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A one-woman revolution of poetry and microphone
Toni Blackman is an international champion of hip-hop culture, known for the irresistible, contagious energy of her performances and for her alluring female presence
Highly respected as the founder and director of Freestyle Union, a cipher workshop that uses free styling as a tool to encourage social responsibility, Blackman’s work has held great influence in the world of hip hop activism.
Toni is a member of the Spoken Word Committee of the New York Chapter of the Recording Academy (a.k.a. The Grammy’s). Also, AOL BlackVoices named Toni as one of the top ten African-American Next Generation Leaders to watch. She recently hosted an episode of Sunshine Airlines for Austrian National Television-which celebrated 30 years of hip-hop and the contributions of Chuck D She recently toured Southeast Asia with Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Musical Amba**ador program and has shared the stage with the likes of Erykah Badu, Mos Def, The Roots, Wu Tang Clan, GURU, Bahamadia, Boot Camp Clic, Me'Shell NdegeoCello, Sarah McLachlan, Sheryl Crow, Jill Sobule and even Rickie Lee Jones. Her first book, Inner-Course was released in 2003 (Villard/Random House). Toni has performed in Eve Ensler’s V-Day Festival, the DODGE Poetry Festival, in Spain at the Barcelona World Social Forum, featured in the CUTTING EDGE Festival in Darmstadt, Germany, featured at SENERAP International Hip Hop Festival in Dakar and toured South Africa as a headliner on the URBAN VOICES Festival alongside the legendary Linton Kwesi Johnson. Toni has collaborated with a host of highly esteemed musicians including Craig Harris, James "Blood" Ulmer, Vernon Reid, Jay Rodriguez and master kora players Papa Susso and Yacouba. She continues to work with artists from around the world. The following topics will be discussed. She is visiting our country and would like to share experiences with the local hip hop community.
Key Lecture Topics
• I Rhyme Like A Girl: The History and Role of Women in Hip Hop Culture
• Hip Hop Culture and The International Impact
• The Intersection of Hip Hop, Education, and Activism
• Poetry, Spoken Word, and the Literary Arts
• The Sacredness of the Cipher: Spirituality and Hip Hop
Join us for a short presentation and workshop
DATE: SATURDAY 10TH FEBRUARY 2007
TIME: 1:30PM – 6:30PM
VENUE: GUGAS’TEBE ARTS CENTRE
FREE ADMISSION
FOR MORE INFORMATION: CONTACT JO-ANNE (021) 410 9961
