For those of you know that know me well enough, you know that spoken word poetry is a particular passion of mine. There are very few art forms that entrance me like the power of the poet warping his words and playing with language while toying with the aural sensibilities of the audience. And while I do perform my own work from time to time, I much prefer sitting there in the crowd while the masters — Shane Koyczan, Dwayne Morgan, Rives, The Fugitives and more — dazzle me with their lyrical prowess.

So when my friend Nav pointed me to this video of Talib Kweli, one of my favorite rappers, throwing it down at the Def Poetry Jam, I just had to share it with you all. The man speaks the truth in this video.

Kweli’s not the only star that has appeared on Def Poetry Jam — be sure to check out Alicia Keys, Lauryn Hill, Malcolm Jamal-Warner and others — but the true stars of the spoken word scene are the celebrities that are made through their words in performances in places like the Toronto Poetry Slam, The Roots Lounge, and coffee houses near you.

And if you’re in Toronto and interested in finding out more about the spoken word scene, drop me a line and we’ll hit up an open mic night.