Spoken Word performance in Uganda: What exactly is it?

She adds that the origins of spoken word can be traced back to ancient oral traditions, where storytelling, poetry, and performance were part of both entertainment and civic engagement.

“While both spoken word and poetry share the commonality of using language and imagery to convey emotions and ideas, the delivery and presentation differs as follows; it is designed to be heard rather than read silently on a page. In contrast, traditional poetry is often experienced through reading and interpretation on the page.”

She says the relationship between spoken word and rap is the similarities and overlaps but they are not identical. Both spoken word and rap involve the rhythmic and poetic use of language, but they have distinct characteristics and origins. Unlike rap, spoken word does not have to have a musical accompaniment, as it is not the primary focus. This can be seen with slam poetry, the closest comparison to rap.

Martza says the funniest misconception she has heard about spoken word is that it is not a real art form.

“Ha! Our ancestors sitting around the fireplace beg to disagree. Also, there are those who say it is only for political/social activists and that you cannot earn a living off it. Many of these misconceptions are usually from people who have not given the art form a chance.”

A popular media personality too, Maritza’s fans have been left wondering for a while, if she has totally quit media to focus on a career in her cherished art form. She says the plan was not to quit media as a whole — just radio for a little while, so she will be ‘around around’ like the Kampala saying goes.

“I have been trying to boost my spoken word career while on radio for nine years but I am not a multi-tasker. Radio really does take up most of the days, especially morning radio, which restricts late night performance hours. I have managed to make some money as an artiste on the side but when I started out, radio was supposed to be the side job that supports my artiste career. I am basically just trying to get back to the plan.”

For Maritza, this was a crucial time to make the move because she believes she had reached a sort of ‘peak’ with radio. She feels it is time spoken word hits the airwaves in a mainstream way, so she plans to use her media skills and experience to do with spoken word what Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five did with rap.

The artiste says a good spoken word piece has to be compelling. Most pieces written for performance are better enjoyed when performed, so a good spoken word piece often pushes boundaries, challenges societal norms and leaves a lasting impact on the audience through its authenticity, vulnerability, and ability to evoke empathy on any subject. On top of that delivery, stage presence, and connection with the audience make a good performance. Body language, gestures, and facial expressions have to be used to create a strong connection with the audience, so a good performer will engage through eye contact and vulnerability.

“I am provocative. I do not usually restrict myself to particular topics or genres, but I perform to get attention, provoke thought and inspire, usually trying to pick on alternative perspectives from the norm.”

Gordons Mugoda, popularly known as Wake 256, a celebrated spoken word artiste and gospel rapper, says the art form hinges a lot on rhythm, rhyme and world play. It draws a lot from hip hop and rap. It is a form of poetry, but is different. It has no definite form and totally depends on the creator of a specific piece. It can, however, take on the shape of any of the two, as a sort of meeting point. Wake likes to call it the child of poetry and rap. Even though his spoken word is influenced so much by his rap background, it gets confusing because many spoken word artistes, himself included, call themselves poets.

To him, the performer should also be able to connect to the piece on a spiritual level. The artiste and the piece should be one and the audience should be able to feel it. It should not be a performance, but a manifestation.

For anyone who would like to experience spoken word, Wake points out a few events such as Kelele At Makerere, which  happens at Makerere University Art Gallery fortnightly on Fridays and Kwivuga at the Crystal Bar are great places to start but the best thing is to follow poetry houses so that you can know whenever a performance is organised. They include Kitara Nation, Echo Minds Poets, Utenzi House and so many more.

“Spoken word as an art is yet to be appreciated in certain spaces because it has not yet penetrated mainstream media and the country in general. Many people do not know what spoken word is, so the opportunities are limited. We are not able to showcase at certain events because the organisers do not appreciate the art form or do not think it is as influential. But times are changing as more and more people join it,”  Wake says.

The self-proclaimed “Mwana Weika”, who often fuses his performances with Lugwere lines, asks budding artistes to create as much as possible. He says one of the best ways of becoming better is creating more, without worrying about money. He argues that money is not a good motivation for creation of an authentic art form, as art is spiritual.

Luganda performer Muhammad Nsubuga, alias NZE, believes things are getting better.

“It is a work-in-process, given that five years ago when I had just rolled out as a Luganda poet, the audience could hardly pay attention or relate. But now I can say it is the best choice I made. The recognition comes with the level of input, so I can say we are getting there.”

“I take performance poetry as an example of spoken word. Poetry takes on various forms such as page/written, audio poetry and then performance/ poken word poetry. What makes spoken word different from rap is that the latter is more rhythmic and musical. Spoken word is mainly the usage of the words, with little or no beat to follow,” NZE says.

