Miles Hodges at the 2008 Urban Word NYC Teen Poetry Slam Finals

[mrreaderman]

What ever happened to the good poets like TS Eliot? And I don't give a crap about this guy's race either. Seriously though, what happened to good poets? I mean, we give letigitmacy to people who can't rhyme, don't seem to use rhythm, appear as though they enjoy dumbing down poetry, and never shut up about the ghetto. Not being insensitive, just saying what I see.

[DrEaMiNgHuGe]

@mrreaderman Who said poetry needed rhyme???

[Pyrrrho]

The poem is nothing special, but his voice is perfect for it. He really knows how to elate the audience; great spoken word in other words.

[bceagles2015]

that was amazing

[crapolaist]

why are the audience being assholes?

[dannylamah]

@crapolaist they are not being assholes :) they just feel the poem!

[philthyflirt]

The song is by Bob Marley 'Redemption Song'

[tonight101]

what song is that he's sing at the end?

[SleighJessi]

Honestly people, he CLEARLY says that he is half black "that color and they have reserved half of my body to call its own. Like half of me is, like my father was, like my grandfather is".

NOW, can we please shut up about his skin color and enjoy this artwork?

[gbellavable]

I love your style. 

[bohemiansunset117]

I don't understand why so many people disliked this poem?

"Tell them to load their handguns with rose petals, and aim at your feet so when they shoot enough, you can dance on those blood colored clouds. " He poetry is beautiful.

[dick3124]

I like it. Kids got some heart. Hes able to speak his mind without thinking about it to much. seems to be depicting a dream state, that to me is a great place for poetry to be expressed from. All big scientific theory and knowledge came from dreams.

[FELICITACINTRON]

WHO CARES a\BOUT AN ACCENT WHAT NATIONALITY HE IS A SCRIBE SNAP SNAP SNAP SNAP!

[FELICITACINTRON]

LAWD THIS YOUNG MAN HAS ME HOOKED , A TRUE SCRIBE!!!

[mmsbballmac]

What accent... I don't hear it

[Heatley1514]

lucid rainbows passing high crazy mountainous buildings...... he said none of this, of course. I'm just providing an example of what ramblings look like in written form. I'm sorry, but I simply don't see the beauty in this.

I respect the passion of artists such as Miles, though.

[CSeyoum]

he looks half black

[annwhitely]

@CSeyoum DOH! did you actualy listen to it

[CSeyoum]

@annwhitely I was just confirming. DOH!

[nellandrhonda]

my whole time watching this i was thinking wow.....hes cute!!!!

[Marquia777]

DAMN THIS IS REAL THIS IS WHAT MEDIA DOESN'T NOTICE THE POETRY WORLD OR @ LEAST NOT WHERE I'M @ THIS IS REAL THIS IS WHAT I LOVE TO HEAR

[blessification]

that was amazing....

[RaynardAlcampor]

You look a shit load of a lot like Arturo Gatti. Your shit is sick.

[ToniThe789]

I love this poem he is so sexy, love is accent.

[PPEZZ25]

this is beautiful

[jaymeeharkeen]

he's so great. very compelling man. nice accent. beautiful poem.

[MesiahPoet]

He ends it dope.

[diamondbratz9]

Still gets me :` ( MARRY ME

[NZBadboy]

beautiful

[101feven101]

Can someone explain this poem to me? the only thing I got out of it was when he was talking about kids who have basketball and notebooks as parents (a metaphor); but I don't understand the part when he was talking about african ancestors and other parts, what where his other points in the poem? (ex. the tip toing and shotguns)

[motownkrazy]

@101feven101 he's part black...

[Diamond121212]

i think the 310 people who disliked this probably did it out of ignorance, not seeing the black in him. silly world we're in ain't it? <3

[michaelantonio0221]

@Diamond121212 miles hodges lives in TEANECK NJ in a BIG ASS HOUSE, he knows shit about harlem

[Diamond121212]

@michaelantonio0221 i didn't say anything about the in my comment i said he has black in his genes somewhere and it's hard to see so people probably disliked him without considering at all that he could know what he's talking about. Your not one of those people apperently cause you considered,, researched and returned with a point that atm i dont feel like confirming or checking so im just saying okay. Have an awesome weekend though alright? (:

[phuuyay]

@Diamond121212 does it matter what color he is? his poetry is arguing for egalitarian society...cant anyone do that?....or did i miss something?

[Diamond121212]

@phuuyay o.o what the heck? i was just defending that to someone. Saying his race isn't important however i believe he has it in his genes. you should read the whole comment before coming at me sarcastically hun. .-. Have a nice day, chill out though. no need to pick fights. its just youtube.

