"Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry" (2002) TV series 2002-

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Release Date:

June 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary

Tagline:

Spoken word. Spoken truth.

Plot Keywords:

African American | Poetry Reading | Hip Hop | Self Expression

Awards:

1 win & 7 nominations

Cast

Mos Def	...	Himself - Host / ... (44 episodes, 2002-2007)
Russell Simmons	...	Himself (40 episodes, 2002-2007)

Series Directed by
Joslyn Rose Lyons		(3 episodes, 2007)
Stan Lathan		(2 episodes, 2007)

Series Writing credits
Mos Def		(1 episode, 2007)

Series Produced by
Mos Def	....	co-executive producer (44 episodes, 2002-2007)
Russell Simmons	....	executive producer (44 episodes, 2002-2007)
Lee Gaither	....	executive producer / supervising producer (3 episodes, 2007)
Stan Lathan	....	executive producer (3 episodes, 2007)
Joslyn Rose Lyons	....	producer (3 episodes, 2007)
Karen Apple	....	coordinating producer (unknown episodes)
Kamilah Forbes	....	co-producer (unknown episodes)
Allen Kelman	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Deborah Pointer	....	co-executive producer (unknown episodes)
A. Ty Risby	....	producer: USA (unknown episodes)
Danny Simmons	....	co-executive producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Minnesota		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
Khamisi Norwood		(2 episodes, 2007)

Series Film Editing by
Cheryl Campsmith		(3 episodes, 2007)

Series Production Design by
Keith Raywood		(40 episodes, 2002-2007)

Series Makeup Department
Jeffrey Rebelo	....	key hair stylist (20 episodes, 2004-2005)
Lisa Hazell	....	key hair stylist (7 episodes, 2002)

Series Production Management
Alex Pudlin	....	production supervisor (1 episode, 2007)

Series Sound Department
Josh Morton	....	sound re-recording mixer (24 episodes, 2004-2007)

Series Visual Effects by
Shawn Esposito	....	digital artist (11 episodes, 2002)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
John Geisler	....	camera operator (10 episodes, 2005)

Series Music Department
Mos Def	....	musical director (28 episodes, 2002-2004)

Series Other crew
Dawn Douglass	....	talent associate (38 episodes, 2002-2005)
Merv Hawkins	....	stage manager (11 episodes, 2002)
Amanda Rosenberg	....	production assistant (10 episodes, 2005)
Jannett Roberts	....	talent production assistant (7 episodes, 2002)
Rachel Linhart	....	production coordinator (4 episodes, 2002)
Scott Macleod	....	floor manager (4 episodes, 2002)
Andre Allen	....	technical director (unknown episodes)
Karen Apple	....	associate director (unknown episodes)
Cheo Hodari Coker	....	creative consultant (unknown episodes)
Suheir Hammad	....	talent consultant (unknown episodes)
Maurice Marable	....	Mos Def opening (unknown episodes)
Walter Mudu	....	talent consultant (unknown episodes)
Joan Preston	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Shihan	....	talent consultant (unknown episodes)
Tiffany L. Williams	....	assistant to executive producer (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Home Box Office (HBO)
• Simmons-Lathan Media Group

Distributors

• Home Box Office (HBO) (2002-) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (2004-) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Broadway Video  production services
• Brown Bag Films  

Also Known As:

"Def Poetry" - USA (short title)
"Def Poetry Jam" - USA (promotional title)

Runtime:

28 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Home Box Office (HBO)

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Jeopardy!: Episode #22.97" (2006)

diverse poetry pertaining to everything...

Def Poetry host by Mos Def is definitely a nice and relaxing show for me. As someone who listens to Rap music which is spawned by poetry, it's very interesting to see a diverse group of poets with attitude and mental intellect. The cast sometimes is very, very unorthodox and this is what makes the show good to watch.

Same thing basically as Def Comedy Jam, but this is all poetry and even some of the poems have a strong sense of humor in them. memorable poems by Flow Mentalz, Yellow Rage, Common, Buju Banton, Talib Kweli, Wood Harris and others...

nice show