National Poetry Slam

The National Poetry Slam (NPS) is a performance poetry competition where teams from across the United States, Canada, and, occasionally, Europe and Australia, participate in a large-scale poetry slam. The event occurs in early August every year and in different U.S. cities.

History

The first National Poetry Slam was held at Fort Mason in 1990 in San Francisco. [1] It was organized by poet Gary Mex Glazner and featured three competing teams: Chicago (birthplace of slam), New York City (Nuyorican), and San Francisco (host city).[1] It has been held every year since. 2014).[2]

From 1990 to 2007, the National Poetry Slam held an individual poetry competition (known as "indies") simultaneously with the team competition, with the poets earning the highest ranking individual poems during the first two days of competition moving on the semifinal and final rounds. The first winner of this event was Patricia Smith, who would go on to win the Individual National Poetry Slam Championship title a record four times.[3]

Starting in 2004, Poetry Slam Inc. (PSI) began hosting a separate event called the Individual World Poetry Slam (IWPS), in which solo poets, rather than teams, competed for the championship title.[4] Because of the popularity of iWPS and to avoid the confusion of two "individual" poetry slam titles being awarded ever year, Poetry Slam Inc. decided to cancel the "indie" competition at the National Poetry Slam.[5]

In 2008, the "Indie Finals" was replaced with the "Group Piece Finals," in which the teams with the highest ranking group pieces (multi-voice poems featuring more than one poet) competed for the title. Only teams who weren't already eligible for NPS semifinals were allowed to compete, with New York, NYC-Urbana being the first Group Piece Finals championship team.

Also in 2008, the Women of the World Poetry Slam (WOWPS) was introduced, in which only female and female-identified poets are allowed to compete.[6] The first WOWPS was held in Detroit, Michigan and the first WOWPS champion was Andrea Gibson.[7]

In 2008, poet Harlym 125 created an unofficial individual competition called the National Underground Poetry Individual Competition (NUPIC) as a response to the absence of an individual competition at NPS.[8] The winner of this competition has traditionally been given a showcase spot on the finals stage at NPS.

The National Poetry Slam has also been the subject of several feature-length documentaries, including the 1998 Paul Devlin film SlamNation, and the 2006 Kyle Fuller and Mike Henry film Slam Planet.

