Hip-Hop/R&B
Def Poetry Reunion
About This Event
Russell Simmons' Def Poetry Jam, which brought spoken word into the Hip‑Hop and R&B conversation on New York stages and later on television, returns to NJPAC in a reunion format. The evening features a rotating lineup of poets and emphasizes voice, rhythm and lived testimony over theatrical production. Performances lean on direct address and audience proximity, treating the room as part of the work.
About the Artist
Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam
Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry Jam is a performance platform that brought spoken word into the Hip-Hop and R&B conversation, first on New York stages and later to television. Built around rotating lineups, it foregrounds poets as working performers, shaped by club culture, emceeing, and literary craft.