BONUS FEATURES
1. In the Know - Kyle Sutton Interview
2. Watch Slam Teen Poet Sarah Mason
3. Mayhem Poets seek to be memorable by tackling hard realities
1. In the Know - Kyle Sutton Interview
Mayhem Poets co-founder Kyle Sutton talks about how the group got their
start, how they got their name, and their influences, from literature to pop
culture.
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2. Watch Slam Teen Poet Sarah Mason
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3. Mayhem Poets seek to be memorable by tackling hard realities
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By Tom Alesia
April 9, 2009
Kyle Sutton, 29, wants to change the world with words. His words. And his two performing partners' words.
He wants his group Mayhem Poets to be funny and entertaining -- in a thought-provoking way. He wants to present hip-hop culture, but not with any sexist or violent gangsta mentality. He wants Mayhem Poets to attract families, college students, teens, social activists, the hip-hop community, liberals, conservatives and "adults," Sutton said, "who just want to enjoy a nice evening."
That's a tough task for one show. But he wants more.
"The most important thing for me as an artist is to remain memorable," Sutton said. "That way I can influence change."
In an interview, Sutton remained on a roll. There was no stopping his aspirations for Mayhem Poets' show last Saturday at the Capitol Theater.
"I want it to reach the point where if a woman is pregnant in the crowd," he said, "her fetus will remember the show. I'm not kidding, man. I want it to be that special of a time that we spend with people. It's a spiritual experience."
OK, fetuses of the [Madison] area and everyone else: Expect Mayhem Poets' messages to range from the pros and cons of technology to dealing with diversity. The latter includes ethnicity, different languages and beauty image. Sutton called each "hard truths."
He doesn't want to preach, however. When dealing with food addiction, a Mayhem Poet describes loving chicken so much he transforms into one.
"You may laugh at something that's difficult to discuss," Sutton said.
During the performance, Sutton said Mayhem Poets "make the tone versatile. We have a violinist tour with us. We do poems with him playing in the background. We also do storytelling components, some stand-up comedy components, some hip-hop. It's accessible to all."
Sutton, who works with rap legend KRS-One, is well aware that people have staunch opinions of hip-hop. He's no fan of sexist and profane commercial hip-hop music.
"It's meant to be mass produced and done for the corporate dollar, so that's exactly what some rappers do," he said. "When it's marketed at that level, it's not as accountable to artistic merits. There are exceptions. I'm a big fan of Kanye West. He has some fantastic social messages.
"But when all you hear (is) the booty-shaking songs, yeah, I can see how you can stigmatize hip-hop or rap as negative. But it's so much more than what you hear on radio."
Mayhem Poets will perform two sold-out private shows at the Capitol Theater on Thursday for middle and high school students from Dane County and beyond. On Friday, the trio will meet with students in a spoken-word class at Madison East High School. With a teen audience, "a lot of cynicism comes into play. So it's easy for us to come off way too campy or too 'Afterschool Special'-like," Sutton said. "Quality hip-hop is a nice gateway for us to reach them."
Mayhem Poets' public performance, though, remains one of Sutton's greatest joys.
"It's a [night] to hear stories dealing with life issues from grief to love," he said. "It's a celebration of words and creativity."
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