More Than A Literary Festival

First Citizens National Poetry Slam

The First Citizens National poetry Slam

SemiFinals

Enter The Dragon's Mouth

34 poets have advanced to the semifinal rounds of the 2024 First Citizens National Poetry Slam, following intense in-person auditions in San Fernando, Port of Spain, and Tobago. Nearly 100 hopefuls delivered their verses before a distinguished judging panel. This year’s audition judges included Richard “Chromatics” Rajkumar, Patti-Anne Ali, Victor Edwards, Evelyn Caesar Munroe, and head judge Arielle M. John.

The poets will compete for the chance to perform at the Grand Slam finals on Sunday 28 April, as the First Citizens National Poetry Slam concludes the 2024 NGC Bocas Lit Fest. The winner’s row takes home a total of $80,000 courtesy First Citizens, with first, second, and third places receiving $50,000, $20,000, and $10,000 respectively. Reigning Slam Champion Kyle Hernandez, who automatically advances to the Final, will face off against 14 qualifying poets from the semifinal round. 

 

Semifinalists

Semifinal 1 | Saturday 23 March 2024
 
  • Abibi-Africa Williams
  • Alexandra Stewart
  • Annette Taylor
  • Dershawn Hernandez
  • Earth Lezama
  • Markus Wylie
  • Master-Akeem Phillip
  • Ronaldo Mohammed
  • Shakir Gray
  • Shakira Burton
  • Shimiah Lewis
  • Soleil La Barrie
  • Stephanie Smith
  • Swasthi Maharaj
  • Tevin Douglas

Wildcard Performers

  • Gabrielle Abdool
  • Hakeem Dublin
Semifinal 2 | Sunday 24 March 2024

 

  • Abdul Majeed Abdal Karim
  • Alicia Haynes
  • Celestial Marshal
  • Daniel Baptiste
  • Darion Cunningham
  • Dennis Joseph
  • Derron Sandy
  • Gabrielle Murray
  • Joel Philip
  • Kedisha Thomas
  • Keeron Isaac
  • Kevin Soyer
  • Kevin Fortune
  • Michael Logie
  • Seth Sylvester

Wildcard Performers

  • Nia Thompson
  • Renaldo Briggs

Tickets:

The semifinals will take place in two rounds on 23 and 24 March at the Central Bank Auditorium in Port of Spain. Tickets are priced at $100 and can be purchased on islandetickets.com Or click on the buttons below.

Physical tickets also available at Xtra Foods locations

  • Aranguez
  • Arima
  • Grand Bazaar
  • Price Plaza
  • Sangre Grande

Physical tickets also available at the Paper Based Bookshop:

The Writers Centre

14 Alcazar Street,

St. Clair,

Port of Spain.

Cash Only

Audition Judges:

Evelyn Caesar Munroe

Chromatics

Victor Edwards

For more information, call the Slam Hotline at 375-2155 or email [email protected]

HISTORY

2023 marked the 11th edition of the National Poetry Slam which has established itself as the largest stage for Spoken Word in the Caribbean, with a TT$50,000 first place prize, the biggest cash prize for Spoken Word artists in the world.
 
In 2020 and 2021, the First Citizens National Poetry Slam was a televised event with live judging broadcast and streamed to the public for free. Closed auditions were held via Zoom, where twenty poets were chosen for the semi-final rounds airing in August of both years.
 
In 2022, all stages of the championship were accessible for public viewing, for free, and was hosted by popular personalities each year. 2023 marked the return of the annual Spoken Word championship to its traditional in-person, pre-covid schedule, leading up to the annual NGC Bocas Lit Fest. The Grand Slam, once again, is the high-energy closing event of the festival.
 
Over eleven years, the First Citizens National Poetry Slam has seen:
 
1167 poets auditioned (2013-2023)
348 semi-finalists (2013-2023)
128 finalists (2013-2023)
36 winners (1st – 3rd places)
TT $637,000 distributed in prize money
66 Slam events to date
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