Audrey Shipp

Imagine a literary journey from Black L.A., to Mexico, to Paris, & to Accra.

By

redict239

Published on

in

, , , , ,

Before Ivy Queen Reigned as Reggaeton Royalty

Before Ivy Queen reigned as reggaeton royalty / Figueroa and Century was hot / with war bringing punta / and Central Americans / who wound their waists / to West Indian soca / That night the Queen shared a small stage / with her embarrassing he-him-his / at Prince Hall / as beer flowed and cocaine cowered / enough for her him to be an embarrassment / and I stood by my own embarrassments / but in 1990’s L.A. scant mattered / besides the rolling rumble of Garifuna drums / and the cramped parking lot / of a closed market / memorial ground / unbeknownst to us / for Latasha Harlins / that we stumbled towards / tired / at the end of the concert

Discover Eventure 2025

An event for curious minds committed to the planet. Engineers, designers, educators, biologists, technologists, artists, city-makers, and activists — all working at the intersection of nature, science, and innovation to build a more sustainable future.

Join the Club

Stay updated with our latest tips and other news by joining our newsletter.

Categories

Tags

Africa African Americans Black Lives Matter books Capitalism Colonialism creative nonfiction Eric Garner Globalism Haiti Hip Hop Imperialism Inequality Latin America Los Angeles memoir poetry Racism Rap Slavery

Leave a Reply