The art of resistance: 10 Haitian slam poets making waves | Part 1

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Haitian slam poetry continues to survive and adapt like many other artistic movements in a Haiti ravaged by gang violence for several years now. Slam poetry may not hold the same pop culture notoriety as other art forms but it plays a crucial role in denouncing insecurity, social injustice, and the violation of human rights in Haiti. Many Haitian slammers, both inside and outside the country, continue the mission of slam as a form of protest

“I am a melancholic slammer who is not afraid to share my tribulations and to engage in the fight for the well-being of all,” says Marc Nicolson “NLM” Ricot, summarizing the core objective of slam. “In slam, I see myself more as a fighter, someone with a mission, rather than just an artist.”

Indeed, slam in Haiti is a hymn to subjects such as love, societal morals, and the experiences of the Haitian people, who struggle to lead a decent life in the 21st century. It also serves as a call to Haitian state leaders to improve living conditions for everyone in the country. In demos, mixtapes, and albums, slammers always make space for these pressing topics, without forgetting the abstract side of poetry and offering a perspective on what is happening around the world with imperialist countries.

During the turbulent years the country faced when thousands of people were killed and many others displaced due to gang violence, Haitian slammers did not stop writing, composing or entering the studio to record their voices over beats and musical instrumentals.

These ten Haitian slam artists, living in Haiti as well as abroad, are able to so vividly express themselves and keep true to slam’s disruptive roots, below is part 1 of 2.

Jouinie Angélica Michel, 2025 National Slam Champion, known as “Angelle l’Authentique”

To really get to know Jouinie Angélica Michel known as Angelle l’Authentique, a slam artist with an enriching slam playlist, could take a while as her repertoire is as rich as it is vast. Angelle l’Authentique was the first woman slam poet to win the title of National Slam Champion in the 4th edition of the National Slam Competition. She will represent Haiti in three international competitions in 2025: the Slam World Cup in France, the Copa América Slam, and the Golden Poet Africa.

Born in the south of Haiti before moving to Port-au-Prince, the award-winning artist gained public recognition in 2021 with her first project titled “La vie en enfer.” She was a finalist in the “Haïti Jeunes Talents” competition in 2019 and the winner of the Public Choice Award at the Slam Awards International 2023.

Angelle l’Authentique has several titles in her repertoire, such as “Dousè lanfè,” “Timoun 2000,” Lèw Manyenm, and the demo “Une minute de slam,” which includes 4 tracks released in October 2022. Angelle l’Authentique is currently in the studio working on her upcoming EP titled “Antagonisme,” set to be released next year. She is not only passionate about poetry but is also a hairstylist, makeup artist, student of communication and public relations, and the CEO of BruCah’s Makeup School of Beauty.

Marc Nicolson Ricot, known by his artist name “NLM”

Born in Port-au-Prince, Ricot Marc Nicolson, known as NLM, discovered his passion for Haitian slam in 2013. He began attending the Centre Culturel Bibliothèque Araka in Port-au-Prince and the Centre Culturel et de Recherche pour l’Épanouissement de la Jeunesse (CECREJ) in Carrefour, where his journey in slam poetry took shape. Through his work, NLM channels his struggles and tribulations, using slam as a powerful medium of self-expression. His poetry also advocates for social change, highlighting Haiti’s class struggles and championing equitable access to well-being for all.

“Slam is more than a trend; it’s a refuge for me, where I experience freedom and give shape to my emotions,” says NLM. 

Since 2014, NLM has produced three slam projects. In 2021, he released a demo with four tracks titled “Relè a”, collaborating with a few other slammers who hadn’t yet had studio productions. The same year, the artist released his first solo project, a mixtape under the label “Konsa l Vini”, which won the Slam Project of the Year award. In 2023, he released his second solo project, a double album titled “Konstelasyon,” featuring several excellent slammers. 

Jean Joseph Makanaki Audain, living in Chile, but singing Haiti 

Born on the island of Gonâve in Haiti, Makanaky Adn discovered his passion for poetry at the age of 15. He chose slam in 2015 as a way to express himself and play with figures of speech. That same year, he produced several tracks in the studio. As a slammer, he became a member of the Slam Collective Les Artistes Solidaires for the Promotion of Intellectuality through Culture in Haiti (ASPIC). In 2016, Makanaky Adn left Haiti and moved to Chile, where he has lived ever since. In spite of the new chapter, he remained committed to slam. In Chile, he joined several literary groups such as Agrupación Cultural Putaendo Histórico, Slam Chile, Abya Yala Poetry Slam, Eritaj, and Bohio Ediciones, participating in various poetic events in both Chile and Brazil.

In 2018, he published his first poetry collection, “Ave Negra Migratoria/ Zwazo Nwa Migratè”, in Creole, Spanish, and French. A revised Spanish-only edition was released in 2019. Later that year, he published “En Amor Arte” (Lanmou Atizay), a Spanish poetry collection with a small Spanish/Creole dictionary on interculturality and his life in the Aconcagua Valley. In 2021, he launched “Liberasyon Emotional,” a musical project based on his first collection, available on streaming platforms and vinyl.

Ketchna Septama, known as “Kech,” is a multi-talented artist

Young, passionate, and promising, Kech, a 21-year-old slammer, stands out among the women who have made an impact on the slam scene in Haiti. Her choice of words, poetic style, and personal experiences as a victim of violence, having fled her home during a gang attack, have shaped her poetry, which condemns, denounces, and calls for better days for the most vulnerable.

In 2019, she entered the world of slam in Haiti after participating in the radio show Slamoral. After several collaborations, she released her first solo slam track, “Memwa yon trepase,” in 2024, inspired by the terror she and her family endured while escaping from gangs. This piece immerses the listener in the pure hell of gang perpetrated violence and displacement. “I want my texts to make those who listen to me understand that I share their emotions and that they are not alone,” says Kech. 

In addition to slam, she is an actress and supports those struggling to live off their art alone. Although no date has been set, Kech plans to release an EP featuring several slam tracks.

Youven Beaubrun, better known by his stage name “Beven,” 

Beven is a young writer and author of two novels, “Elle” and “Au kalfou du Destin,” published by Milot-Varella Editions in France. Passionate about literature, poetry, and art, he is also a slammer, music composer, and writing workshop facilitator.

Champion of slam poetry in Haiti, Beven had the opportunity to represent the country at several international competitions, including the World Poetry Slam Championship in Brussels in September 2022, becoming Haiti’s first representative in this competition. He also qualified for the 11th edition of the World Inter-University Slam Cup, which took place in Gabon in May 2024, as well as for the Copa América de Slam, a competition involving 16 countries from the Americas in June 2024.

Beven has several slam pieces in his repertoire, including “Négritude,” “Un monde immonde,” “Flamme des femmes,” and “Educ’Action.” These works address topics such as colonization, women’s rights, access to quality education, and a call for young people not to abandon their dreams.

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The art of resistance: 10 Haitian slam poets making waves | Part 1 was first posted on December 26, 2024 at 8:05 am.