Russell Simmons presents Def Poetry , better known as simply Def Poetry Jam or Def Poetry , is a spoken word poetry television series hosted by Mos Def and airing on HBO between 2002 and 2007. The series features performances by established and up-and-coming spoken word poets. Performances also include special appearances by well-known actors and musicians, as well as occasional performances by Mos Def himself. Co-created by Bruce George , Danny Simmons , Deborah Pointer, Stan Lathan , and Russell Simmons , the show is a spin-off of the popular Def Comedy Jam which began airing on HBO in the 1990s. As with Def Comedy , Simmons appears at the end of every episode to thank the audience.
21-890: Seales is an English language surname. People with this surname include: Amanda Seales (born 1981), American actress Franklyn Seales (1952–1990), American actor Jayden Seales , Trinidadian cricketer Jim Seales, lead guitar in Shenandoah (band) Joe Seales, founder of the Right Side Broadcasting Network , and his brother Jacob Seales, composer of "The American Dreamer" Lecretia Seales (1973–2015), New Zealand lawyer and physician-assisted dying activist Marc Seales , American jazz pianist Sugar Ray Seales (born 1952), American boxer See also [ edit ] Seale (disambiguation) Searles (surname) [REDACTED] Surname list This page lists people with
42-423: A poetry slam , Def Poetry has become heavily associated with the poetry slam movement, and utilizes many of poetry slam 's best-known poets, including National Poetry Slam champions such as Beau Sia , Taylor Mali , Big Poppa E , Mayda del Valle , Mike Mcgee , Alix Olson and Rives , among others. Even poets who are critical of the poetry slam , such as John S. Hall , have acknowledged slam's influence on
63-718: A comedy gameshow that showcases Black culture, history, and experience. Seales was also one of the co-hosts of the syndicated daytime talk show, The Real . Amanda Ingrid Seales was born in Inglewood, California , on July 1, 1981. Her mother was born and raised in Mt. Moritz, Grenada . As a result, both she and her mother are dual citizens of the US and Grenada . Her father is a Black American from Roxbury, Boston . Seales moved to Orlando, Florida , in 1989, where she later attended Dr. Phillips High School . She graduated from SUNY-Purchase , then earned
84-485: A frequent guest host for the syndicated daytime talk show The Real . On January 6, 2020, Seales was promoted from guest co-host to permanent co-host. She departed the series after six months of co-hosting, citing her dissatisfaction with the inability to openly speak on recent social issues as a reason. In September 2020, Seales accused The Real of stealing ideas from her show Smart Funny & Black , saying The Real 's segment "Black Lives Matter University" featured
105-594: A logo that closely resembled Smart Funny & Black 's emblem. In June 2020, Seales hosted the BET Awards 2020 . In February 2022, Seales was cast in the three-part documentary series Everything's Gonna Be All White , airing on Showtime . In 2007, Seales replaced Natalie Stewart of the musical duo Floetry on tour with Marsha Ambrosius , and in December of that same year Seales (as Amanda Diva) released her first extended play (EP) Life Experience . In 2008, she
126-635: A master's degree in American studies with a concentration in Hip hop from Columbia University . Seales's first film was a minor role as Katy in the 1993 movie Cop and a Half . The next year Seales was featured on the Nickelodeon sitcom My Brother and Me (1994) as Deonne Wilburn. In 2002 she appeared on Russell Simmons ' Def Poetry Jam . Seales became publicly known as " VJ Amanda Diva" on MTV2 Sucker Free Countdown on Sundays. In 2016 she appeared in
147-553: A recurring role on the HBO series Insecure , as Tiffany DuBois. Also in 2016, Seales began hosting her own show on truTV called Greatest Ever . On January 26, 2019, HBO debuted her first stand-up comedy special I Be Knowin'. Bring the Funny is a comedy competition series that premiered on July 9, 2019, on NBC. Seales hosts, alongside judges Kenan Thompson , Chrissy Teigen , and Jeff Foxworthy . Throughout 2019, Seales served as
168-525: Is different from Wikidata All set index articles Amanda Seales Amanda Ingrid Seales (born July 1, 1981), formerly known by the stage name Amanda Diva , is an American actress, author, activist, singer, media personality, podcaster, comedian and poet. From 2017 to 2021, she starred in the HBO comedy series Insecure . In 2019, HBO released her first stand-up comedy special I Be Knowin . Then, in 2020, Seales launched Smart Funny & Black ,
189-506: Is still extremely slam-informed, and I think it will probably always be. What they say about Def Poetry is that it wants to bring an urban feel. And to me, they don't mean black or Latino, or non-white. What they really mean is, a rhythm of poetry that comes out of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe , that came out of the slams. In a 2005 interview, Bob Holman , who founded the Nuyorican Poets Cafe 's poetry slam and appeared on Season 4 of
