Thursday, April 7, 2011 at 5:01PM
This song was played over and over again on the 24 hour birthday tribute to Billie Holiday on on WKCR FM 89.9
Billie Holiday, inspiration, lLove, music, tragic, tribute, video in Music, Video Sunday, March 6, 2011 at 9:07PM Right here! Still being birthed in the Bronx like honey from the rock. There are few people amongst the masses, who can translate every nuance of life into sound. They interpret passion, angst, struggle, victory, all tales worth telling, which from the beginning of time have been passed down through song by those with the unrelenting call to transform the human experience into living art. With music streaming through their veins they go about their days collecting inspiration from the world around them, storing them to throw into the air later as collages of sound. They answer the call for beats that sync with the spirit, that make close your eyes and nod your head in deep affirmation.
When you have two hip-hop beasts together on a Friday night something interesting is bound to happen. Boricua musicians Roberto "Plena" Irizarry and Maria Isa, blended their talents and managed to lay down some tracks that puts half of what's being pushed by the industry to shame.
Me with Plena & Isa at Momma's Hip Hop Kitchen - click to learn more about this awesome estrogen led hip hop movement
A dynamic Nuyorican poet who is a blend of all things traditional Puerto Rico, quality hip-hop and rock, Plena offers a sounds all his own. SotaRican Maria Isa, who is also an accomplished stage actor, is 1 part gypsy beauty, 1 part activist, 2 parts lyrical genius. With fresh rhymes and very clear perspective she is a true blue emcee, able to spit knowledge while keeping you fully entertained. One of the tracks, "Isa Bronx Freestylin", recorded completely off the top of her head seems as effortless as breathing.
With our energy up from the night before, we headed over to Momma's Hip Hop Kitchen, Kathleen Adams and Lah Tere's free annual hip hop event at Hostos Community College on the Grand Concourse in the Bronx. Maria's stage presence and message blew the crowd away. Lah Tere is yet another talented sister who's musical talent is surpassed only by her spiritual beauty. She closed out an amazing afternoon with gratitude and a barefoot call and answer piece that moved the crowd while reminding us of what we were there for; The empowerment of women of all ages to improve our own lives and that of our communities at large through the confidence that comes with owning our creativity and voices. And with all that said, I am now pleased to present the first song of Isa's upcoming EP,
Ruff and Uncut: Plenazo De Isa
Free mp3 download: "Basilando"
Visit our YouTube channel, BombaPlena. Add it to your favorites, make it part of a playlist, share it! Enjoy!
Lah Tere, Maria Isa, Momma's Hip Hop Kitchen, Roberto Plena Irizarry, YouTube, hip hop, music, video in Music, Video Friday, February 4, 2011 at 3:27AM
Bomba y Plena, Roberto Plena Irizarry, poetry, video in Bomba y Plena, Video Thursday, December 9, 2010 at 1:15PM Every once in a while we meet someone who changes our lives by just by being themselves.
Vanessa Martir, author, mother and passionate leader will celebrate her 35th birthday this Saturday night. We've come to look forward to gathering at a cozy intimate venue, Lolita's, once a month for her raucous and moving La Loba poetry series. In that small room we've spit fire, laughed until we cried and cried until we laughed.
Please join us in celebrating her life and a wonderful series that we hope continues for a long time to come.
Click on the lovely Vanessa to RSVP on Facebook
Wednesday, November 10, 2010 at 6:18PM It was an awesome night with poets Sean Patrick Conlon and Rico Frederick.
A heartfelt thank you to our fabulous host Erik "Advocate of Wordz" Maldonado, Marvin Medlinger & of course Michael Geffner for having me.
Events, Michael Geffner's Inspired Word, One and One, video in Events, Video Monday, August 30, 2010 at 11:03AM We, Bomba y Plena, were honored to sit with Puerto Rican poet, writer & co-founder of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Miguel Algarín in his home where we spoke about his life, his writing, our culture and what the future holds for us as individuals & Nuyorican poets.
Here he shares with us his memories on the opening of the cafe, his writing and feelings about Plena's brilliant idea a night honoring Algarín, The "69 Years Young" Birthday Tribute on September 11th. There will be a room full of legends and spectacular artists filling the Nuyorican that night. Our fabulous host Hosted by Papo "Swiggity" Santiago of Capicu Poetry & Cultural Showcase will guide us through a night flowing with words from Miguel Algarin, Caridad De La Luz (La Bruja), Simply Rob (Grito de Poetas), Maria Isa, yours truly Bomba y Plena. Since the creation of the event we've been please to add on some special surprise performances by musicians & legendary poets. You'll have to be there to find out who!
Watch the video, share it and please, join us! It will be a night to remember.
Bomba y Plena, Events, YouTube, legends, miguel algarin, nuyorican poets cafe, poet, video Saturday, August 7, 2010 at 11:25PM cigarette smoke curled toward the sky
tears rolled from each eye
i asked of the moon if there would be a day when the pain
didn't congest my thoughts and throat
supple lips murmured prayers through quivers
a misused hand dangled over the railing
which kept me on the sill
mostly against my will
into the octagonal courtyard
glowing into the brick cyclinder
where my window sucked in the blue light
it was the only place i had to see the stars and sky
like rapunzel looking from the window of the tower
i hope for a prince
knew none would come
like a woman of the world i gathered my thoughts
knew none would come
a bag regret and abuse
little more that a silk purse full of lint
i waited for the moment to pass
promising each cigarette would be the last
but as they were my only companions
i sucked in their poison welcoming their ominous promise
Friday, October 9, 2009 at 6:57PM I know, I know. I'm slow. I'm behind the curve but I'm trying! I have finally uploaded my first vid on YouTube.
The backstory here is that I was honored by Linda Nieves-Powell of Latino Flavored Productions by a request to write and perform a piece for her production EPISTLES: Latinas Out Loud 2009. It was a balmy summer evening at the Nuyorican Cafe and I was surrounded by loved ones, fans and strangers who would soon become friends. There were approximately 20 letters read by people of all different sizes, shapes, colors and flavors. It was a night of tears and laughter. One which I will never forget. It made a huge impact by allowing me to purge something from my soul that had tortured me for many years. So many people revealed so much that night.
I hope you enjoy my contribution...Thank you for visiting.