7 News Belize

D'.Bi Dubs In Belize
posted (March 15, 2013)
If you're familiar with the work of Jamaican Reggae artist Mutabaruka, then you'll know what dub poetry is - basically it's spoken word usually over reggae rhythms.

That's what a visiting Jamaican artist specializes in. Her name is D'bi and tomorrow night, she promises to set lyrical fire to the stage at the Bliss Center.

We found out more about here today:

Jules Vasquez Reporting

Her name is D.Bi. She's a dub poet who has touched stages all over the world - but she's also a playwright and a storyteller

D.be. Young Anitafrika - Dub Poet
"I tell stories, you know."

And the stories she tells are about difficult social realities, from child abuse to imperialism:

D.be. Young Anitafrika
"I feel like growing up in Jamaica and having growing up in a working class neighborhood, having gone to other prestigious high school in another part of Jamaica, moving to Canada, and moving around the world, what I've realize in all of these environments is that as people, we are people. So, the social issues that we're facing in Jamaica, the issues around incest, molestation, the issues around not having equal access because of how you are in society, where your position on the class line, or even if I go to Sweden and see people sleeping on the streets who has similar issues around access to resources. The issues that were drawing me in Jamaica were not just about Jamaica, and the ones that were drawing me in Canada were not just about Canada, we're talking about global realities for all human beings."

Jules Vasquez
"A critic can say, but, it's just a poem. You can't change the world with a poem; you can't ease human suffering with a poem. Bring some soup."

D.be. Young Anitafrika
"I completely agree. I completely agree; this is why I agree. I think the story teller's role is to write the poem, and have the poem reflect the experience. Now once the experience is reflected and the member of the village sees that their experience is being reflected, that then gives them a chance to look at themselves. So yes, the poem alone absolutely is not enough, but it is the genesis, it is the catalyst, it's the beginning and then we continue to work."

She wants no less than a revolution:

D.be. Young Anitafrika
"Only, a revolution can end this ya..."

And if you wonder about her style, she is unapologetic:

Jules Vasquez
"Perhaps people seeing this interview will say, 'Who is she? She has a nose ring; she has natural hair.' Now if you look like Beyoncé and you had a weave down to your back no one would say anything. So I'm saying, how do you reconcile the stereotype that is often foisted upon black women, who choose to represent themselves in a natural way?"

D.be. Young Anitafrika
"I celebrate, I mean, I'm really thankful for the work that I did before and continue to do, because it's always work, but you definitely get to a point where you can deal with yourself. And so what usually happens is people see me and they're like "Oh my God, wow". And then, we begin to speak, or they watch a poem or performance, then their hearts begin to shift and change. So I'm more concerned about what happens once we start to communicate, you know, than the initial 'She's so African, oh my God!' I am. What I do is I simply talk about our lived experiences in as dramatic, intimate, as loving and challenging away as my body will allow me to do. And usually people have a phenomenal time, usually. So, they must just come and listen to the story, that's all."

Tomorrow night's show starts at 8:00 and tickets are twenty dollars.

Home | Archives | Downloads/Podcasts | Advertise | Contact Us

7 News Belize