Alexis Marie at the 2008 Urban Word NYC Teen Poetry Slam

[tubydobydo]

You’re very talented; I got goose bumps listening to your words, awesome poetry!

[youmysecretlove]

unbelievably amazing

[SimplyCrisie]

There are stories in my kinks! WHAT!! This is REAL! 

[BlackBoxThirst333]

Gorgeous words.

[PoetryInMotion2311]

PLEASE CHECK ME OUT ARMY GIRL AND A YONUG POET BEEN WRITING BUT JUST STARTING ON THE 'TUBE

[quilame29440]

i luv this gurl she talks the truth when she do poetry

[ImJustAPoet]

Perm wash deep condition set blowout wrap spray of oil sheen

[SelaamHabesha]

her words made me shiver as goosebumps rose upon my body. never once did i tear my eyes away from the screen, as her words were MESMERIZING.

[ramazone2]

"Your ignorance will not excuse you, nor will your silence protect you." Let's all dig in, get informed, and take action.

[ramazone2]

"Your ignorance will not excuse you, nor will your silence protect you." Let's all dig, get informed, and take action.

[mssuperrandomness]

I've listened to this at least ten times and it still sends shivers down my spine. every. time. You dont have to be african american to feel something from this poem. its impossible not to.

[winrx]

It's amazing what passes as talent in the black community. Speaking of talent, I do believe thats a tongue ring she has on.... : p

[SierraInSeattle]

@winrx prick

[ramazone2]

@winrx You're coming off as a hater. Stop it. Stop it now.

[platypuss619]

poetry to us(blacks) who write poems but dont gang bang is our gang

[nickiesunshine]

beautiful. and that all i have to say about that. absolutely beautiful.

[mindofdreams66]

WOW... I'm speechless

[ngabby615]

Hey can someone tell me the title to this poem? PLEAAAAAAAAAAASE

[AlexisMariedapoet]

@ngabby615 Roots. But for some reason everyone just calls it "Perm, Wash" lol

[TKandi2010]

i bleed for Sierra Leone

[Afroditi333]

i get all emotional from this

[BKFINASS]

I AM SO IN LOVE WITH HER POMES.

[MsRaw24]

Love it

[jojozzy]

If you check her out on her facebook, Now she is natural. Her hair is beautiful and the natural black texture

[ShortyRedd10]

*sings along* Perm, Wash, Deep Condition Set. Blow Out, Wrap, Spray Of Oil Sheen

[jaymeeharkeen]

this is great.

[cj06feb]

Wow from now onwards i look at my hair diffrently aah this girl rocked !!!

[limpnjen]

What song is that played at the end?

[traccstar1182]

@limpnjen you on the wrong video.

[limpnjen]

@traccstar1182 It was just a question.

[LhalaluvzJanet]

She reminds me of a young Jill Scott in terms of her talent .

[Dyeisha09]

she did her thing LOVE IT!!!!!

[shany9988]

I love this poem a lot!

[dredrexxx]

amazing Alexis....beautiful

[glamourpuss11]

beautiful, powerful deep words

[BeautifulSamaria]

wow!!!

[misze94]

THIS IS AMAZING.

[cukistcrispeque]

Powerful.

But am I the only one who found it ironic that she had a perm?

[Ladybugatnaf]

its not ironic she said because she gets a perm wash deep condition set blow our wrap spray of oil sheen you would never know

[cukistcrispeque]

@Ladybugatnaf Right, she's getting that perm wash deep condition blah blah, but you'd think the frustration of maintaining the relaxed look would be enough to cause her to rebel against it.

[plantationboyz]

i noticed that too...but what can we say

[xclusiv4321]

@cukistcrispeque She was definitely aware of that and in a way I think she did it intentionally. If she had wanted, she could have worn her hair natural that day just so people wouldn't call her a hypocrite. I think the fact that she wears her hair that way is proof of her poem, proof of just how much the manipulation and racism present in the government and media has effected black people today. So in a way, it's not ironic it's just a confirmation of what she was saying.

