Social media has been great for the black community in the last couple of years. People are under the false impression that the killings of unarmed black men has been on the rise but, if you check the statistics, it has happened consistently throughout our history. What has changed is that now social media meansContinue reading “Action Steps”
Author Archives: Bomani Armah
Watermelon Day 2014 Was a Huge Success!
Sankofa Video and Books Cafe entrance looks like an island oasis. Trees and grass cascade from the front door down a series of short steps and an expansive patio, with stone walk ways meandering through the grass and bright umbrellas shielding its patrons at tables that invite you to come take a load off, drinkContinue reading “Watermelon Day 2014 Was a Huge Success!”
New Single “My People!”
Thank you guys for always supporting the music that supports you! This is my new single, I’d love to shoot a video for it before the end of this year. This features Charles Stewart on drums, David White on bass, Mark D. Hatcher on Guitar, and yours truly on keys and percussion. Please take aContinue reading “New Single “My People!””
My Life is Like a Slice of Watermelon
“The function, the very serious function of racism is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your reason for being. Somebody says you have no language, so you spend twenty years proving that you do. Somebody says your head isn’t shaped properly, so you have scientistsContinue reading “My Life is Like a Slice of Watermelon”
Forgive Them Father
I’ve been dealing a lot with misogyny this week. Something I want to write more about because of how heavily it weakens the men and children who are surrounded by it. I thought I’d start with posting this poem I wrote for SLAM THEATRE 2.0: The Miseducation, a play that ran for the Intersections FestivalContinue reading “Forgive Them Father”
Letter to the Front Line
I read this tonight, flaws and all, at the Fighting Cancer with Poetry Event. I was gonna lie, but i just wrote this today. this topic deserved a poem, and this event was the impetus for it. thanks for reading. This is a letter to the front line. A telegram to the trenches inContinue reading “Letter to the Front Line”
How Columbus Helped Me Discover Home Schooling
In fourteen hundred ninety-two Columbus sailed the ocean blue. It’s amazing the things people discover by accident. Discovering that my sons where learning the poem that began with those lines was the end of my children’s public education. You see, I don’t pay attention to Columbus Day. Other than wishing there was a hell forContinue reading “How Columbus Helped Me Discover Home Schooling”
Homeschooling Week 1 aka VEGAN WAFFLES!
The first thing I was told I need to do to start homeschooling is to “unschool”. To get out of the idea that lessons and learning have to be in a sterile environment with rote memorization of facts. This seems to be the most fun thing about homeschooling so far, and it’s interesting finding waysContinue reading “Homeschooling Week 1 aka VEGAN WAFFLES!”
The Recovering Serial Monogamist
“What are you doing Bomani? I’m a groupie!” She was West African chocolate. She was raw and un-cut. Sweet as watermelon with sugar on top, but would bite you back when you tasted her. It’s why I fell in love with her. I fell way too far, too quickly in love with her. She sawContinue reading “The Recovering Serial Monogamist”
Agent Zimmerman and the American Matrix
I’ve spent my adult life working with young black men, from all economic and social backgrounds, arming them with the rules I have learned to navigate the bi-polar United States that we live in. This world is a complicated matrix of social constructs and unjust laws, a matrix my peers and our elders thought weContinue reading “Agent Zimmerman and the American Matrix”
Navon Smith on The Indie
scroll down to see music videos and live performances from navon smith. listen and read along! https://notarapper.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/bomani-indie-navon-smith.mp3 Bomani Armah: How’s everybody doing? This is Bomani Armah, broadcasting live from the Even Place. Today we are doing The Indie, my show dedicated to independent art, independent business, independent thought. So, it was only a matter ofContinue reading “Navon Smith on The Indie”
