MRELD GREEN will be LIVE in The Street Poets Den on MAY 31st! -The Street Blogger
M’RELD
(pronounced like the block east of Halsted)
This talented wordsmith is more than a poet; M’Reld serves as an advocate for change and an artist responsible for her generation. M’Reld speaks the naked truth as she performs her poetry, speaking on a range of topics, which include social injustice, HIV/AIDS epidemic and everyday life issues.
Her dedication to the generations to follow is shown through her daily teaching and working within several art programs linked to the Chicago Public Schools, as well as, the special events that she does regularly to support the knowledge and growth of youth. For the past three summers M’Reld was the headliner for the spoken word aspect of the Cook County Board’s Peace Festivals.
Throughout the school year, M’Reld works with Black Star Project in their project encouraging the students of Chicago Public Schools to return to school each school year. She is also a teacher with the after school literacy program Open Book, that caters to teaching youth about writing and poetry, as an outlet for positive thought and change.
M’Reld is a staple within the community at events that promote peace and encouraging the students and leaders of the future to control their destiny.
M’Reld has been the opening act for a host of celebrated acts including The Last Poets, American Idol Winner Fantasia, MC Lyte, Raheem De Vaughn, Little Brother, Trey Songs, Kindred the Family Soul, as well as, Slum Village & Eric Robeson, Lady of Rage, Big Daddy Kane, Chicago’s own Common, and T.I. Each year M’Reld idds to the above list, most recently soul singer Jaguar Wright.
M’Reld founded Verbal Balance – an ensemble of talented artists, which includes poets, writers, emcees, and performers – in 2005. Verbal Balance has performed in front of many audiences engaging them in this spoken word revolution. Under M’Reld’s supervision, Verbal Balance has hosted a weekly open mic for five years, one of the longest running weekly events in Chicago Spoken Word.
Voted 2006 Chicago Truth Award winner for best Spoken Word Artist, and nominated again in both 2007, 2008, & 2009. M’Reld has performed at distinguished venues across the country from the Nuyurican Café to the House of Blues Chicago, and several locations in between M’reld also had the distinguished opportunity to perform on Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam, officially earning the title of Def Poet. And last year she starred on the recently released 4th season of BETJ’s Lyric Cafe. Currently on tour with Adam’s Rib, a Spoken Word ensemble of women poets and artists, founded by Tony Award Winning 10x Def Poet Georgia ME, M’Reld is lighting fires in venues across the country this summer.
Her powerful words and dynamic stage presence set the match for the poetry vs. spoken word debate.
Let the games begin.
