Geologic, Sandra Garcia Rivera

Comments (0) By Cole Sarar Wednesday, Nov 18 2009

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Minneapolis has topped the list of most-literate cities the past few years, and that literacy, coupled with a golden era of groundbreaking local hip hop, has created a perfect storm for spoken word in the Twin Cities. Organizations like the Loft are keeping their fingers on the pulse of these brilliant artistic waves, cultivating them, and supplementing them by bringing in nationally known artists while displaying local talents. The Equilibrium series turns out rooms packed with readers and rappers alike, tickling ears and literary lobes with dense poetry, thoughtful hip hop, and cunning wordplay since 2001. This Saturday's installment features Seattle giant Geologic of the Blue Scholars, a hip-hop duo whose lyrics deal with community issues in the Northwest, from race to overcrowding in schools, with the sort of forward thinking that gives hope to difficult situations. From the East Coast, the Loft is importing Nuyorican (Puerto Rican + New York) poet Sandra Garcia Rivera. Her lyrical writing is intensely personal, and embodies the spirit of the city, invoking jazz and an effortless bilingual harmony. Also on the bill is young local Chantz Erolin. Many have been anticipating his explosion onto the scene as the first of a new generation of Twin Cities hip-hop artists, with a fresh view and unlikely, experienced lyrics. This is not your mother's poetry reading: Equilibrium brings edgy work into the public eye. Also with DJ NAK. (Photo by bdjsb7)
Sat., Nov. 21, 8 p.m., 2009