The R.A.P Party @ 91
This special event commemorates 2015's ground-breaking anthology, The BreakBeat Poets — 'New American Poetry in the Age of Hip-Hop' and will feature editor, Kevin Coval alongside Safia Elhilo. Also on the night, representing British Hip-Hop poetics: Caleb Femi, Seraphima Kennedy, Nick Makoha, Momtaza Mehri, Anis Mojgani, Raheela Suleman, Emmanuel Sugo, Theresa Lola and Inua Ellams, with Dj Sid Mercutio.
Kevin Coval is the author of 10 books, including A People’s History of Chicago, editor of The BreakBeat Poets: New American Poetry in the Age of Hip-Hop.. Additionally, he is the Artistic Director of Young Chicago Authors — winner of a MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions in 2016. His work has appeared on The Daily Show, HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, Poetry Magazine, and more. He is the editor of the Haymarket Books imprint BreakBeat Publishing,, and teaches hip-hop poetics in high schools, colleges, and community centers around the globe.
Safia Elhillo is the author of The January Children (University of Nebraska Press, 2017). Sudanese by way of Washington. Safia is a Pushcart Prize nominee, and recipient of the 2015 Brunel University African Poetry Prize and the 2016 Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poets. Safia’s work has appeared or is forthcoming in POETRY Magazine, Callaloo and in anthologies including The BreakBeat Poets: New American Poetry in the Age of Hip-Hop and Women of Resistance: Poems for a New Feminism. Her work has been translated into Arabic.
Caleb Femi was the first Young People's Laureate for London. He is also a director, photographer and English Literature teacher. Caleb is featured in the Dazed 100 list of the next generation shaping youth culture. He has written and directed short films commissioned by the BBC and Channel 4 and poems by the Tate Mordern, The Royal Society for Literature, and more. Caleb has also won the Roundhouse Poetry Slam and is currently working on a debut collection.
Seraphima Kennedy grew up in west London. She writes poetry and creative non-fiction about family, migration, conflict and music. Seraphima is a Jerwood/Arvon mentee in poetry where she has been working with Pascale Petit. Last year she was shortlisted for The White Review Poets’ Prize, and performed at Ledbury Poetry Festival and Poetry in Aldeburgh Festival. She's a proud member of the collective Malika’s Poetry Kitchen.
Nick Makoha debut collection Kingdom of Gravity is shortlisted for the 2017 Felix Dennis Prize for Best First Collection and nominated by The Guardian as one of the best books of 2017. He won the 2015 Brunel International Poetry prize and the 2016 Toi Derricotte & Cornelius Eady Chapbook Prize for his pamphlet Resurrection. A Goldsmiths, Cave Canem & Complete Works Alumni. His poems appeared in The New York Times, Poetry Review, Rialto, and Wasafiri.
Momtaza Mehri is a poet, essayist, literary studies researcher and meme archivist. Her work has been featured (& is forthcoming) in DAZED, Vogue, BBC Radio 4, Poetry Society of America, Mask Magazine and£ Poetry International. She is a Complete Works Fellow and winner of the 2017 Outspoken Page Poetry Prize. Her chapbook sugah lump prayer was published in 2017
Anis Mojgani is a two time US National Poetry Slam Individual Champion and winner of the Worldcup Poetry Slam. The author of five books, Anis’ work has appeared on HBO, NPR, and in journals Rattle, Forklift Ohio, and Bat City Review, amongst others, and has performed for varied audiences all over the globe. Originally from New Orleans, he lives in the States, currently in Portland OR.
Raheela Suleman is a film student, writes poetry, screenplays and makes films and beats. She was born in London, but is open to being buried elsewhere. She is also a Barbican Young Poet programme alumni and a part of Octavia Women of Colour collective resident at the Southbank Centre.
Emmanuel Sugo is a singer, writer, musician and theatre practitioner whose poetry is centred around the function of imagination in self discovery. He has produced several plays and recently worked with Poets Platform on a scratch titled Beanstalk exploring the effect fear and dreams on identity. He is a word4word slam champion and hosts a poetry slam called Spout every 2nd Tuesday of every month.. He was also one of the finalist for the BBC uk slam competition.
Theresa Lola is a British Nigerian Poet, she was shortlisted for the 2017 Bridport Poetry Prize and 2016 London Magazine Poetry Prize. She won the 2017 Hammer and Tongue Slam. She is a Barbican Young Poet Alumni and part of Octavia Women of Colour Collective led by Rachel Long. She is the editor of FourHubs Magazine, a lifestyle magazine for writers. She curates the event RAP Party with Inua Ellams.
Inua Ellams is himself.
Venue: Ninety One
Time: 7:00 - 10:00pm
Address: 91 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QR
Tickets: £8 / buy Here