Amplify Cabaret is back, this time, with a Black History Month special. Now Listen: A Black Poet’s Message is Arts Commons’ second show featuring this season’s Incubator program participants. 

The first endeavour by the 2021-2022 Incubator cohort took place last November, and profoundly captured the season of transition that many of us found ourselves in at the time. This upcoming show, however, is distinct from the last, as its poetry-based programming features a variety of young writers. 

“I’m really excited about shutting up for a minute and letting the other writers get a chance,” says Jae Sterling, rapper, filmmaker, visual artist, and curator of Now Listen: A Black Poet’s Message.

Sterling is a multidisciplinary artist and founding member of the THOTNATION/SANSFUCCS collective. Beginning as a musician, he has extended his art form over the years to include painting, digital design & mixed media, streetwear design, and written essays. Though his work spans many mediums, Sterling highlights the importance of writers, and how rare it is for them, and only them, to have the spotlight.

“It's not to be understated how much the writers of our generations – the poets – actually set the tone for every other type of artist, you know, for every other medium,” says Sterling. “It’s a rare experience that we get to listen to just poetry in this kind of setting.”

Now Listen: A Black Poet’s Message promises a wide range of narratives and storytelling styles which will highlight the depth and breadth of Black existence, reminding all who will listen that the ‘Black experience’ is anything but monolithic. 

Described as a “meditative experience,” Now Listen: A Black Poet’s Message, features spoken word artists KTheChosen and Priscille Bukasa, R&B musician Uyemi, and hip-hop artist Zaire Ink.

Catch Now Listen: A Black Poet’s Message on Saturday, February 26, 2022 at 7pm and 10pm at Arts Commons Engineered Air Theatre

For tickets, call 403-294-9494 or visit artscommons.ca