#TBT That time we brought the community together

Of all of the events that we have ever thrown, March 29th’s #FemceeFestival closing event is one that holds the most anticipation and excitement for me. We’re bringing together over 30 performance & visual artists along with a host of local small business owners at Art Horizons in Harlem for Digging Deeper: A Salute to Radical Womens voices in Hip Hop Culture.

We’ll be featuring a plethora of female emcees and poets as they participate in a marathon reading in honor of the great Nikki Giovanni, followed by an Inspiration Mic with a performances of original work inspired by their Nikki Giovanni pieces.

More than just performances, Digging Deeper will use this space to also engage our community and panel in a round table discussion on the topic of Women in Hip Hop Culture. Exploring were we stand, what we’re doing and how we are crafting the landscape for future generations of young people growing within this culture. While its easy to classify Hip Hop as just music, looking out into the world these days, its influence on most aspects of life are obvious. from our clothing to our opinions, even college courses, Hip Hop’s influence as a cultural force is undeniable. With that in mind, I think its important that we discuss it as a community as this building block is our living history. Its important we know what we are doing and where we are going.

Meet some of the contributing performers & panelists:

journalist, write/poet, JoAnn DeLuna

JoAnn DeLuna is a bilingual journalist and poet originally from Texas, a self-described Texican. Her journalistic work has been published throughout the US, UK, Netherlands and India, while her poetry has been published in anthologies in New York and Texas. She received her journalism master’s from City University in London, where she lived for three years before moving to New York City.

poet & motivational speaker Jus Parlay

Parlay is a Brooklyn native Spoken Word Artist, Event Coordinator,Host and Motivational Speaker who is primarily known for her thought-provoking Freestyle Poetry. Parlay has been a featured Artist on The (2013-2014) Dean’s List Tour, (2013-2014) No Boyz Allowed Tour, a feature for Hot 97’s Mic Check Wednesday’s and a Headliner at The Book Release Celebration for “Harlem: May Our Words Honor You ” At the infamous Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. She has went alongto curate numerous tours and showcases; such as The Phenomenal Woman Artist Showcase, The 1st and 2nd Annual I have a Dream Showcase and The Verbal Exchange Tour. As she obtains her Bachelors of Arts at St.Francis College in Communications and Business, she continues to give back to her community through art based events that engage the public in positive causes, while fulfilling her new duties as the General Manager at the Brooklyn based Art Gallery “3rdEye.”

CEO of Rude T.ee V.ee Productions DaRuddest Jones

DaRuddest Jones performing since the age of 4, she has performed at the National Black Theater Festival in North Carolina as well as local venues such as the 5spot, Brooklyn Exposure, HK lounge, Karma, Billie’s Black, 3rdEyeSolation, The Street Poets Den, Moca Lounge, Marfa, Living Gallery, Voodoo lounge and many other locations. DaRuddest Jones is a LGBT Spoken Word Artist, Event Coordinator, Blogger, Producer, Director, Personality, Manager, Writer and Host from the Bronx N.Y. Daruddest Jones is the CEO, Founder and Artistic Director of Rude T.ee V.ee Productions LLC And writer for Unheard Voices Magazine. She is also a former member of Street Poets NYC.

emcee, TK the Great

The Great TK (born Michelle Williams, 1991 in Portsmouth, VA) discovered her talents at the age of 11. Dealing with suicide she saw music as her only reason to live, by 12 she knew for fact music was something she wanted for the rest of her life, so she used it to escape her difficult reality. In hopes for a better future in 2012 TK packed her things and left VA to move to Orlando, FL to study for her Masters and to chase her dreams. Making her rounds in Orlando she released her mixtape titled “Staring Through My Rearview”. With her mixtape she invites the listener into her world as she chases her dreams while staring at the world through her rearview. Because of TK style she became known in Orlando as the female Tupac. In more hopes of a better future TK moved to New Jersey to continue to chase and fulfill her dreams in New York, searching for ways to make it. She is currently looking for opportunities within her music career exposing her talents. TK states that her biggest goal with her music is to reach and inspire listeners and lovers of hip-hop.