[cukistcrispeque]

@xclusiv4321 Mmmm, maybe, but either way, it's a great poem. She's a very dynamic speaker.

[MsScorpiolady]

THIS IS REAL

[xclusiv4321]

i've noticed that everyone who does this has really clear skin. how much do you think appearance matters in performance? can some acne ridden person do this without being made fun of? honest answer please

[prince112233]

@xclusiv4321

im not gonna lie but its very hard for me to find a black person(female) without clear skin they usually say black dont crack or that black aged gracefully but then again there is a make up team in the back lol

[Slytherinprincess06]

they only say that because its medically true because blacks tend to have oily skin than other races making it hard for wrinkles to come about

[lovelydovey364]

@xclusiv4321 I don't have like acne but i have black marks. I pray to God that that's not what people notice when i say what i have to say.

[21jada]

yay

[msrayachanel]

this is the future, keep it up girl

[SvD3Y3z]

wow that was amazing

[classyassbytch]

i love this poem, and im annoyed at the fact that some people dont get it, shes not a hypocrite because she has a perm, smh

[lunetune334]

Wow.!

[amanahill7]

that's why young blacks jump rope- epic, epic!

[bxshawtii4eva]

this was absolutely amazing..i watched it like 3 times

[UMemberMe64]

You tell it girl!! At first I was like, ok what a perm gotta do with dancing in the rain and slavery? But she solved that qwik with her beautiful words.

[MrzKbooi3409]

bup bup dahtz mii big sis doinqq it big!!! wooo nd daht perm wash thinqq yea mii mom does all of daht 004 us!!!

[BlaccChief]

Talented, but I wasn't really feeling the topic after I paid attention to her hair.

[DaKidBRich]

dont you get it she regrets the perm

[BlaccChief]

No, I don't think she regrets it. It's not as if she wrote this poem after getting a perm and was like oh I am so wrong. This poem is probably pretty old also, seeing how she is performing at what seems to be a tournament. Nevertheless, she is a good poet.

[lookwotisaid]

woah boy this girl has a mad crazy flow....AMAZING nd so young...every word was beautiful the jump rope thing was mad!

[DIANELLYM]

wow!!! im speechless!!!!!!!!!!!

[MsJASMiNE0390]

i got chills..=D go head..

[QueenJaKqui]

I like how the DJ played Saul Williams' "Black Stacey" when her poem was over. It fit so perfectly with the subject of her poem.

5*

[SweetTee0911]

literally gave me chills!! YOU GO GIRL!!!

[jaimare12345]

I love this poem.

Young black children have found the true meaning of spoken word. I wish i had this talent. This woman has a true gift.

[Knightmareninja]

what's with people calling people black? It's either African American or just say brown. Cuase if you ever seen black, (even color blinded people can see it) it doesn't match the color of her skin.

[phatrob06]

real talk i know she like 16 but i think im in love wit her. naw 4real she is........beautifully human

[GUTTAHQHIQ25]

Perm,Wash,Deep Condition Set,Blow Out,Rap,Spray Of Oil Sheen..!

lls

[amanahill7]

best line: that's why young blacks jump rope

[italiangrl7993]

amazing . reminds me of the poem/video "Bi-racial hair"

[kaylovely88]

this girl is soooo talented i love all of her poems .................so gifted for a 15 year old....amazing

[kantwu]

I watched her perform in person up close at school, and yes you guys are absolutely correct, her poems are amazing.

[Honey2138]

Beautifully Written...

[Onegurrrlrev]

she's absolutely correct when she says, "you will never know this". I i was talking to my friend the other day who is puerto rican...i seriously had to sit him down and explain the history of black women's hair in america because he couldn't understand why going natural was a significant moment in my life. i am proud to walk outside with my kinky-curly crown of glory

[PhatSneakaz]

I saw her preform this live. My jesus it was so amazing. She is wonderful.