Results by year

Team Finalists[3][9]
YearWinnerRunners UpNumber of Competing TeamsHost City
2018Charlotte, SlamCharlotte(2) Da Poetry Lounge Slam Team
(3) Slammageddon Baltimore
(4) Salt City Unified		72Chicago, Illinois
2017San Diego PoetrySLAM[10](2) Brooklyn Poetry Slam
(3) The House Slam (Boston)
(4) Da Poetry Lounge Slam Team		84Denver, Colorado
2016Slammageddon Baltimore[11](2) San Diego PoetrySLAM
(3) The House Slam (Boston)
(4) Austin NeoSoul		72Decatur, Georgia
2015The House Slam[12](2) Hawaii Slam
(3) Berkeley Slam
(4) Denver Mercury Poetry Slam		72Oakland, California
2014D.C. Beltway Poetry Slam[13](2) New York, NYC-Urbana
(3) Slam New Orleans
(4) Denver, Slam Nuba		72Oakland, California
2013Slam New Orleans[14](2) Hollywood (Da Poetry Lounge)
(3) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe
(4) Elevated! San Diego		70Boston
2012Slam New Orleans[15](2) Killeen, Texas
(3) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe
(4) Hollywood (Da Poetry Lounge)		72Charlotte, North Carolina
2011Denver, Slam Nuba(2) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe
(3) Providence Poetry Slam
(4) Columbus, Ohio Writing Wrongs		76Boston
2010St. Paul, Soapboxing(2) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe
(3) Durham, North Carolina Bull City Slam Team
(4) Austin, Neo Soul		78St. Paul, Minnesota
2009St. Paul, Soapboxing(2) Albuquerque, ABQ Slams
(3) San Francisco
(4) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe		68West Palm Beach, Florida
2008Charlotte, SlamCharlotte(2) New York, louderARTS
(3) Austin
(4) Boston, Cantab		75Madison, Wisconsin
2007Charlotte, SlamCharlotte(2) Killeen, TX Rhyme or Die
(3) New York, louderARTS
(4) Denver, Slam Nuba
(5) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe		76Austin, Texas
2006Denver(2) Austin, Southflavas
(3) New York, louderARTS
(4) DC-Baltimore
(5) Miami		75Austin, TX
2005Albuquerque, ABQ Slams(2) Charlotte, Slam Charlotte
(3) Fort Worth
(3) Hollywood (Da Poetry Lounge)		75Albuquerque, New Mexico
2004Hollywood (Da Poetry Lounge)(2) Denver
(3) Dallas
(4) Berkeley		69St. Louis, Missouri
2003Los Angeles(2) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe
(3) Austin
(4) Oakland		63Chicago
2002New York, NYC-Urbana/ Detroit (Tie)(3) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe
(4) Seattle		54Minneapolis
2001Dallas(2) Los Angeles
(3) Seattle
(4) New York, NYC-Urbana		56Seattle
2000New York, NYC-Urbana(2) San Antonio
(3) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe
(4) New York, louderARTS		56Providence, Rhode Island
1999San Francisco & San Jose (Tie)(3) New York, louderARTS (4) Oakland48Chicago
1998New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe(2) Dallas
(3) Los Angeles
(4) Cleveland		45Austin
1997New York, Mouth Almighty(2) Chicago, Green Mill
(3) Cleveland
(4) Worcester		33Middletown, Connecticut
1996Providence(2) Berwyn
(3) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe
(4) Austin		27Portland, Oregon
1995Asheville(2) Cleveland
(3) Boston
(4) Maine		27Ann Arbor, Michigan
1994Cleveland(2) Boston
(3) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe
(4) Asheville		24Asheville, North Carolina
1993Boston(2) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe
(3) Cambridge
(4) Cleveland		23San Francisco
1992Boston(2) San Francisco
(3) Ann Arbor		17Boston
1991Chicago, Green Mill(2) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe
(3) San Francisco
(4) Boston		8Chicago
1990Chicago, Green Mill(2) San Francisco
(3) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe		3San Francisco