Founder & CEO of StreetPoets NYC, Hrsh Reyalitee

Hrsh Reyalitee (pronounced: Harsh Reality), the native New Yorker is a young poet who developed a love and appreciation for Poetry and the art of words at the young age of 10 by writing short stories and rhymes. She always enjoyed writing about the days and attempted to make sense of things. The name “Harsh Reality” was adopted due to the obstacles the young girl had already endured as she prepared for what was due to come. The name was revamped to ‘Hrsh Reyalitee’ during her high school years, not only did the name change in style but also in meaning. Hrsh Reyalitee is not only the face of the solider in battle, but of the one that has already won the war. In 2009, Shadel Preddy created and organized FIRE BIRD MANAGEMENT TEAM for the management purposes of HRSH REYALITEE only, now FBMT has a new vision. In 2010, HRSH REYALITEE PRESENTS: THE STREET POETS NYC was born. Hrsh began to spit Poetry on the subway, subway platforms, and out in the streets of Brooklyn just as the Original street Poets and lyrisist in the ’80s . Hrsh Reyalitee had a vision to make love, hope, and prosperity attractive in ways the elders dreamed of, and we only hoped for, with the help of dedication and fellow Poets and Poetry Lovers alike.

Word @4F co-founder, Angy Abreu

Angela “Angy” Abreu is a Dominican-American mom, activist, organizer, poet, and freelance writer. Angy is co-founder of Wordat4F a grass-root traveling bi-lingual open mic series in Washington Heights whose aim is to provide a platform for creative artists from all over NYC to showcase their works in spoken word, poetry, theater and the visual arts.Angy is a strong advocate for women’s rights and the youth. She was recently appointed Program Director for the South Bronx location of the YoungWomenRock mentoring program. The Young Women Rock! Mentorship Program is a curriculum based, group, and one-on-one mentorship program dedicated to strengthening the lives and communities of young women in impoverished neighborhoods. The program is for girls ages 14 to 18 years old and includes weekly sessions and monthly cultural outings. The program mission is to empower girls through mentorship, building their self-confidence and challenging them to discover and fulfill their potential.

Simone Davis is a writer and performer, homegrown on the California poetry scene. As the captain of the UC Davis Slam Poetry Team for three years, she placed fifth at CUPSI twice, earning a spot on final stage with a collaborative piece entitled “Hip Hop Scotch.” As founder of the “SickSpits Poetry Collective”, Simone hosted several rowdy open mics in Davis, CA that now packs over 300 monthly attendees. As a member of the 2006 Sacramento Slam Poetry Team, Simone has shared the stage with artists such as Amir Sulaiman, Talam Acey, Marc Bamukti Joseph, Zion I, Immortal Technique and Quincy Troupe. As a reborn resident of New York City, Simone is a 2013 Louder Arts and Poetry Idol Finalist. Simone was a member of the 2013 Group Piece Champion Team, performing on final stage at the Berklee School of Music Performance Center. She takes pride in holding down a corporate job by day and a pen at night.

poet/producer & Founder of The R.E.C. Life, Dale Novella

Dale Novella is a genuine ‘soul sister’. She describes her body of work as honest, sensitive and urgent. Vulnerable with her lyrics…strong in her approach, Mutron Angel is a bona fide artist, musician, and lyricist seeking to uplift and inspire the world by sharing her experiences through spoken word. From performing at local open mic nights in tiny bars of South Carolina to performing at the Nuyorican, Katra Lounge and Free Candy in NYC. Mutron Angel continues to take the world by storm as an R&B, Pop and Soul lyricist. In 2011, she began a production company called Royaltie Entertainment Company (The REC) producing quality music that promotes a positive, realistic portrayal of the feminine perspective. As she continues to build her musical empire Mutron Angel draws strength and inspiration from her mantra, “Love yourself for yourself because you can’t depend on others to make you happy.”