Poetry Open Mic – Tuesday 2nd June

Kwani Trust is inviting you to Kwani? Open Mic on Tuesday 2nd June 2009.

Time: 7pm
Venue: Club Soundd, Hamilton House, Kaunda Street.
Entry : Ksh 100/- only.

Featured Poet: Oballadan

A student at The University Of Nairobi. Studying nothing but seeking
shines the path to self awareness.But above all am an RBG(Reaching Bigger Goals)

Home: I am from Kajulu-kadero,on the shores of Nam Lolwe.That is where I was born.The only home that I know. But I have traversed the country and lived in almost every corner of it.

Inspiration: I draw my inspiration to write poetry from all the things that my six senses experience. But above all, I was inspired to write poetry by the likes of Amiri Baraka, Langston Hughes, Dead Prez, Channel Live,Talib Kweli,Killa Priest,Strange Fruit Project, to name but a few.

Aspirations: Earlier on in life I thought that I’d be a sportsman but due to lack of facilities in the place where I was growing up the dream was deffered.But I believe that when one door closes another opens.Now that am in this poetry thing I will persue it to the best of my ablility.

How I got into poetry: Well,I have always been a word smith( a trait which I owe to my mother) I have my own way of calling things that deviate from the mainstream way of naming things and word usage.Still,back in High school at Ambira boys I was very strong in drama.And anything that involved artistic expression would get the hair on my head standing on end.But it is sad that after high school I was left in the lurch, as it were. With no place to showcase my talent I wrote my poetry only to ‘ Opium’ myself.

Why Poetry? Okay I love the way poets use words to inspire and give hope. Spoken word is poetry that is written to be performed.It is meant to vent out,encourage and elevate.This is what I am always aspiring to do with my poetry. I did not have a place to show my poetry untill I joined CAMPUS in 2006.That is when I got to know about the ‘open mics’ that were mushrooming all over Nairobi.At first I had cold feet.Will they accept my type of poetry or will they reject it? Am I game enough to do this? And what is the reward for all the effort? Questions shot though my mind like lottery balls. But I decided to do my thing nonetheless.

First performance: My first performance was in Campo where GOMAD( an artistic outfit to which I belong) was having a show.It was a blast. And after that I targeted Wapi? My first performance at Wapi? came in Dec of 2007. I loved it. After performing poetry for some time I linked up with Imani Woomera who nurtured my talent and moulded it into a spoken word style. Mad mad love to Imani.

Achievements: Beside achieving self awareness through poetry I am also a SLAM champ, couldn’t get any better,could it? Yeah and thanks to Wapi? for promoting subterenean talent. Dreams: To take my spoken word to the next level.

Last word:Belief above all else.

KARIBUNI

NB: Registration for Open Mic is on from 6.00pm to 7pm.