On this episode of the Poetry As Usual podcast, we’re joined by members of the collective known as The Dope Poets: Imani Waweru, Storyteller Gordon, Lady Kay, King Kamayera, and Jerome Heka. Together, they discuss the evolution of the poet’s journey, which often requires navigating non-poetry spaces. The group reflects on how, before becoming poets, they were first members of a community, and how those same communities often become the first spaces where their poetry is introduced and received. They also share the different types of non-poetry spaces they have performed in and discuss some of the challenges that come with those environments, such as the lack of a microphone or microphone stand, inconvenient stage locations, and more. The conversation also explores the difference between a classic poem and a hit poem, leading to a deeper discussio ...