Toronto Poetry Slam is honoured to have Jovan Mays make his TPS debut on Sat Nov. 26 at the Drake Underground. Mays was on the Denver team that won the National Poetry Slam last year in Boston...and let's just say it was an absolutely well-deserved win.
He answered a few questions for us so you get to know him a bit better prior to his feature set on Nov. 26:
1. How did you first get started doing spoken word?
Geared up in non military fatigues, a self made neck medallion from foil and hardware store chain, gum wrapper on my teeth to resemble a grill and a heart that made me believe that I was going to be a rapping, girl getting, No-Limit Soldier like Master P. During the summer coming into 8th grade I went to Albequerque, New Mexico, feeling fresh in my getup (100 degree weather, a ten-pound chain and fatigues don't mix well). There, I was acquainted with my pop lockin' cousin, with a heart derived from a break beat and a brain educated by the typography of a cross fader. Everything in him was destined to teach me what hip hop was.
Before I knew it, I was geared in cargo pants and 4 elements shirt, listening to Body Rock, writing lyrics, graph writing, inheriting my uncles turn tables and grooving my ass off to music. In high school, the emcees I idolized were doing this new form of poetry on HBO and I was hooked. In my best original imitation of them, I found the spoken word.
2. Tell us what the poetry scene is like in Denver? Do you feel good about the community there?
Denver is a juggernaut for the spoken word. It stems back to all kinds of cultural backgrounds in our history from cowboy poets, to beat poets, to our black and latino community's oral traditions. Denver is constantly changing and our scene reflects this in spirit and innovation. Therefore, our slam scene is ridiculously competitive. With a significant amount of poets that are consistently vying for a spot on both of our slam teams (Denver Slam Nuba and The Mercury Cafe). In 2012 Denver will host our first PSI Certified event with the Women of the World Poetry Slam in March.
I am very proud to say that I'm from Denver. Our poets tend to be my favorite poets, for they serve as very strong role models and being in their presence has made me the writer that I am today.
3. What kind of feature set should we expect from Jovan Mays on Nov. 26?
I am proud of my range as a poet and because of that, I like to showcase it. So what you can expect is a mix of themes and styles, with a hearty blend of conviction and creativity. Most of my poems tend to hinge around the idea that there is "A Better Way" to act and live. I stick tight to a personal credo, called BTT and QTS, meaning; be Better Than That and Quit Talking Shit
4. Your team won the National Poetry Slam Championship this year in Boston. Has this changed your team, your scene, at all? What kind of benefit does winning NPS bring you?
For my team, I think the victory has brought us closer. We have received more post NPS performance opportunities than I can remember in years past. Also, I think that it has instilled confidence in our capacity to create. Which has set the bar super high for us moving forward. This also has attracted a lot of qualified old and new poets who are competing very hard to get on the 2012 team.
For me, the title that comes along with winning has made it easier to book shows as well as open schools minds to bring in this relatively new form of poetry, that we know as slam. I'm very thankful for the blessings that I have received from this opportunity and as I eventually fade out as a competitor, I am sure that it will continue to bring me good fortune.
5. What's next for you, poetry-wise? Touring more? A new CD or book? Doing some poetry at the White House?
I will be touring in Las Vegas and Phoenix in the next couple of months, which is exciting. Also, I will be launching a new after school program for the Denver metro area, called "Your Writing Counts", to help strengthen the voice of Denver youth.
A CD and book combo entitled "Release; The Act of Freeing Oneself" is being worked on with myself and a host of other artists from varying genres of music and spoken word.
No, I will not be doing any poetry at the White House, but if anybody wants me to do poetry at their house, just hit me up at www.jovanmays.com
I am grateful to be featuring here in Toronto and I will do my best to ensure that the audience is well entertained with some thought provoking concepts and emotionally engaging performance.
