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List Price: $12.98 | | Label: Hbo Home Video
Salesrank: 45040
Released: May 1, 2007 |
| Our Price: $4.11 |
| Used Price: $4.25 |
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MPAA Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD |
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| Features:
Closed-captioned Color DVD NTSC | |
Editorial Review:
Experience the passion and fire of the hottest musicians, comedians and contemporary poets in each installment of Russell Simmons' Presents Def Poetry Season 5. Taped in front of a live audience at The Super Club in New York City, Season 5 of the improvisational, uninhibited series features the hottest talent lineup like DAVE CHAPPELLE (The Chappelle Show), WYCLEF JEAN (Member of The Fugees, The Carnival), ALICIA KEYS (Grammy Award-winner), and KANYE WEST (Grammy Award-winner). Each episode is hosted by the highly regarded hip-hop artist and actor MOS DEF (hit album Black on Both Sides).
Def Poetry - Season 5 Reviews:
Great to watch alone, great to share with others 
2008-12-03 - I originally bought this DVD because I had a hard time getting my students interested in poetry. Words on pages were boring to them, or emotionless, or archaic. When I first showed them a few pieces from the first couple of episodes, they were immediately sucked in. They were hearing people speak eloquently and beautifully about the realities my students often faced in their own lives. Many of the poems are funny, which I think surprised my class as much as anything else. Now we regularly return to the series to watch new poems and then compose our own. It's a life-saver for a class that needs a little creative passion. [A word of warning: often the most powerful poems on the show are also the most explicit, in themes or language or both. Choose carefully before showing them to students or any younger people.]
As for personal enjoyment, I think this collection beats out all the poetry books I have. Even though I can appreciate Frost and Shakespeare and other canonical poets, the passion that the Def Poets bring to the stage adds a new dimension to spoken word that I find really enjoyable. I highly recommend this DVD (and the other seasons) for anyone who appreciates spoken word and poetry, even if hip-hop isn't your thing.
Not the best season but still . . . 
2008-08-02 - Spread out over two dvds, this fifth season of Def Poetry is not necessarily the best of the bunch. There are some wonderful moments (Alicia Keys and Nikki Giovanni) and some unsurprisingly good moments (Suheir Hammad and Beau Sia both returning along with some others) but over all the "big name" guests left me wondering what was the point? Personally, I would have rather seen some younger unknown artists than clutter the stage with someone's fame.
Poetry Un-Real!
2008-06-23 - This one gives you a taste of the comedy, drama, and even some action. There were times where you feel as if you could cry or like were traveling to distant realms of the different lobes of the mind. I love to have my mind tickled with the fickle of sweet def poets.
Everytime
2008-04-07 - The poets just keep getting better with every season. Plus the stars do some really good poetry,,,
GREAT Program
2008-02-08 - I love this series. It's all about the words, the flashy TV effects are pretty much stripped down. The chosen poets are fantastic. Regulars like Black Ice have a wonderful way with ideas and are brilliant word-smiths. This show excites the mind in ways no other show can.