Individual Finalists at NPS[3]
YearWinnerRunners Up
2007*

*Final year Indies held		Danny Sherrard(2) Christopher Michael
(3) Shannon Leigh
(4) Alvin Lau
(Other finalists: Kealoha, Michael Guinn, 6 is 9, Ed Mabrey, Oz, Robbie Q. Telfer)
2006Anis Mojgani(2) Alvin Lau
(3) Jon Goode
(4) Lee Knight Jr.
(Other finalists: Erin Jackson (poet), Jamie Kilstein, Amy Weaver, Iyeoka Okoawo, Falu, Travis Watkins)
2005Janean Livingston Anis Mojgani (tie)(3) Ragan Fox
(4) Christa Bell
(Other finalists: Jamie Kennedy, Eric Darby, Xero Skidmore)
2004Sonya Renee(2) Jaylee Alde
(3) Shane Koyczan
(4) Andrea Gibson
(5) Chunky
(6) Kimberley Brazwell
(7) Rives, Alvin Lau, Janean Livingston
2003Mighty Mike McGee(2) Shane Koyczan
(3) Delisle
(4) Soul Evans
(5) Omari
(6) Suzy La Follette
(7) Corina Delgado
(8) Anis Mojgani
(9) Da Shade
(10) Jive Poetic
2002Sekou tha Misfit(2) Corbet Dean
(3) Kamal Symonette-Dixon
(4) Xero Skidmore
(5) Rives
(6) Gina Loring
(7) Shane Koyczan
(8) Joel Chmara
2001Mayda del Valle(2) Beau Sia
(3) Shawn V.
(4) Morris Stegosaurus
(5) Angela Boyce
(6) Mama Blue
2000Shane Koyczan(2) Bryonn Bain
(3) Al Letson
(4) Iyeoka Okoawo
(5) Michael Cirelli
(6) Bao Thien Buc Phi
1999Roger Bonair-Agard(2) Regie Gibson
(3) Gayle Danley
(4) Jason Carney
(5) Ray McNiece
(6) Shane Koyczan
1998Reggie Gibson(2) Derrick C. Brown
(3) Brian Comiskey
(4) Sara Holbrook
(5) Cass King
(6) Patricia Johnson
1997Da Boogie Man(2) DJ Renegade
(3) Glenis Redmond
(4) Evert Eden
(5) Jerry Quickley
(6) Monica Copeland
1996Patricia Johnson(2) Evert Eden
(3) Taylor Mali
(4) DJ Renegade
(5) Wammo
(6) Glenis Redmond
1995Patricia Smith(2) Wammo
(3) Da Boogie Man
(4) ?
(5) DJ Renegade
(6) Taylor Mali
1994Gayle Danley(2) Carl Hancock-Rux
(3) Regie Cabico
(4) Derick Prosper
(5) DJ Renegade
(6) Daniel Gray-Kontar
1993Patricia Smith(2)Lisa Buscani
(3) The Invisible Man aka Azeem (rapper)
1992Lisa Buscani(2) Patricia Smith
(3) Dana Bryant
1991Patricia Smith(2) Lisa Buscani
(3) Michael Brown
1990Patricia Smith(2) Paul Beatty

Group Piece Finalists at NPS[3]
YearWinnerRunners Up
2018Art Amok[16](2) Austin Poetry Slam
(3) The Retort United (The Drunken Retort)
(4) The Fuze Poetry Slam
(5) Jersey City Slam
(6) Orlando Poetry Slam
(7) Boise Poetry Slam
(8) St. Louis Poetry Slam
(9) Nitty Gritty Slam
(10) For The Win
(11) Slam Free or Die
2017Dada Poetry Slam[16](2) Slam Charlotte Poetry Slam
(3) PuroSlam
(4) Eclectic Truth
(5) Salt City Slam
(6) The Writers Den
(7) Boise Poetry Slam
(8) Steel City Slam / ABQ Slams (tie)
(10) Toronto Poetry Slam
(11) Boston Poetry Slam
(12) Ktown Mic Drop Slam
(13) Rain City Slam
2016ABQ Slams(2) Dada Poetry Slam
(3) Burlington Ontario
(4) Northampton Poetry
(5) Freshwater Wordsmiths
(6) OM Center Poetry Slam
(7) Alchemy Slam
(8) Union Square Slam
(9) Nuyorican Poets Café
(10) Hear Here / Houston Poetry Slam / Puro Slam (tie)
2015Austin Poetry Slam[17](2) Palo Alto
(3) Austin Neo Soul
(4) Slam Charlotte
(5) Atlanta Art Amok
(6) Rain City
(7) Lizard Lounge Poetry Slam
(8) Fort Worth
(9) Portland Poetry Slam
(10) Seattle Poetry Slam
2014Hear, Hear! Poetry Slam[18](2) Austin Neo Soul
(3) WU Slam (St. Louis)
(4) Philly Pigeon
(5) Palo Alto
(6) Verbal Slap
(7) Lethal Poetry (Chicago)
(8) Denver Mercury
(9) Battle Born (Las Vegas)
(10) Boise Poetry Slam
2013Austin Neo Soul / Intangible Slam (tie)[19](3) Java Monkey / Houston VIP (tie)
(5) Hear Here (Colorado Springs)
(6) Battle Born (Las Vegas)
(7) Seattle Poetry Slam (Seattle)
(8) Dallas Poetry Slam (Dallas)
(9) Salt City Slam (Salt Lake City)
(10) Sedona Poetry Slam (Sedona, Arizona)
2012Austin Neo Soul[20](2) Bull City Slam
(3) ABQ Slams
(4) Dallas Poetry Slam
(5) Piedmont Poetry Slam
(6) Burlington Slam Project
(7) Jersey City Poetry Slam
(8) Loser Slam
(9) Vancouver Poetry Slam
(10) Urbana
2011ABQ Slams(Other finalists: Austin Poetry Slam, The Intangible Slam (New York City), Dallas Poetry Slam, Elevated! (San Diego), Houston Poetry Slam, Knoxville Poetry Slam, Austin Neo Soul, Houston VIP, and Eclectic Truth (Baton Rouge))
2010Slam New Orleans(Other finalists: Pomona, Santa Cruz, Oakland, Vancouver, Minneapolis, Fort Worth, Ocotillo, Seattle, Urbana, and Toronto)
2009Berkeley Poetry Slam[21](2) Seattle Poetry Slam
(Other finalists: Fort Worth Poetry Slam, West Palm Beach - The Stage, Atlanta - Art Amok, California- Life Sentence Slam, New Jersey - Loser Slam, Toronto Poetry Slam, Salt Lake City - Salt City Slam, and Amarillo - Slamarillo)
2008NYC-Urbana(2) Slam Nahuatl Richmond VA
(3) Killeen Texas
(4) Cleveland
(Other finalists: Atlanta, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Honolulu, Chicago-Green Mill, Phoenix, Lincroft, Seattle, and Fort Worth)

