Barbados has a new spoken word poetry king in Akeem ‘Stoned With Cupid’ Chandler- Prescod who wowed the judges in the inaugural National Library Services Youth Speak Poetry Slam 2022 competition.
The competition was held on Saturday in the Golden Square Freedom Park before a crowd including Senator John King and Barbados’Ambassador to CARICOM David Comissiong.
Chandler-Prescod said that he was ecstatic and humbled about his win.
“It feels amazing to win anything in life but it feels even greater to win something that you’re passionate about. I wrote, mixed, mastered and recorded the piece myself and then had to do the renditions for performance on stage. Having to go up against your peers and people who are incentivised by the cash prize [was not easy and] they were coming at their best. Even if I didn’t win I would have still won. I feel ecstatic,” he said.
Chandler-Prescod impressed the judges including radio personality DJ Simmons and artistic producer and writer Michelle Hinkson-Cox with his piece Family Affair. He was awarded the $1000 cash prize by the Barbados Public Workers Co-Operative Credit Union. Second place went to the passionate Theo ‘Deo the poet’ Greenidge who performed one of his strongest pieces The Rose That Grew From The Concrete.
Speaking to Barbados TODAY, Greendige said that he was over the moon about his placement.
“I feel great. The field was so large and everyone was saying that the judges were finding it hard to pick first place but [coming second] it is like distinguishing myself.
“I’ve performed in many different formats but I’ve never performed in any competition before with my fellow poets. To hear my name called among these people was the cake but then when I heard I came second that was was the icing on the cake,” he said.
Bringing home third place was Shamona Forrester who performed Corpse Sinking – she too brought her A-game to rise above the competition.
Other outstanding performances came from artist Irijah The Don who performed her piece on male mental health, Heavy. It speaks to how young boys are forced into manhood and have to work within the dog-eat-dog world.
Guest poet La Shawna Griffith revved up emotions with her piece The Belch Of Racism Has A Pungent Odour.
Well-known poet Cyndi Celeste also competed with her piece Buzzwords, along with Rae who performed his piece The Message, and rapper turned poet Nia who performed Fresh Eyes.
During a special segment between emcee Antoine Williams and seasoned spoken word artiste Adrian Green, Green said that he had faith in the future of spoken word from the performances seen. (MR)