SlamCharlotte is a nationally recognized poetry slam located in Charlotte, NC.

SlamCharlotte (formerly Queen City Soul Slam) was born under the vision and direction of Terry Creech. The slam started at the African-American Cultural Center in 2003. 

Through Creech's desire for continued growth, the partnership between SlamCharlotte and the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center's Education Institute was formed.

 SlamCharlotte's current slammaster, Bluz, was the

13th ranked individual poet

in the world in 2007. 

SlamCharlotte strives to promote poetic growth, performance enhancement, and increased camaraderie among the poets and the community through our monthly slam competition.

Bluz (current slam master) and

Terry Creech (founder of Slam Charlotte)

Photo used with permission from Sildag

CHARLOTTE SLAM TEAM

NAMED NATIONAL CHAMPS

SlamCharlotte win is the first for

the South in 14 years

Charlotte’s own poetry slam team took first

place at the National Poetry Slam 2007 held

in Austin, Texas from August 6 – 11.

The Charlotte squad was one of 75 teams

competing for top honors at the National

Poetry Slam. The team performed twelve

different, original poems during the competition.

Official regulations require that poems

cannot be longer than three minutes and

ten seconds and they cannot be repeated

throughout the competition. The win is an

especially impressive feat, considering that

this is only the fourth year that Charlotte

has had a competitive team. In 2005,

Slam Charlotte took second place at the

National Poetry Slam held in Albuquerque,

New Mexico.

Monthly poetry slams and the championship

team are led by Slammaster “Bluz,” also

known as Boris Rogers, who was ranked thirteenth

 in the world at the Individual World Poetry Slam,

held in Vancouver, Canada earlier this year.

Other members of the National Poetry Slam

2007 winning team include Bethsheba,

Mike Simms, Carlos Robson, Tavis P. Brunson 

Paul D and team manager Inkera.

Rogers said he is proud that the city of Charlotte

 has received recognition for its support of

spoken word and will now have a trophy to display.

He explained that many local organizations

and corporations– including Tribble Creative

Group, Center City Partners, the ASC,

Starzchild Productions, Wine Up and the

Blumenthal Performing Arts Center — have

been instrumental in getting the team off the ground.

“It shows our passion to poetry,” said Rogers.

“A lot of people thought we were good but now

we’ve got the proof.”

He continued: “[It’s] something else that

Charlotteans can brag about. In addition to

basketball, the football team and the NASCAR

 Hall of Fame, they now have the number

one slam poetry team in the nation.”

Monthly poetry slams, featuring local poets take place at the McGlohon Theatre every second or third Friday of the month. The next Slam Charlotte event is this Friday, September 14th at 8:00 PM.

The North Carolina Blumenthal Performing

Arts Center serves the Carolinas as a leading

cultural, entertainment and education provider. 

For more information, visit BlumenthalCenter.org

or call (704) 372-1000.  The Center receives

operating support from the Arts & Science

Council and the North Carolina Arts Council. 

History:

1st Slam Team 2004:

Slam Master: Terry Creech

Team Assistant: Inkera

Mekkah, Dasan Ahanu, Maze Forever, and Bluz

 2nd Slam Team 2005:

Slam Master:Terry Creech

Team Assistant: Inkera

Q, Queen Sheba, Bluz, Maze Forever, and Mekkah

3rd Slam Team 2006:

 Slam Master: Bluz 

Coach: Inkera

Rev, Bluz, Maze Forever, BlakSwan, and Q

4th Slam Team 2007:

Slam Master: Bluz

Artistic Director: Inkera

Carlos Robson, Bluz, Paul D, Inkera, Mike Simms, Bethsheba Rem and Tavis Brunson

5th Slam Team 2008:

Slam Master: Bluz

Artistic Director: Inkera

Starr, Carlos Robson,

 Mike Simms, BlkSwan, Bluz

6th Slam Team 2008: Slammaster: Bluz

Artistic Director: Inkera

Tavis P. Brunson, Andrew Tyree, Bethsheba Rem, Ocean, and Bluz

 Bluz with the NPS trophy

(Photo taken by Blaqbaree)