[PhatSneakaz]

I know xD

[TouchTheSky2]

now im gonna walk around the house saying... "perm, wash, deep condition, set" greate poem nontheless

[swagarificness]

SHE iSz BEAUTiFUL!!!!

[cocoprincess1986]

this was goooood!!

[aPpLeSnBaNaNaS19]

il oveeee this poem.

but she has the very thing she is talking about.

=/

[don't thumbs down please]

[BlaccChief]

No, you are right.

[JazzellWilliams]

REALLL good lol

[PoeticTruStory]

I disagree jerimiah, just because its the same topic doesn't mean shes trying to copying her..Everyone has their own voice and opinions on similar topics...

[jerimiah91]

zora howard-bi racial hair is better..,sounds like she tried 2 write something in comparison of zora 2 years ago at the slam

[JazzellWilliams]

why would she copy? its the same topic but 1 person cant be going thru something that a whole nation had to face lol

[tobiasfunke12]

brilliant

[mlorocker]

that was powerful and meaningful at the same time. people need to respect her and her words. Slavery and racism are still an issue faced today and her words were very moving. I might not be black, but i respect the plight and the history. She did an amazing job!

[haueryou11]

This is absolutely amazing! I keep listening to it over and over.

[1VII2]

What is the song at the very end of this?

[Ayonumber38]

BLACK STACEY, FROM SAUL WILLIAMS

[GiselleBuchanan]

its not a real song she made it up

[1VII2]

No, the song after she finished and was going off the stage. Ayonumber38 already told me though...

[fly00gemini8712]

Really amazing...

=]

This was really great

[KoH4711]

It's all about rose petals and the sun... God, these kids need better inspiration.

[Forbizzi]

and you're talking... whats your inspiration? watching others on youtube? woah you're so much better than them.

[haueryou11]

Did you actually listen to what she said?

[McDreamyLove]

Damn... that was incredible.

[ehriikah]

truly amazing.

[totallytoe]

"that's why young blacks jump rope -

never to be caught again."

amazing.

[PunxDontCry415]

this is really good, but why did other kids get negative comments when they used even more meaningful words?

this is good, but I'm not sure whether to be happy that she got good comments, or bummed for those other kids that did equally good and some even better that got harsh comments from people that didn't understand where they were coming from.

good though.

[VillageIdiotx]

Pretty good.

[MI88YRISSAPOOH]

it was amazing

[bbr247]

Wat you say?

[KnownRealist101]

Yoooooo!!!! Thats some good shit!!

[NaeluvzJanetJackson]

damn yo that was deep!

[bobospig]

Did Alexis win this final?

[silverkripto]

I never liked poems but these kids are deep ive never heard em like that original and coming from the heart

[Happyone4]

Aww man,you are missing out.I bet you have just read the poems yourself innocently without really understanding all the meaning of the words and therefore weren't able to put the correct emotion into it,that or you have heard poems read in school or else where by tired teachers who are simply trying to get through that day's class.lol. And that's in part why you didn't connect with them before.I'm glad you liked this, this young woman is AMAZING!I hope you'll find even more poetry you enjoy.=)

[elfielvr]

WHEW. Now THAT'S what I'M talkin' about!!! She blows these other kids out of the WATER!!! That was really good!!

[fakie]

That was awesome, great words and great delivery! (lost me a bit tho with the tampons and blood diamonds.)

[potatohead4]

she's amazing.

[jazzieboo637]

oh yes girl...and that's why i went all natural.

spoken so truely.

**JAii**

[jahblessd]

Love

Knowledge

Wisdom

Roots

Think

Beauty

Power

Black Heaven's bring Black.. angels

[shaynah01]

Kudos Girl!! That was sooo good. Nice!! I have not heard such beautiful words in a while. Shes really, really good!! Hot!

[lilyrara]

get rid of that perm sucka then. good poem

[Sylvestergurl16]

Omgosh

She's really good :)