ sheezy. If you don’t believe it come see me. I rock down and pimp it so sweetly. Make a girl holla’ out don’t leave me. Braggadocio is relevant because of the history of braggadocio in African American orality, from the beginnings of storytelling and folklore and later to rap music. African Americans identify with braggadocio, and, aside from the Asian poet, Beau Sia, African American Def poets used it more often than poets of other ethnic origin. REPETITION Poetri presents “My Money’s Been Actin’ Funny” and repeats the phrase “My money’s been actin’ real funny” throughout the poem. Repetition is present as the artists speak about social issues, love issues, and money issues. He gives examples of how his “money’s actin’ funny” using personification, before repeating the phrase. The repetitive nature of this phrase allows the audience to identify with his situation. Poetri also uses quality lyricism with
242 JOURNAL OF BLACK STUDIES / NOVEMBER 2005
personification, imagery, and metaphors. He takes on a relationship
with his money and displays an adulterous relationship on the part
of his money. In reality, Poetri is really speaking of not having
enough money but does so using indirection.
Daniel Beatty recites the poem “Knock, Knock,” and uses repe-
tition to stress the emptiness he feels after his father’s incarceration
and to pay homage to his father’s absent spirit. Although his father
is still physically present, Beatty’s poem reflects the words of a
grown man who felt that he lost his father as a toddler. Beatty
attempts to speak on behalf of his father as he expresses disappoint-
ment at never having received the fatherly advice about girls and
manhood. The following words are what Beatty believes his father
would have said:
No longer will I be there to knock on your door, so you must learn to
knock for yourself. Knock, knock down doors of racism and pov-
erty that I could not. Knock, knock on doors of opportunity for the
lost brilliance of the Black men who crowd these cells. Knock,
knock with diligence for the sake of your children. Knock, knock
for me; for as long as you are free, these prison gates cannot contain
my spirit. The best of me still lives in you. Knock, knock with the
knowledge that you are my son, but you are not my choices. Yes, we
are our fathers’ sons and daughters, but we are not their choices . . .
and we have the power to change this world one little boy and girl at
a time. Knock, knock. Who’s there? We are!
Repetition is used to illustrate the point, as well as in the conclu-
sion as an attention grabber for those listening. Inspired by his
father’s advice, Beatty attempts to use the element of mythication
and repetition to show that the offspring of his father’s generation,
himself included, can help with the problems of today, if they get
involved.
CALL AND RESPONSE
Performance poetry is an interactive event. Poets enter into Def
Poetry expecting audience interaction and response. Any poet with
any poem can be interrupted with sounds of “hmph” or “alright.”Walker, Kuykendall / NOMMO AND DEF POETRY 243
Laughter, applause, and standing ovations during the poem are
appropriate and welcomed by the poet. The poems are delivered
expecting interruptions after speaking certain words or lines. Mos
Def helps set the call and response atmosphere by asking, “Are y’all
ready for some poetry?!!!” The crowd applauds in response, and he
verbally rewards the crowd for the positive response, “Good crowd.
Good crowd.” In one episode, he does a small “roll call.” A roll call
is when a type of attendance is taken of certain neighborhoods or
groups. He asks if the Bronx is present, if Brooklyn is present, then
waits appropriately for a response from the audience.
Rives recites his poem “Kite.” The morning after a positive
experience with a woman, he explains, “maybe I played with
myself,” and he waits about a beat and half for the laughter before
he continues with, “but it’s not what you think.” A little later in his
poem, he says, “maybe I played with myself, and it’s exactly what
you’re thinking”; he pauses another beat and a half for the laughter
before continuing.
The most obvious example of call and response comes when art-
ist Georgia Me asks the audience at a live Def Poetry performance,
“Can I get an amen?” and waits appropriately for the audience
response of “Amen!”
For his poem “Niggers, Niggas & Niggaz,” Julian Curry opens
with “What’s up my Niggas?” He repeats his request for a louder
response, “I said what’s up my Niggas?”