[phuuyay]

@Diamond121212 did mean to pick a fight...I did read the whole comment ;) i was just sayin cause i think that race is a problem in society until it stops even crossing people's minds what color he is...so i was just trying to encourage people to ignore his color...sorry if that came off bad...

[Diamond121212]

@phuuyay It's all good. we're on the same side. Trust me...sometimes i wish color didnt cross their minds.

[jaymeeharkeen]

I wrote down this entire poem. I didn't realize how LONG it was.

[Krazyee93]

@jaymeeharkeen lol why?

[queenbee119]

wow just wow great poem.

What was the end song he was singing ?

[specialk9569]

@queenbee119 redemption song by bob marley

[ZacIsCasual]

Someone likes Anis Mojgani

[DibbsIsHere]

you with the basket ball hoop and foul line for a father. Back pocket journal for a mother.... FUCK YES!!!!!

[nesharoxbaybee]

super duper intense !! awsome

[puma8d]

this is intense

[kooleri30]

"you with basketball hoop and foulline? for a father, back pocket journal for a mother" -- what does that mean?

[cjep91]

@kooleri30 Kids lacking real parents for whatever reasons you wish to imagine. Basketball courts becoming home for kids who think professional sports will get them out of the hood. Back pocket journals=Rap or poetry lyrics. Stereotypically it's either rap, professional sports or drugs that get kids out of the hood.

[ReSpekt9845]

sometihng about the way he performs reminds a lot of Anis Mojgani.

amazinggood

[muzicbox678]

@ReSpekt9845 thats what i was thinking

[erincphillips]

i love him.

[shaunikko]

check out Kyle Lensch from teaneck as well

[inspiredchica90210]

I love this poem.

[inspiredchica90210]

I love this poem.

[zemoviemaster]

i love him ^^

en this amazing poem

[ThisIsNotMia]

Agh this reminds me of a video I saw once of a guy reading a poem

i remember the poem had the line "I want to put a solid gold 3 karat diamond ring on your mind marryign your every thought" in it but i can't find the video or the poem! Anybody know it?

[rschott22]

its called "penny for your thoughts" and its by Gemineye. def jam poetry. i just listened to it before this video

[ThisIsNotMia]

agh! you're the best! thank you, that was bothering me all night haha it's so beautiful

[zemoviemaster]

look up def poetry a penny for your thoughts

i tink that's the one you mean. i love that poem

[zemoviemaster]

opps someone already told u....opps :/ rofl

[ThisIsNotMia]

Haha it's all good, thanks anyways!

[lamesmakemesic]

I think your talking about Penny For Your Thoughts by Gemineye

[ThisIsNotMia]

yes, thank you

[EffAye03]

Its Gemineye-Penny for your Thoughts.

[saphiro008]

so i'm sorry but I think anyone has the right to make fun of anything they want

[saphiro008]

whats your deal with making fun of aids? for one thing many poeple have it cause the neglect the fact and refuse to tell there partner that they have it. Two what is the point of making jokes to you? guess what its very funny that people are so ignorant when it comes to that.

I can understand if someone is HIV positive in your life. ok sympothize but just because it affects you doesn't mean that its not funny

were not laughing at his/hers expense just the whole problem.

[Keaira1019]

I'm glad you can differentiate between being a complete jerk and just having a horrible sense of humor.

Nice job.

[velascocristian9]

Yeah thx i found it :D

[mynameismyname22]

finally i found it i saw this a while back and fell in love with it this poem is awesome he is awesome

[velascocristian9]

What song was he singing at the end?

[Bjazz]

Bob Marley's Redemption song

[velascocristian9]

He reminds me of Anis Mojgani by the way he says his poem...

[lookwotisaid]

woah ...say noe more!!

[mjz64]

this guy is amazing 5/5 people need to stop hating this guy is good listen to the words very few people still know the meaning of true poetry !.. good job keep writing awesome delivery as well

[leilations]

goodness that was good

[pianoplayerJH]

This dude is going to my school man!

[sakuradeia2]

no way he is cuttte and got soul any girl that get him is lucky

[cheekybambini]

he is cute :) i like his accent

[tyty0994lucy]

girl i know he sexi

[goodtimesagoogoo]

He's mixed (bi-racial) black and white.

[fynechic]

hes cuteee lol

[RisseeKee]

yes he is lol

[wulord]

Man, this guy is good

I want to know how he can write stuff like this...