Join My Campaign to Ban the “N-Word”
I wrote this in 2008 on an old blog, and just wanted it here so I could continue my campaign to ban the asinine “n-word”. Shout out to my favorite current comedian Louis CK. He has a bit on the same subject. I wrote mine first though. This is your official invitation to join myContinue reading “Join My Campaign to Ban the “N-Word””
The Indie Show with Omekongo Dibinga
(scroll down to see a performance and music video from Omekongo) Introduction: Welcome to the even place. My name is Bomani Armah. We are taping my show today called ‘The Indie’. We’re talking about independent thought, independent business, independent art—got one of my favorite independent people sitting here next to me, Mr. Omekongo Dibinga. SayContinue reading “The Indie Show with Omekongo Dibinga”
I Love the Train
I love the metro train. The train loves me back. Worn out carpets with chewing gum polka dots. The Saturday morning train ride is the best. It’s nice and quiet; mostly tourists getting a jump on the National Mall, or the poor guy who can’t believe his manager scheduled him on the weekend. They areContinue reading “I Love the Train”
Freedom of Speech @ Busboys & Poets Hyattsville
Join Bomani Armah with Mr. KeepOnMoving, Two Deep, E Baby and Rebecca Dupas for a special concert of the best in spoken word poetry. Tickets are only $10. Bomani Armah As he so aptly puts it, “I’m not a rapper, I’m a poet with a hip-hop style.” Bomani Armah is an artist, producer and “edutainer”Continue reading “Freedom of Speech @ Busboys & Poets Hyattsville”
Jared Ball discussing his book “A Lie of Reinvention: Correcting Manning Marable’s Malcolm X”
Thankyou for your patience as we work out the kinks with “The Indie: Independent Art, Independent Business, Independent Thought”, my new radio show airing on the Paradise Radio Network, CBS Radio and http://www.alvinjones.com and notarapper.icom. This interview is just in time to lead into the celebration of Malcolm X’s Birthday! Feel free to read aContinue reading “Jared Ball discussing his book “A Lie of Reinvention: Correcting Manning Marable’s Malcolm X””
5 WAYS YOU CAN HELP!
So, I’m here with my family and co-conspirators putting together this years Malcolm X Birthday Celebration, and we realized why this is such an important event for us. There should be more opportunities in our community to reflect on our shared legacy of struggle against oppression, celebrate our abilities and potential as a people, andContinue reading “5 WAYS YOU CAN HELP!”
Malcolm X Birthday Celebration May 19, 2013
[Description] Join us for this Birthday Party with live music and food at the historic Sankofa Video and Books Cafe on Georgia Avenue. Celebrate the birthday of El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz aka Malcolm X. There will be a free event outdoors (Arts Under the Stars, and Crescent Moon Nights style) featuring performances and presentations from BomaniContinue reading “Malcolm X Birthday Celebration May 19, 2013”
Interview with Arsalan Iftikhar of “Islamic Pacifism”
I was fortunate to be able to interview friend and NPR barbershop alum Arsalan Ifkitar about his new book “Islamic Pacifism: Global Muslims in the Post Ossama Era”. Arsalan Iftikhar is an international human rights lawyer, global media commentator and author of the book Islamic Pacifism: Global Muslims in the Post-Osama Era. Arsalan is alsoContinue reading “Interview with Arsalan Iftikhar of “Islamic Pacifism””
Science Experiment
Before there was this thing called Google (and yes, for those 25 and younger there was a pre-Google world), the 10 year old me use to spend hours leafing through encyclopedias. There would be one word or concept I’d hear about on the news or see referenced in a movie or book, and I’d goContinue reading “Science Experiment”
no one is truly parenting Single. Thanks Eshe
Fill in the Blank God (a poem)
I serve a fill in the blank god better yet, that god serves me an atheist? I use my scientific mind Breaking down physical phenomenon into binary numbers mathematically navigating the imaginary space between us but I am hard headed and a poet I know a spirit when I hear one delivering specifically vague messagesContinue reading “Fill in the Blank God (a poem)”
Bomani Armah is The Watermelon Man 