Customer Reviews

Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry: Season 4

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As a spoken word poet and literature professor, I love Def Poetry Jam as a source of inspiration and a touchstone for the state of spoken word poetry. An ecclectic mix of different styles, season 4 is another great collection of incredible poets and poems. These are taped live in a Broadway theatre with a live audience, so it's as close to the real thing as you can get on dvd. These episodes do well to balance male and female voices as well as representatives from many different races, ethnicities and points of view. Forget about the celebrity appearances- it's the poets youmay never have heard of that will blow your mind. My personal favorites appear early, including Black Ice and a husband/wife duo telling the raw truth about raising kids on low incomes. My community college students, whom I cannot wake up to discuss Dickinson or even Hughes, were wide-eyed and all ears while I showed selections from these discs. This season includes more episodes than any of the previous three as well.

As I watch the episodes back-to-back, I notice my reaction to Def Poetry shifting. A given poem can be thrilling and surprising and shocking and funny and wonderful (the opener of this season, "Knock Knock" is a good example), but the shine quickly fades as I log my second and third hour. Does a certain sameness creep in? Are there obvious rules by which the poets ALL play? Can I predict the likely ebb and flow of each poem, whatever its subject? By the last episode, the poetry no longer seems original; it seems formulaic. Perhaps this just means that I should resist the temptation to take long gulps of this; perhaps half-hour sips, separated by days or weeks, is the right way to digest these performances. I ding it a star for being good, but not great.

I ding the series another star for cheap packaging. Is it too much to ask for an episode by episode set list of who performs what, either printed in the case or as a menu option on the disc? How about some sort of extras? I'd like to give credit to the poet I cited above, but I'd have to re-watch the show to catch his name.

I have bought 6 seasons of this show and they are all great, just find the right price i have paid from $6 to 15 dollars all were worth 15.

praise worthy; must have for anyone who is in need of a different perspective, learn from history, multicultura, political, social struggles. I will say I was blown away,when I show it to people they are surprised to be moved as well.

Amazing.

Inspiration for your life.

Do yourself a favor, and buy it.

I bought this one to add to my collection. I plan to buy all 6 seasons. I like the way the poets express themselves.

Mr. Simmons has produced yet another great season of spoken word. I enjoyed the collection of readers for this season. I have purchased all season 1-5 and look forward to season 6.

I really enjoyed season 4 of the def poetry jam series. It has gotten better and the poets have improved as well. Special guest are selected for each episode and it is longer then the previous seasons. I only wish it offer some type of bonus material, like interviews, music videos, or backstage poet rants. Other then that it is packed with passion, humor, power, love, faith, and truth. KRS ONE and Doug E Fresh rocked it!!!

Just like the first three seasons, OUTSTANDING! I'm all about poetry. Def Poetry is fabulous, hard core, and real. It's street, romance, politics, and life in spoken word. I am happy to have found this on DVD. I'll buy as many as they make.

I thought poetry was supposed to be deep?

Quite Vulgar!