[Liago4]

Whats mad cool about him is that a lot of mixed kids who are that light and can pass for white becuz of the idiots who know nothing about pigment but a lot of times they will hide and not be that brave to embrace the race let alone write a poem this deep and crazy hot. He took it to a whole nother level, amazing poem

[Adams910ba]

this dude is bi racial he is not white.. if you listen to the poetry he tells you that..1:40

[christinjames]

the bravery in this is simply breathtaking

[carrington45]

The young man is mixed. I can see Black in him just as I did when Maria Carey first appeared on the Sean.

[andrewjosemendez]

he would get the shit beat out of him if he was on lennox and he is the white man fuck is he talkin about

[librababy94]

He's bi-racial respect him since u can't touch people like he can

[blackbirdflyx3]

since when does apparent socioeconomic status determine what a poet can write about? i think the fact that this kid can write so beautifully and passionately about a lifestyle that he hasn't experienced, assuming that he isn't from harlem, speaks to how gifted he is. and the fact that he doesn't look black has absolutely no bearing on whether or not he's experienced the hardships that many blacks experience. i think this kid outrageously talented. and he's a beautifulllll :)

[jaaayel]

he is from harlem

[blackbirdflyx3]

oh okay. i never met the kid so i was just going by what earlier posts said. either way, he's an amazing poet.

[xBRiiiANx]

hes from teaneck new jersey he lives 2 blocks from me lol

[michaelantonio0221]

@jaaayel he from jersey



[will4fang]

That was the shit...Bob Marley is also the shit. Very niiiice.

[angelsmellsdeath]

damn that was hot hes kinda cute

[ashag1292]

ooo he is 2 sexy...wat team is he on nd where can i find him :)

[chloebearxx23]

yo, ashag1292.

he's not a piece of meat, damn.

[kkkaaatttiiiee]

he's really good. and hotttt. :) lol.

[teenpoet1]

watch my vid search

can you see me now by R3

[eJAMAICAtor]

madddd respect. he went over like a minute and still made the team, thats how bad assd he is.. FUCK the time penalty :)

[ChiliBalls]

tell em to load their shotguns with slugs made of me, and I'll prove to you that bullets do know what color your skin is when I pierce your chest and tip-toe vicariously around your lungs to light your heart on fire damn!

[xBRiiiANx]

yo this is my mans ... ive known this kid my whole life.

[ThugginMuggin]

This is my favorite out of all of them

[xElijahYoungx]

Damn. That was so tight!! All these young poets are killing the slam scene right now. Wow...

[poetsfinest]

"you with the basketball hoop and foul line for a father and back pocket journal for a mother" that line spoke volumes

[bjh06d]

He does not sound like anis mojgani... he sounds like a teenager from New York city...I agree wit homeboy/girl below me jus let the art be art stop compareing peoples craft and jus let it be wat it be....a dope ass poem!

[littleXBOHEMIAN]

regardless if he sounds like anis mojgani or not, miles is an extremely talented person. and funny, i thought art was supposed to be an outlet for people of all races, socioeconomic backgrounds, genders.... so yes, he is half white. yes, he is not poor. but he's an artist. i see this kid everyday and he is truthfully intelligent.

end.

[FREEDEJATAYLOR]

love miles! love all them cats---madd gifted

[shaunikko]

just like anis mojgani

[Daizy10231023]

i know...

im not sure if its a good thing..ora bad thing...

theres only one anis mojgani.

[winslow7395]

where do i find the words to this?!

[winslow7395]

yea thats what i did. I wanted to use it for a poetry recitation...this poem is so well done. thanks anyways.

[DemonWithGoldenWings]

he also has it typed out on his facebook

[Masonsfinest101]

can you please send it to me

[richievanaardt]

A good poem would have been for him to say the confusion and Guilt he feels being Rich and white when seeing such a contrast between his exsistance and Harlems. Not trying to kid us that he really gives a shit or can identify with their struggle. The only good art is truth, the truth weather that makes you appear good or bad. I don't enjoy this type of poetry it seems very fashionable and shallow.

[e198811]

he's actually half black

[richievanaardt]

Technically yes but he may as well be white. know what i'm saying, smokes let's go.

[e198811]

i guess so

everybody is entitled to their own

and do you think spoken word is fashionable and shallow or the topic

[richievanaardt]

Not spoken word in general, in this case yes. This seems pretentious to me, he's a fraud. but it's marketed in the right way to the right circles of people and then deemed deep and cool Urban world NYC yeah man cooool.

[Factzxx]

I understand where you're coming from...

[Daizy10231023]

he sounds exactly like anis mojgani...

[butteryblue]

He sounds like a preacher...

[RDHILDE18]

amazing.

love the ending.

[ohhboyitsleila]

Alright, who cares if this boy is rich? He can still speak of a struggle. And he's damn good at it!

