Def Poetry - Lemon - Shine

[StatenIzzy1]

the truth is im right...if your form the ghetto ok you ave the right to act and talk like that regardless of race..but i just want to let it be known that most puerto ricans are white..puerto rican is not a race you dumb fucks...the whole reason you guys speak that language is cuz of my people the white spanish people

[brookeestell]

as much as i love lemon, he didn't write that. it was recorded in 1964 and published in Roger Abraham's Deep down in the Jungle.

[TheNissy12]

@brookeestell he didn't say he wrote it, he's writes his own stuff and acts other people's works. He's an actor, thats what actors do.

[brookeestell]

@TheNissy12 i know he's an actor and i know performs others' work as well. so really, your comment is redundant. I just feel that if you are going to alter someone else's piece, acknowlege it. every other artist that performs another poet's work does so.

[LilBlitz116]

funny ass poem

[StatenIzzy1]

this guy is a fucking faget...trying to act like hes not white...most puerto ricans are white they are full of spaniard ancestry..which means white...this guy is of full european ancestry trying to act black and disregarding his european blood hes a fagget....

[kylee8767]

@StatenIzzy1 Spain isnt of white desent, everyone comes from africa my friend you should know even you have black dna also who cares personality isnt a color its a state of mind like the word niger means ignorant man, yet black males still get offend. Also think before you type.

[fuzzyjem3]

@StatenIzzy1 i mean how u act isnt really set in stone due to race. There are many factors to be put into consideration like where you grew up, how, with who etc. Saying that a black man is going to talk ghetto because hes black is kinda, well... retarded. And its pretttymuch what you are saying. just saying

[SocietyScarred]

@StatenIzzy1 You're ignorant just shut up cause you're embarrassing yourself.

[wchinos]

Haha

[wchinos]

Shine shine save poor little oh me

[blahblahblahman]

SWAAAAAAG.

[thabest500]

This is a funny but also a great poem. I am 14 and I thank my mom and dad for teaching what great poem really is

[cranberryjade]

Again, I repeat, if you change the words it is NOT the same poem! I was not critiquing his performance, I was saying he was not clear enough that it was not his work (generally, for a slam you have to perform original work). If your not a poet, you may not understand.

[haighter81]

everyone seems to be talking about him ripping this off he said he was taught how to READ and write poetry in jail so he recited a poem he read and took poetic license with it he didn't claim it was his own work he never said it wasn't why can't you just enjoy it and be satisfied that now people who wouldn't know who Etheridge Knight is may now check out his work

[naughtydevil357]

He gives it up to Knight before he starts...i was listening for it just in case.

[cranberryjade]

@naughtydevil357 but he says "this is for Etheridge Knight" not "this is by Etheridge Knight". Plus if you read the actual Knight poem, Lemon has made some changes. You can't really perform someone else's poem, change the words, and say it is dedicated to them. Perhaps if he had said "after Etheridge Knight" it would be different. The Knight poem is a bit more raw, actually. I just wrote a paper on the Essential Etheridge Knight, which is a great collection!

[cranberryjade]

So, this is a performance of an Ethridge Knight poem almost word for word. While I love the performance, it should be noted that this is NOT Lemon's work even though he really makes it sound like it is!

[alexiscentric]

@cranberryjade Exactly. This is NOT his work

[MRLOMO18]

@cranberryjade ummm yea thats why he said this one is for ethridge knight at thee begining

[cranberryjade]

@MRLOMO18 The words "for" and "after" and "by" have very different meanings in the poetry world. It has to do with artistic integrity. Besides, have you read the actual poem? It is quite different.

[MRLOMO18]

@cranberryjade yes i actually have read the real poem.sure he switches some ords up, but its still the same

[cranberryjade]

@MRLOMO18 As a poet, I disagree. When I change the words in a poem, it becomes a different poem.

[mzladijay]

@cranberryjade it's not THAT different. I've read and recited this poem several times and it's not as different as you are making it out to be. This poem actually introduced me to Etheridge Knight and I've learned so much from his poetry about myself and I think that's the point of him reciting it to get people familiar with POETRY not with himself.

[gblake32]

(part 1) question, somewhat a favor for all listeners admirers and entrepreneurs of hip hop and poetry as well as music in general. so i posted this on my facebook account, i have a brother who is a HUGE hip hop head k, well i'm a poet. so my view of what hip hop is, is a much MUCh broader view than his. however i'm aware of why he thinks what he thinks and his personal view is "this has NOTHING to do with hip hop" as my post read....(cont)

[gblake32]

@gblake32 (part 2) "wow seriously there is so much young talent and passion out there i can't believe shit like this isn't recognized even by hip hop heads."

perhaps my post saying that about hip hop heads offended him but nonetheless it is true, of course not all hip hop heads fail to acknowledge these dudes as rappers or poets, or even themselves as poets. but great rappers/emcees ARE poets, KRS One IS a poet, Nas IS a poet, Crooked I IS a poet, Pac IS a poet, Big is a poet. so question....

[gblake32]

@gblake32 (part 3) does this or any other poet on def jam slams have ANYthing to do with hip hop? are they just as relative as the lyricist who speaks behind a beat or not relevant to hip hop 'cause they only contain elements of hip hop? or does hip hop contain elements of poetry only to form true hip hoP? those questions fall hand in hand as much comments/opinions is much appreciated. thanks

[NoMasterSkills]

@gblake32 i'd say hip hop contains elements of poetry. Poetry being pure like cherry juice and hip hop being a mix of other elements like fruit punch.  just my opinion

[gblake32]

@NoMasterSkills I fully agree that each has elements of one another. so all those artists I named from KRS One to Nas, would you consider them poets of any sort?

[NoMasterSkills]

@gblake32 Certainly, I've always thought the best "rappers" were good "poets" as well. Sadly, not all rappers are poets I could name a few but your not supposed to feed the trolls =) but you can usually tell them by their albums. Filled with drugs/violence usually in the "i'm just telling it like it is in the hood" tone and Sex/Money usually in a "look how much i got/get" tone. I also think not all poets could be good rappers or should i say "commercially successful" just my opion

[gblake32]

@NoMasterSkills me too, i fully agree with you. like Black Ice, dude's one of thee, if not THEE dopest spoken word poet I've heard on Def Jam but his album flopped like you said it's the "commercial appeal" you gotta have and to me (being a poet myself) it's not in our nature or interest to sacrifice who we are just for 10 min of fame or teen bop recognition. but i agree very few poets could be good emcees and even less rappers are poets haha. soulja boy a poet? hahahaha ;)

[MALIRIPPA]

watched this years ago still one of my favourites

good quality though

[cranberryjade]

I love this rhythm!

[sue01234567890]

so clear...

[Femcrisis]

Ughh, This is my favourite by him <3.