210-436: The surname Seales . If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name (s) to the link. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Seales&oldid=1189185550 " Categories : Surnames Patronymic surnames Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description
231-418: The accusations as alleged, she went on to defend the actor saying, "Even if it was a hoax for the sake of bringing attention to this, then I’m like, that’s low-key noble". In 2022, Smollett was found guilty of orchestrating a fake hate crime and sentenced to 150 days in prison. In 2021, Seales was criticized for portraying Alpha Kappa Alpha , or "AKA," insignia on the series Insecure . Real-life members of
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#1732870008139252-470: The latest season to air (Season 6) premiered in February 2007. As of summer 2008, there has been no word about the possibility of a Season 7. Starting in 2008, producers of Def Poetry (including Simmons, Stan Lathan , and Kamilah Forbes ) developed and broadcast the HBO poetry show Brave New Voices , which is stylistically similar to Def Poetry , with teenage poets competing and backstage scenes. Chance
273-410: The many contributions Black Americans have made to history and pop culture and more. On April 18, 2022, Seales began co-hosting a new weekly radio show, Amanda Seales’ Smart Funny & Black Radio on SiriusXM, alongside Taj Rani and JeremiahLikeTheBible, featuring topics such as games, celebrity interviews and African-American culture . Seales's book, 'Small Doses: Potent Truths for Everyday Use'
294-410: The show, applauded Def Poetry , noting: I'm real happy poetry is on television. My hat is off to Russell Simmons, who has found a way to get poems on HBO in a way that feeds his own business. It gives him the back credentials for his hip-hop label, and at the same time he's magnanimous towards the art of poetry, giving us a place like that. It's a great, great moment, just as Def Poetry Jam on Broadway
315-425: The show. In a 2005 interview, Hall was quoted as saying: It's true that I was on Def Poetry even though I've never slammed. I'm probably the only person to be on there who hasn't slammed. And I think most people on Def Poetry have won slams or done well in slams. And, all of them, except the special guest stars, the celebrities, are writing slam poems and performing slam poems on Def Poetry , so to me, Def Poetry
336-580: The sorority responded negatively to Seales' character wearing the shield & letters of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. which violates trademark laws. Seales responded to the criticism in an Instagram video defending her portrayal. It was later reported that the sorority plans to take legal action against Seales. Def Poetry Jam The series included historical legendary poets such as The Last Poets, Nikki Giovanni , Amiri Baraka , and Sonia Sanchez . It also featured poets, Saul Williams , J. Ivy , Jessica Care Moore and Lemon. Though technically not
357-550: The value and aesthetic of performance poetry." In November 2002, a live stage production, Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam , opened on Broadway . Directed by Stan Lathan , the show featured poets Beau Sia , Suheir Hammad , Staceyann Chin , Lemon , Mayda del Valle , Georgia Me , Black Ice, Poetri Smith , and Steve Coleman. The show ran on Broadway until May 2003, and won a 2003 Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event. The show subsequently toured both nationally and internationally. Def Poetry premiered on HBO in 2002 and
378-399: The weeks preceding Rodney Reed 's November 20, 2019, execution date, Seales publicly urged Texas Governor Greg Abbott to exonerate Reed or stay his execution. She later rescinded her support after learning more about his history. In February 2020, Seales drew controversy while on The Real when defending Jussie Smollett after he was arrested for faking a hate crime . While describing
399-526: Was a great moment, too. Not since Ntozake Shange 's For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf has a poem like that been on the stage. However, Marc Smith , the founder of the Poetry Slam movement, is more critical of the program. Smith decries the intense commercialization of the poetry slam, and refers to Def Poetry as "an exploitive entertainment [program that] diminished
420-458: Was featured on the song "Manwomanboogie" on Q-Tip 's Grammy -nominated album The Renaissance . On March 3, 2009, Seales released Spandex, Rhymes & Soul . Seales hosts a weekly podcast titled Small Doses . She created and hosts the touring variety game show, Smart Funny & Black , where her love of games and music, was used to serve as a safe space for the Black voice and celebrates
441-543: Was released in 2019. The book is an extension of her podcast of the same name. It is a volume of essays, axioms, original illustrations, and photos from her trademark "self-help from the hip” style of commentary. In 2019, Seales was involved in a controversy where many people mistakenly reported that she had accused former NFL player and neurosurgeon resident Myron Rolle of sexually harassing several women. Multiple people who were spreading that story have since admitted that Seales did not make those allegations herself. In
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