For one unmissable night, NJPAC unites the leading voices in jazz, hip hop and poetry.
The legendary lineup includes hip hop stars Black Thought (The Roots), Rakim (Paid in Full), Speech (Arrested Development), Chuck D (Public Enemy), Dupre ‘Doitall’ Kelly (Lords of the Underground) award-winning poets and spoken word performers Nikki Giovanni, jessica Care moore, Mayor Ras Baraka, and The Last Poets (Abiodun Oyewole, Umar Bin Hassan, and Babadon Babatunde), Sean Battle and Treasure Borde (EvoluCulture); Saxophonists Javon Jackson and Ravi Coltrane, Musical Director (and NJPAC Jazz Advisor) Christian McBride and A Christian McBride Situation; Blaring horns and baring souls, these masterful artists exclaim their vision of justice, change, and joy.
This performance is a presentation of City Verses: Amplifying New Voices through Jazz and Poetry, a unique joint-initiative of NJPAC and Rutgers-Newark’s which celebrates the rich historical connection between jazz and poetry, creates opportunities for public engagement, strengthens community ties through the arts, amplifies the authentic voices of the people of Greater Newark, and engages a new generation of poets, jazz musicians and teaching artists.