The Nuyorican Poets Cafe and Caridad de La Luz (aka La Bruja) showcase Bronx artistry in a concert featuring cool and socially conscious Hip Hop/spoken word by Reph Star and Patty Dukes (aka Circa ’95), Nene Ali and DJ Fred One. Hosted by songstress-poet-playwright-comedienne La Bruja, who was praised by theNew York Times for her “irrepressible, ebullient energy and talent.”
La Bruja
Caridad de La Luz, aka La Bruja is a Bronx-born performer considered one of America’s leading spoken word poets. In 2014, she was awarded Comité Noviembre’s Puerto Rican Women Legacy Award, and in 2013, The Edgar Allan Poe Award for excellence in writing from The Bronx Historical Society. She was also honored as A Bronx Living Legend by The Bronx Music Heritage Center and was recently presented with a Citation of Merit from The Bronx Borough President. This Renaissance woman has performed internationally; her NYC appearances include shows at The Apollo, The Museum of Natural History and the famed Nuyorican Poets Cafe, where she began her career. The New York Times called her “a Juggernaut” after the off-Broadway run of her musical Boogie Rican Blvd. Her acting career has taken her from stage to film: she has appeared in numerous movies, including Bamboozled, Down to the Bone, El Vacilon and Gun Hill Road. She has crossed over internationally as a recording artist with her debut album Brujalicious and her subsequent album For Witch It Stands. She is featured on Prince Royce’s award-winning album Phase II and Bobby Sanabria’s Grammy-nominated album Multiverse. Well-known for her captivating performance of the poem “WTC” on Russell Simmons’ HBO Def Poetry Jam, she was also featured on HBO Latino’s installment of HABLA Women. She works with youth throughout the country, teaching poetry workshops for Pepatian.org & NYC Mission Society. She is a board member of Voices UnBroken and a charter member of Omega Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. – Delta Chapter at Binghamton University.
Patty Dukes & Reph Star
Hailing from New York City, Circa ’95 is an independent Hip Hop music and media group comprised of Patty Dukes and Reph Star. Puerto Rican & Dominican by way of The Bronx and Washington Heights, they rhyme seamlessly through English and Spanish. They have performed throughout the world and their debut album FREE LUNCH is available through their website. When they are not performing or creating in the studio, they teach Hip Hop, Theater, and Mixed Media Arts to young people through their organization, the Rhyme Factory. Circa ’95 is currently touring and in the studio working on their second musical project.
Nene Ali
Nene Ali, spoken word / MC, was born and raised in the Bronx. She started writing poetry at the age of 6 and began performing it at the age of 9. In her journey she has gone around this country uplifting audiences with her words. She is the youngest person to receive Miami Heat superstar Dwayne Wade’s “Keeper of the Village Award” and the Nelson Mandela “Community Activist Award,” and has been featured in countless publications.