"Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry" (2002) TV series 2002-????

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Release Date:

June 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary

Tagline:

Spoken word. Spoken truth.

Plot Keywords:

Self Expression | Poetry Reading | Hip Hop

Awards:

1 win & 6 nominations

Cast

Mos Def	...	Himself - Host / ... (41 episodes, 2002-2007)
Russell Simmons	...	Himself (40 episodes, 2002-2007)

(more)

Series Directed by
Stan Lathan		(2 episodes, 2007)

Series Writing credits
Mos Def		(1 episode, 2007)

Series Produced by
John Irwin	....	supervising producer (1 episode, 2007)
Karen Apple	....	coordinating producer (unknown episodes)
Mos Def	....	co-executive producer (unknown episodes)
Kamilah Forbes	....	co-producer (unknown episodes)
Allen Kelman	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Stan Lathan	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Deborah Pointer	....	co-executive producer (unknown episodes)
A. Ty Risby	....	producer: USA (unknown episodes)
Danny Simmons	....	co-executive producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Minnesota		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Cheryl Campsmith		(3 episodes, 2007)
Jeff U'ren		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Design by
Keith Raywood		(40 episodes, 2002-2007)

Series Makeup Department
Jeffrey Rebelo	....	key hair stylist (20 episodes, 2004-2005)
Lisa Hazell	....	key hair stylist (7 episodes, 2002)

Series Visual Effects by
Shawn Esposito	....	digital artist (11 episodes, 2002)

Series Music Department
Mos Def	....	musical director (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Dawn Douglass	....	talent associate (38 episodes, 2002-2005)
Merv Hawkins	....	stage manager (11 episodes, 2002)
Rachel Linhart	....	production coordinator (4 episodes, 2002)
Andre Allen	....	technical director (unknown episodes)
Karen Apple	....	associate director (unknown episodes)
Cheo Hodari Coker	....	creative consultant (unknown episodes)
Suheir Hammad	....	talent consultant (unknown episodes)
Maurice Marable	....	Mos Def opening (unknown episodes)
Walter Mudu	....	talent consultant (unknown episodes)
Joan Preston	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Shihan	....	talent consultant (unknown episodes)
Tiffany L. Williams	....	assistant to executive producer (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Home Box Office (HBO)
• Simmons-Lathan Media Group

Distributors

• Home Box Office (HBO) (2002-) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (2004-) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Broadway Video  production services
• Brown Bag Films  

Also Known As:

"Def Poetry Jam" (USA) (promotional title)
"Def Poetry" (USA) (short title)

Runtime:

28 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Home Box Office (HBO)

Movie Connections:

Spin off from "Def Comedy Jam" (1992)

If You're Into Musings On Cute Little Butterflies and Rainbows, Then This Ain't For You!

I love this show. It gives light to poets who have something to say and are not afraid to tell the world the truth to it's face and not give a damn about how you take it. I especially loved the poem, "First Writing Since" by Suheir Hammad. It was about an Arab woman who had to deal with being Arab, dealing with 9/11 and having two brothers in the U.S. Navy. I especially loved the lines:

"one more person ask me if i knew the hijackers.

one more m*therf*cker ask me what navy my brother is in. one more person assume no arabs or muslims were killed. one more person assume they know me, or that i represent a people. or that a people represent an evil. or that evil is as simple as a flag and words on a page.

we did not vilify all white men when mcveigh bombed oklahoma. america did not give out his family's addresses or where he went to church. or blame the bible or pat robertson.

and when the networks air footage of palestinians dancing in the street, there is no apology that hungry children are bribed with sweets that turn their teeth brown. that correspondents edit images. that archives are there to facilitate lazy and inaccurate journalism."

Powerful stuff!