Black Milk is 'Born to Flow' at MSU

Hip-hop meets slam poetry in Friday show

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Detroit nativeBlack Milk will be performing at the “Born to Flow” event at Michigan State University,providing a blend of hip-hop and slam poetry. Presented by Pop Entertainment, theconcert at 8 p.m. Friday, April 2 is a departure from other events the grouphas put on.

“Other events weput on have been electronic and rock,” said Adam Kokenakes, the president ofPop Entertainment. “We’re trying to touch a lot of different genres to get afeel for the student body, and we really wanted to do some hip-hop.”

Hip-hop producerand MC Black Milk will be performing with a live drummer and keyboardist.

“He’s a fellowMichigan person coming to share his craft with us,” Kokenakes said.

Also attendingis Jamaal “Versiz” May, a two-time Detroit Slam Champion, who will be helpingstudents work on their own slam poetry skills.

Slam poetry is atype of competition poetry, Kokenakes said. Poets go head to head against oneanother. He said the concert will encourage the direct and firm rhythm of slampoetry without the competition.

There have beena series of auditions in the MSU Union in which students win a chance to performtheir own poetry on the night of the event. During the day before the concertbegins, the selected students will sit down with May one-on-one and work on acollaborative poem to perform.

“We’re workingwith the MSU Slam Poetry Club and reaching out and allowing all and anystudents to audition,” Kokenakes said.

He is excitedabout this particular event due to this student participation and allowing themto get personally involved.

“They get towork with a professional poet and work with them in their own art,” he said.

The concert willbe held in the Erickson Kiva in Erickson Hall on-campus. Tickets are $5 forstudents and $8 for non-students.

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