[erichsiao167]

ive been listening to this poem at the start of work everyday

[italoetkin]

such a great poem

[diamondbratz9]

HES ON FACE BOOK.

SEXIIER

[diamondbratz9]

SEXYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

period.point blank

[kaylaconfuzed]

i saw the picture of his poem in my mind

[xoxBaybeeDollxox]

i saw him preform, if yuh guys think this is pwerful, wait till yuh hear him perform in personnn

[humunqlus]

Ahhhh, yeah, generally skin color is a good indicator of whether someone is black or not, or at least black enough to describe the "struggle" of blacks. Half and half hardly deal with the same adversity.

[lildeadman21000]

why u hatin for chloebearxx23 just cause u aint makin no money dont mean u gotta hate on another persons video.

[JLVALO152]

humunqlus - that was to you, you moron

[th3ch0z3n0ne]

I LOVE HOW HE ENDED W/ REDEMPTION SONG!

[youszahacker]

incredible. my english teacher showed us this for class. Everyone was speechless. Amazing, absolutely amazing.

[tradatdafilms]

wow. absolutely amazing

[strangetodancesosoon]

...biracial

[strangetodancesosoon]

hes half black

[fairlyone]

reminds me of anis mojgani!

[Gfmaster9998]

Amazing.

[kidcardiology19]

Superb.

[MediaCritic92]

I am envious of his delivery

[jackuhlantern]

Is this video really a joke to you?

[chopstix09]

youth doing good in their communities! you should support them! he is amazing.

[tricey22200]

you dont have to be black to be urban his shit is good thats all that matters

[begby69th]

Yeah Nigga fuck dat. Dis shit da bomb! Chack yo self whitey!

[tricey22200]

what the fuck are you talking about

[Giovani22]

you got that right!

[JoshVanDerWood]

Where can we find the Text to these poems?

[KianaRocks95]

lol, he has my last name

[Zedac9]

not one person here gives a shit you fuck

[streetstress]

thx i appreciate the support ,

[Joeintampa]

Those of you who don't get it, just don't get it...also he has an accent..from the new york area..it's an accent..regarding "vulgar" it's art...art is often a reflection of life, sometimes life is a little vulgar..."wannabe"!? seriously, the guy who called him a "wannabe" should get out more, see the world, meet varying people. It's a big, big world folks...I think this poem is amazing.....amazing.

[rita416]

you shouldnt care wheather hes using vulgar language , poetry , or any type of art for that matter , has no limit on language, any word you feel like using to describe somthing , is your choice , now weather or not the listener likes it is there choice.

[SkillCapeProductions]

when does he use vulgar language?

[kkh001]

wspólczuje jego przyjaciołom...

wyobrażam sobie jak mowi, "star ydawaj wyjdziemy na pizze albo do kinA"

:D:D:D:D

[ChuckImania]

You guys shouldn't try to explain, you should just listen to it. Awesome thing about poetry, and lyrics in general, is that they are for the most part open for interpretation.

[rosheen12]

lemon lemon lemon..lol lol lol

hahahahah

[killerrodan]

cool

[settlexdown]

hes talking about a mix of things in my opinion..racism in harlem and the poverty

and aside from that, im not too sure

[DarkSnowman36]

He's really good, anyone who says otherwise, just doesn't like poetry slam, or is really ignorant, he's being truthful and original.

[PoeticTruStory]

ya'll fucking buggin..He's nice as hell

[streetstress]

They only possible way to make me like him , is if that guy was mocking the other showoffs ,and one of them said : "Why don;t you go on stage wise ass." Please tell me you did this to diss em out of their own absurdity ?Like Cartman would do ....

[streetstress]

The conflict is that he speaks of torture in a celebration ambiance,he words more than he feels , looks to me like a a showoff who wants to demonstrate his intelligence hiding behind a humble way.Ok i get it you can start a phrase with the end of the previous one but if i was foreplaying with a girl while watching this , i would have lost my wood ,i definitely hate the way you stand up, your an insult to poet who filter ideas instead of going in the dictionnary with a shopping cart.

[drollenhoofd]

is he blind or something?

[iKinDesigns]

You said: "so unless your 100 id shut the fuck up "

Lmfao, apparently you can't read your own shit.

All clear now, dumbshit. l0lz

[aspirepixel]

contrived.. ouch..

[decfreak]

ok explain what his poem means please. someone.... i'm not dissing on him, i actually think it's pretty cool. i'm not a poet kinda person so i have no idea what he's talking about. please help haha.

[GiselleBuchanan]

well hes explaining harlem life and how fleeting it is for little black kids and also how how plays a role in that because hes half black.. how not all white ppl are racist

its way more complex than that... but thats the main point of it