Performance Bond

Imagine yourself absorbing an assertive spoken word performance, that is flowing fast and furious, captivating and stimulating. Imagine how your spirit will be stirred as you sway to the power of the words and the rhythm of the flow. Now imagine someone capturing that feeling on paper. If you can picture that mental visual, then you are on point, because that's what Wayde Compton has done. One of the most progressive and experimental poets in Canada, Compton confronts the globalization and the co-modification of Black culture, with a militancy reminiscent of the turbulent sixties. Compton takes the insistent cadences of jazz and hip-hop and fuses them with language, history and contemporary Black politics. His poetry deals with black diaspora, the changing culture, the legacy of the slave trade, the origin of hip-hop and the ramifications of urban renewal on North America's inner cities. PERFORMANCE BOND was born from the roots of an unusual history, and is complemented by a CD recording of one of Compton's performances which gives life to the history. Compton has produced deep-reaching, thought-provoking poetry, but he shares more than an eye-opening read, his musings reintroduce a cultural experience. (RAW Rating: 4.5) Reviewed by aNN of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers