Slam represents the new hip-hop

Hip-Hop culture and rap music are often criticized for having detrimental effects on the youth of America and encouraging violence in the inner-city. It is true that many young people idolize the stars who create popular music, but some of those artists recognize their position and send out a deliberate message.

Recent trends in hip-hop include more socially conscious expression that explores the roots of crime and poverty. Instead of encouraging violence, these artists seek peaceful resolutions that begin with education. The recent movieSlam gives a straight-up look at life in the city and presents some solutions, but acknowledges the long road that lies ahead in the struggle for justice in this country.

Slam is the story of a young man writing rhymes in the ghetto of Southeast D.C. He is caught with marijuana at the scene of a crime, and is sent to jail to await a hearing. This sets into motion the wheels of an American justice system that tests the will and the skills of young poet Raymond Joshua.

Suspicions arise among other prisoners regarding Joshua's part in the shooting of his friend and supplier on the night of his arrest. He understands that the prison gangs are gunning for him, but decides not to involve himself and uses his energy to write poetry instead.

In prison Ray has long days in solitary, and he channels his frustrations into words. Ray brings his non-violence to the jailyard when he immobilizes his attackers with a long poem. He speaks painfully and artfully about the plight of African-American men in America, and walks away untouched. He speaks truth, and the people around him can sense his power.

Enter a beautiful young female poet, played by Sonja Sohn, who is teaching English in the prison. She becomes a love interest for Raymond, but is not the traditional passive female. Together they push each other into screaming poetic rants that are among the most memorable sequences of the film.

Director Marc Levin is well known for his documentary films, andSlam is an elegant portrayal of life that rarely seems theatrical. He makes some use of abstract imagery, and the viewer senses that these visuals are the recollections of Raymond as he processes his experiences into poetry. Hip-hop and spoken word are mixed smoothly by DJ Spooky to accompany the film.

Slam addresses issues relating to prisons and punishment in the United States, such as the unusually hard sentences for young black men and drug offenders and the repeal of funding for education and rehabilitation programs in prisons.

This film won the Grand Jury Prize at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival, and the blend of sounds and images creates a vivid picture of life behind bars and strong empathy for the prisoners themselves.

Throughout the film, vivid sequences reflect the insanity/reality of the prison environment. Slam shows young black men toiling in a society that is stacked against their success. The film concludes with a brilliant and emotional image that is a testament to the work that is yet to be done to bring equality in the United States.

Not just for poets, Slam brings together the beauty of life and the harsh reality of politics. It affirms the struggle of the individual who can keep a distinct voice amidst all the noise. It shows that poetry and passion can turn society and its institutions upside-down. Heads up.

Slam is showing at the Centrum theater in Cleveland.

-Bessa Kautz, Vanessa Filley, Stephen Menyhart