St. Paul wins 2009 National Poetry Slam

Host: The Mighty Mike McGee, one of the funniest poets in slam and one of the best people on the planet (he spent a week with me when he was touring around Northern Arizona about four years ago.)

Tavis Brunson sacrifice poet, 28.2

- - - Round 1 - - -

San Franciso: Matt, 27.4
St. Paul: Six is Nine, 28.4
Nuyorican: Faloo, 27.9
ABQ: Damien Flores, 28.0

St. Paul leads 28.4 at the end of the first round
(2) ABQ, 28.0
(3) Nuyorican, 27.9
(4) San Fran, 27.4

- - - Round 2 - - -

Nuyorican: group, 27.4
San Francisco: Denise, 28.3
ABQ: group, 27.9
St. Paul: Guante, 29.2

St. Paul leads 57.6 at the end of the second round
(2) ABQ, 55.9
(3) San Fran, 55.7
(4) Nuyorican, 55.3

- - - Round 3 - - -

ABQ: Christian Drake, 28.2 (after 0.5 penalty)
Nuyorican: group, 27.7
St. Paul: Sierra DeMulder, 29.7
San Francisco: D'Dra, 28.2

(1) St. Paul, 87.3
(2) ABQ, 84.1
(3) San Fran, 83.9
(4) Nuyorican, 83.0

- - - Round 4 - - -

St. Paul: Michael Mlekoday, 28.2
ABQ: group, 29.6
San Francisco: Chaz, 29.6
Nuyorican: Ion, 29.4

(1) St. Paul, 115.5
(2) ABQ, 113.7
(3) San Fran, 113.5
(4) Nuyorican 112.4

St. Paul wins with 115.5 | (2) ABQ 113.7 | (3) San Fran 113.5 | (4) Nuyorican 112.4

The championship team of Soap Boxing, St. Paul's Poetry Slam:
Khary J. (aka "6 is 9") likes bubbles, strawberry covered pancakes, and his future puppy. Oh yeah, he does poems too. You knew that.

Kyle “Guante” Myhre is an emcee, poet, activist and writer based in Minneapolis. He's shared the stage with Talib Kweli, Brother Ali, Sage Francis, Zion I and many others, and signed to Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records in 2008. A three-time National Poetry Slam competitor, Guante has won Grand Slams in Madison, Minneapolis and St. Paul. He's currently working with the Minnesota Spoken-Word Association facilitating spoken-word and hip hop workshops for youth. For more information, see www.myspace.com/elguante or El Guante's blog.

Sierra DeMulder is a member of the Intangibles Spoken Word Collective out of upstate New York and competed with Oneonta at the 2007 National Poetry Slam in Austin, Texas, where her team proudly won the Spirit of the Slam award (what’s up, knoxeonta). She moved to Minneapolis on a whim because she thought it would be cool to freeze to death. Sierra has been trying not to trip since 1986.

Michael Mlekoday is the reincarnation of the first record DJ Jazzy Jeff ever used as scratch fodder. He is a pair of broken headphones and a pair of lungs being attacked by a freshly mowed lawn. In a simpler world, his hobbies might include fencing, playing harmonica, and using an abacus. For now, he makes poem-shaped objects. He will see you at the crossroads (so you won't be lonely). www.myspace.com/mlekoday

Photos from MinnesotaMicrophone.com
Bios from www.Soap-Boxing.com