MYTHICATION
Georgia Me uses mythication by paying tribute to divine knowl-
edge who “told me it’s about time I love who I am!” while rebuking
the devils who “try to steal her joy,” as well as understanding that
she is beautiful in the eyes of God. Her final words of the poem are
“full figure potential, y’all.” At the conclusion of Georgia Me’s
poem, Mos Def comes onto the stage and covers her with a shawl as
if to punctuate the importance that she be treated with admiration
and respect. Georgia Me attempts to put a face to those who are of a
larger stature. She uses her words creatively to draw empathy from244 JOURNAL OF BLACK STUDIES / NOVEMBER 2005
the crowd, and she uses her style of dress to show that she is not
ashamed of who she is as a full-figured woman.
Will “the real one” Bell’s mythication includes time travel. He
travels to important dates and attempts to correct the tragic moments
of history. He goes to the Malcolm X assassination and the Martin
Luther King Jr. assassination, and Bell includes stopping the mur-
ders of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls. All of the people he saves
and the lives he changes are lives that are influential to the African
American culture, history, and story.
These five elements of nommo are evident in Def Poetry and the
Def poets. Found most faithfully with the African American poets,
the elements are also prevalent in the poets of other cultures and
ethnicities. Asians, Hispanics, White, and Jewish poets showed
their ability to relate to those of all culture through poetry. The ele-
ments present are as effective as the people who deliver them.
Although much of the delivery may be rehearsed (many poets
repeat poems for many venues), they are still thought-provoking
and positive, entertaining, and compassionate. Rhythm, soundin’
out, repetition, call and response, and mythication, as elements of
nommo, have helped open the eyes of a new generation of poets and
their audience. Not all of these elements are found in the same
poem, but often more than one element appears in a single poem.
CONCLUSION
Although produced and directed by Russell Simmons (2004)
and Stan Lathan (1990), both African Americans, Russell Simmons
Presents Def Poetry is not specifically an Afrocentric event. Vari-
ous ethnicities and cultures are represented in every episode; how-
ever, not every poet performs in an Afrocentric manner according
to the theories outlined in this study.
The researchers examined Def Poetry for the following elements
found specifically in the African American communication style of
delivery: rhythm, soundin’ out, repetition, call and response, and
mythication. All of the features examined were present in the work
of Def poets, some more obvious than others. Few, however, wereWalker, Kuykendall / NOMMO AND DEF POETRY 245 indirect. The researchers also examined the manifestations of nommo with poets who were not of African descent. An interesting finding was that, throughout this study, the researchers observed that nommo surpassed the lines of color and culture. On stage, poets became people who stood for a cause, had a sense of humor, or wanted to open the minds of others. Performance poetry is becoming an important addition to the urban culture of youth and young adults. Rap music was born with this generation. The popularity of rap music helped the young urban culture to see that performance poetry is just as important. With no music involved in most performance poetry situations, performance poetry and rap are beginning to move together across the color barrier. People of non-African descent are not judged because of their poems or the content of their poetry, and, although the most recent poets featured on Def Poetry are not all of African descent, the audience remains largely African American. Every culture has an oral tradition; however, there is no evidence of the pervasiveness of other cultures present in Def Poetry. Various eth- nic backgrounds are bringing the African oral tradition to the stage, to the public, and to the forefront of the media. By way of Def Poetry, the artists are unlocking the keys to find- ing themselves and helping others experience what they have expe- rienced. Before the theory of Afrocentricity, events such as Def Poetry would have been examined from a neo-Aristotelian stand- point, possibly even the standpoint of narrative paradigm for its sto- rytelling abilities. This or any other European perspective would not be the proper perspective for analyzing this particular rhetorical event. Through Afrocentric glasses, one is able to see that the ele- ment of nommo drives Def Poetry to the resounding success that it has become. As rhetoric, Def Poetry has helped to broaden the scope of performance and has provided a forum for people to revisit important controversial content, some of which has not been the focal point of literary attention since the 1960s. Poetry has become a way for the eyes of a new generation to be opened to the troubles of their neighborhood, their country, and their world. Def poets are becoming a movement. The researchers began this study in hopes of revealing the significance of perfor-
246 JOURNAL OF BLACK STUDIES / NOVEMBER 2005
mance poetry and the elements that contribute to its growth. On
examining Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry (Simmons, 2004),
the researchers discovered that this phenomenon is bringing cul-
tures together via the African element of nommo. Together, cul-
tures are learning to communicate effectively in one room. Per-
haps, it is best described in the words of Brandon Spun (2002):
“The spoken word is a revolutionary medium, not because of what
is said, but because it requires listening. It is about the absolute
attention that these voices and ideas demand.”
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