Powerful voices of Spoken Word take to the open mic

Fans and members of Youth Voices are experiencing the power of the spoken word at this very moment and there’s still time for you join them at the Tropicana Lounge in the Tourism Village. Youth Voices is hosting its first open mic night; bringing talented poets and rappers to the stage to share lyrics on life, love and anything else that moves them. The group is inviting any and everyone to stop in and either enjoy the talent on stage or step up to the microphone. Nyabinghi Melanie Price, a member of Youth Voices, told News Five via phone what the public can expect tonight.

Via Phone: Nyabinghi Melanie Price, Education Coordinator, Youth Voices

“Tonight from six-thirty to eight-thirty p.m. at the Tropicana Lounge in the Tourist Village, we’re having our first, what we call Spit Fyah open mic. It’s something that we’re going to be doing monthly; every third Friday of each month. So this is our kick off and we wanna make sure that everybody who is in the area or can make their way to the area attend because for one it’s a time where the youths are really learning how to utilize their voice, they’re learning how to express themselves, they’re learning how to write in a coherent and comprehensive manner; not only in English but also in our native tongues; our Creole, our Mayan languages, our Spanish to honor ourselves through our writing, through our art forms through our performance of our poetry.  It’s open to everyone; family members, children, young people, old people, older people; all are welcome.”

Delahnie Bain

Nyabinghi Melanie Price

“Is there a cost to enter?”

Via Phone: Nyabinghi Melanie Price

“There’s no cost. We want people to come in with positive energy, with an open mind and with an open spirit because we will move each other in the “sifer” as we call it; in our circle of spoken word.  I just really want to encourage young people who already create lyrics, whether it be in the genre of rap or hip hop; whether it be through instruments that they play, whether it be through any creative writing that they’re working with. We invite them to come and take part and participate because it’s an open mic. Everybody can come, they wanna spit something, they wanna say something, they have free reign to do that.”

If you can’t make it out tonight, but are interested in joining Youth Voices, Price can be reached at 665-9205 or you can find the group at the Bliss Café between three and five o’clock every Saturday.