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First Wave

About Me

First Wave empowers high school and college students to find, develop, and share their voices through spoken word, hip-hop, and multimedia art. Promoting critical dialogue and cross-cultural celebration, we are growing together as artists, students, and leaders. A program of the Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives at UW-Madison, we have been doing spoken word in the Madison schools since 2004 and Milwaukee since 2006. In 2007, we started the First Wave Spoken Word and Urban Arts Learning Community at UW-Madison, the first college program in the country centered on spoken word and hip-hop culture. We throw regular events like the Just Bust open mic, Passing the Mic, Cinefest, and the annual Wisconsin Teen Poetry Slam. From the classroom to the stage to the streets, this is a new movement for a new era. Are you in? Header Banner Made with MyBannerMaker.com! Click here to make your own!

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 28/01/2008
Band Website: http://omai.wisc.edu
Band Members: Program Creators and Directors: Willie Neye, Josh Healey, Chris Walker First Wave Students year 07-08: Kelsey "Pyro" Van Ert, Adam "Def C" Levin, Danez Smith, Sofia Snow, Daniel Anand Dharam, Krystal Gartley, Cecilia E Leon, Alan Arrango, Jair Alverez, Gayle Smaller, Blaire White, Lana Simpson, Kim Troung, Alida Cardos-Whaley, and Ben Young. First Wave Students year 08-09: PendingFirst Wave's 1st b-boy "B-Boy Slim" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89lepdlLmz0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89lepdlLmz0
Influences: Mayda Del Valle of Def Poetry Jam who is also a mentor and teaching artist of the First Wave Students! Mayda Del Valle on Def Poetry Jam performing "The Gift"_____ _____ Other influeces include: Saul Williams, Kevin Coval, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Chinaka Hodge, Blackalicious, Lauryn Hill, Amiri Baraka, Nikki Giovanni, Miguel Piñero, Walt Whitman, 2Pac________________________________________________________ ___________ Come to these shows and find out for yourself
Sounds Like: The Truth!
Record Label: Unsigned