National Underground Poetry Individual Competition (NUPIC) Champion
YearWinnerRunner Up
2018(TIE)
Lindsay Young
Gabriel Ramirez
2017Raych JacksonBlack Chakra
2016Roya MarshAshley Davis
2015Will GilesImani Cezanne
2014Danez SmithTim "Toaster" Henderson
2013Dominique AshaheedJared Singer
2012Marty McConnellMckendy Fils-Aimé
2011Rachel McKibbensCarrie Rudzinski
2010Eboni HoganOmoizele "Oz" Okoawo
2009Rudy FranciscoJ. W. "Baz" Basilo

Individual World Poetry Slam (iWPS)
Main article: Individual World Poetry Slam

Women of the World Poetry Slam (WOWPS)
Main article: Women of the World Poetry Slam

See also

References
  1. Aptowicz, Cristin O'Keefe. (2008). Words in Your Face: A Guided Tour Through Twenty Years of the New York City Poetry Slam. Soft Skull Press. "Chapter Six: Playing Nice; The First National Poetry Slam" Page 45. ISBN 1-933368-82-9.
  2. Aptowicz, Cristin O'Keefe. (2008). Words in Your Face: A Guided Tour Through Twenty Years of the New York City Poetry Slam. Soft Skull Press. "New York City Poetry Slam Teams" Page 366-369. ISBN 1-933368-82-9.
  3. Poetry Slam, Inc. Website: Past NPS Winners page
  4. Poetry Slam, Inc. Website: iWPS page
  5. Poetry Slam, Inc. Website: NPS FAQ page
  6. Poetry Slam, Inc. Website: WOWPS page
  7. Poetry Slam, Inc. Website: WOWPS News page
  8. Spread the word.....there will be an Underground Indi's at Nat's....
  9. "Home - Carbonite Discount Offer Code". National Poetry Slam 2011.
  10. "Team Finals PSI Scores".
  11. "Team Finals PSI Scores".
  12. "Team Finals PSI Scores".
  13. "Team Finals PSI Scores".
  14. "Team Finals PSI Scores".
  15. "Team Finals PSI Scores".
  16. "NPS 2017 Scores".
  17. "NPS 2015 Scores".
  18. "NPS 2014 Group Piece Finals PSI Scores".
  19. "NPS 2013 Group Piece Finals PSI Scores".
  20. "NPS 2012 Group Piece Finals PSI Scores".
  21. "Complete Team Rankings".
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