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Slam champion Kito Fortune blesses the clique with an eye into the extroverts struggles. The whole clique throws them fiery words during the 2-piece poetry review and a debates cracks OFF over the IG poetry game. Kito closes it out as his “5 for Ya Eye” procrastination births poetry diamonds.

[Episode Index]

• “Extrovert” 0:34
  
• Threads & Lines: 4:38
  
• 2 Piece | “How We Forget” 19:00
  
• 2 Piece | #poetry: 41:00
  
• 5 For Your Eye | 51:28

I first met Kito on the DPL steps, waiting to slam. I wish I had known that this quiet kid that I’m sharing the stoop with would soon reveal himself on stage to be an electrifying performer that I was about to lose to, and exactly what I’m always hoping to see at poetry slams. Kito is not just a poet, but a force of artistic energy funneled through poetry and performance.

That night, Kito advanced to slam semi finals with a piece call “Nerd Love”, a piece that I can identify with as a poet, but more importantly, as a social outlier. “Nerd Love” is an anthem to those of us up-late trying to “catch ‘em all” while binging FMA brotherhood; thinking we might never find someone to love, someone that gets us and all our weirdness. Beyond the message, his performance, energy and passion had me at the edge of my seat, with his captivating stage presence. Captivating is for sure how I would best describe Kito. When people step out of themselves through mediums like art and poetry, they can inhabit performances that communicate God to people, and that’s what I experience through Kito’s work.

Kito made the Hollywood Slam team that year, and it was in the midst of another slam season that we approached him to do the show. Kito was a goal of a guest for me to book this season; I wanted to show people how these exciting, young talents think, and how they communicate with their audiences and themselves. I wanted to pick Kito’s brain, hoping to unearth some of those gems to show our audience… but leave it to Kito to drop diamonds on the mic as he performed a piece about his unspoken struggles as a reluctant extrovert. Kito’s ‘Threads and Lines’ piece was special to me not only because I relate to it personally but because I am in envy of it artistically. 

To be vulnerable and honest, to know yourself and your struggle, and then to effectively perform it is again how God would communicate. Though it was just Kuya and myself in the room, Kito’s slam-champ instincts kicked into gear as his voice boomed in my living room like he was performing for hundreds at ‘Nationals (which he has done and will do again). And by the end of the episode I gained not only a strong love and respect for Kito, but an affirmation of what this poetry thing REALLY is and what it’s doing for us all.

I mentioned in the episode, “I can’t wait for Kito to win Nationals,” and that’s something I know he’ll reach; his work ethic and talent are something to believe. It’s rare for me to be surprised or taken aback by poets or art, but I am always surprised by Kito; if for no other reason than hearing gods speak so clearly through such a young, talented, fro’d-out black man.

Writeup by Daniel Hees

[Footnotes]

• Kito Fortune on Instagram| Twitter
• 2 Piece Combo: “How We Forget” -Loyce Gayo
  
• 2 Piece Combo: #Poetry @zeroRoads
  
• Music by The Dope Spot Studios Produced by Dom V
  
• Intro title & segment transitions animated by Seth Garnes