A good spoken word piece, according to NZE, should have a target audience and be able to draw that audience’s attention. It should neither be too short nor too long and should have a few poetic devices such as assonance, metaphors, rhyme and rhythm, alliteration among others. Nsubuga loves studying the audience he is performing for, especially on nights that have no specific theme. It helps him choose a particular poem to perform that will resonate well with that audience. He also loves using proverbs and idioms in his pieces, as well as employing repetition and tonal variations. He is a crowd favorite in poetry spaces for his witty delivery.

Ugandan poetry has over the years embraced the use of the internet to market poetry shows but the industry faces a number of challenges, which include the difficulty to penetrate the mainstream entertainment market.

Nsubuga urges budding poets to look out for growth opportunities, be professional, extremely patient and dedicated, true to their goal and open to criticism.

Kabera Angel, a student of Journalism and Communication at Makerere University, started performing spoken word in her days at Gayaza High School. She says spoken word borrows a few ideas from poetry.

“It is not defined by rules like poetry is. It is more of free verse. Performers are at liberty to mix rhyme schemes, interchange similes and metaphors in order to fit the performance because spoken word is heavily reliant on performance, stage presence and audience reactions; whereas poetry can stand alone on paper.”

The artiste notes that with spoken word, the audience should enjoy and bask in the playfulness of a writer. A performer should be able to capitalise on tone, mood and atmosphere. Also, articulation and proper pronunciation is very important; the performer should know the subject of what he is saying and it should feel like they are experiencing it. The performer should be able to make you relate to the experience in the piece, through tone, facial expressions, and a balance between sound and speed. There should be a balance between the elements of performance such as eye contact and adding whispers in order to draw the audience in.

Kabera’s style of spoken word is lyrical and musical to the extent that she sometimes sings. She calls it Soetry; a fusion of song and poetry. It is very intimate, and she uses lots of analogies and symbolic narration. Kelele, Kwivuga, Alliance Francaise and Goethe Zentrum, Poetry In Theatre at the National Theatre, Ladu Poetry at Ibamba Restaurant, Sofar Kampala and Cocktail Mixologist at the Ethiopian Village are a few of the places she often performs at. She, however, notes that not all is well,

“There is a lot of counterfeit spoken word and I am very intentional about speaking against it and those platforms. Many of them are just businessmen devaluing the craft.”

“We lack a collective of spoken word artistes that are going to upskill, back each other up and lobby for funds. That means there is no standardisation, and this causes a lot of confusion for the market. Different artistes charge very divergent figures for work and it creates a conflict. Most artistes are not getting paid enough through spoken word, yet there are multiple streams of income possible in the craft, such as corporate storytelling, voiceovers, coaching, teaching literature and performance, poetry in theatre, opportunities in diplomatic arenas, and so much more,” she notes.

Ever so passionately, Kabera reiterates, reaching out to fellow artistes,

“No one should convince you that there is no money in the creative arts. Storytelling is a relevant service. Value speaks in the language of money, so add value to yourself in terms of skills and knowledge, learn in-depth about your craft, add quality to it and you will get paid. No poet should be poor. Think of creating art that will live even when you have left the stage.”

Lus Aziz, one of the most recognisable names in Kampala’s poetry spaces, says spoken word and performance poetry is one thing.

“It is more about me being able to embody my poem to the point of you not being able to tell me apart from it. It is not different from poetry, but just a modernised version in terms of writing and delivery. Before our generation, there was more of reciting than performing of poems. Spoken word is modern and much better, because it has sold poetry to more masses than the older genres.”

“It is not so different from rap, and if you encounter it for your first time, you might think the person is rapping. Lately, we are even adding sounds to it. I personally cannot perform anymore without accompanying sounds. It differs from rap, because with rap, you must rhyme, but spoken word does not have to rhyme. You also have to follow the beat when rapping, but with spoken word, the beat follows you,” Lus says.

He adds people who know you should not be able to recognise your real personality in a spoken word performance. Also, different subject matter should bring out different personalities in you while performing. To him, what makes a spoken word piece is the idea of the storyline. There should be different versions of each poem; for page and stage.

Arguably one of the most transformative performers in the industry with multiple shows every month, Lus still says it is not all rosy.

“We do not get much recognition as spoken word artistes in general, compared to how big the things we do are. I personally cannot complain much, but in general, we deserve more. Some people think poetry shows are expensive, and that poetry is boring. We have not been unified enough to kill the stereotypes against us, so it is a problem. Back then, parents believed music was for failures, but it is no longer the case, because some trailblazers changed the narrative.”

He says they have lost poets to other occupations, and they never come back to support the craft they once loved. The industry is damaged and complicated, so they leave to get better jobs.

Lus praises Peter Kagayi Ngobi, a lawyer who quit his job to focus on spoken word, and is now one of the most successful poets of this generation.

“I do not have any other job, but I am comfortable. Earning from your own legacy is so different and fulfilling because you earn on your own terms.”.