Taalam Acey Presents SPOKEN WORD APEX At NJPAC on September 8

With 17 CD’s and eight books to his credit, the globe-spanning, award-winning, Newark-born, Georgia-based poet/curator Taalam Acey – “The Godfather of Spoken Word” – is one of the most impactful and inspirational artists of our time. Acey returns home to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center’s (NJPAC’s) Victoria Theater, 1 Center Street in Newark, on Friday, September 8, 2023 at 8:00 pm to curate Spoken Word Apex, an electrifying night of spoken word poetry from several world-renowned poets assembled by Acey including, Theresa Tha SONGBIRD, K-Love, 13 of Nazareth, and Ed Mabrey. Those poets will be supported by DJ Doughboy, visual performing artist Iyaba IBO Mandingo and the evening’s host will be actress/poet Narubi Selah

“Spoken Word Apex brings together some of performance poetry's most acclaimed artists for an epic, immersive live experience,” says Acey, the event’s executive producer. “I have assembled the best of the best to compose an indelible blend of pure emotion and transformative impact. This will be one of Spoken Word’s most ionic nights."

Taalam Acey grew up surrounded by all aspects of Black culture, and was particularly influenced by Gil Scot-Heron, The Last Poets and the work of Amiri Baraka. His parents were members of the organization, The Committee for Unified Newark (CFUN). Acey attended Rutgers University, where he later became a finance and accounting lecturer. But it was the wins of slam poet Jessica Care Moore at The Apollo Theater in the mid 90s and the movie Love Jones that inspired Acey to become a full-time poet. He took poetry reading at a club called Bogies East Orange and was presenting his work at the Nuyorican Cafe in Manhattan in 1999.

Acey’s poetry has been featured on TV One, the Documentary Channel, BET and The 5ive. His poetry has appeared in Essence magazine and he’s performed at The Essence Festival in New Orleans. Acey was a curator of the 2012 Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival (the largest poetry gathering in North America), worked with The Congressional Black Caucus and was the first presenter for the inaugural Baltimore TEDx Talk. He also was the guest curator of the 2011 Sacred Circle Cafe at NJPAC in Newark. Acey has recorded 17 CDs, and authored seven books including Excellent Exposure, Essays and Poems. His two most well-known poems are, “God’s Work” and “She Conjurez.”

For Acey, this homecoming provides him with a chance to showcase what makes spoken word poetry the dynamic artform it is. “I have always held that spoken word is among the most spiritual and impactful of art forms,” Acey recently said to NJNarts.net. “The best performance poets can move you to laughter and/or tears, and help you find a new lease on life. At the highest level, it’s not recitation or performance. It’s energy transfer.”

See and feel for energy transference for yourself at NJPAC on September 8, 8:00 pm. For tickets and more information, visit https://www.njpac.org/event/sp.... Tickets are $49.00-$99.00.