When the call rings out — “Back talk!” — the crowd answers in unison: “Talk back!” The room hums before the first word is spoken.
Inside The Signature Lounge in Tallahassee on Feb. 6, poets, singers and listeners pack into dim lighting, incense curling through the air as anticipation builds. A community open mic reflects the spirit of the Harlem Renaissance, highlighting Black creative expression transitioning from struggle to storytelling.
This is Black on Black Rhyme, a community open mic held every first and third Friday of the month, where spoken word becomes both performance and release. During the 100-year anniversary of Black History Month, the event feels especially rooted in history, echoing a tradition that stretches back to the Harlem Renaissance…