When Brandon Leake, a Black spoken-word artist from Stockton, pulled off a stunning victory Wednesday night on “America’s Got Talent,” he was almost as thrilled about what it might mean for his underappreciated art form as the $1 million check he pocketed.
“This is a huge win for the spoken-word community,” he said during the finale on NBC. “For an art form that has not been on the mainstream ever — to have a chance to win ‘America’s Got Talent’ is bigger than anything.”
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Over 14 previous seasons, “America’s Got Talent” — television’s most popular summer reality series — had been ruled by singers, comedians, dancers, magicians and the like. Until Leake, 27, burst onto the scene in June with an emotional poem dedicated to his sister, who died as a baby, a spoken-word artist had never even appeared on the show, let alone captivate its millions of fans and bring a judge — Sofia Vergara — to tears.
And he was just getting started. In subsequent weeks, Leake, a student adviser at Delta College, went on to mesmerize viewers with his powerful and personal performance poetry. He addressed uplifting and poignant subjects, including his strained relationship with his father and the power of forgiveness, his new baby daughter and the joys of parenthood.
And in this turbulent summer of racial reckoning, he delivered a heart-wrenching poem in which he spoke of growing up on the tough streets of south Stockton and the fears his mother harbored while raising a young Black man in a world shocked by the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others at the hands of police officers.
On the morning after his “AGT” triumph, Leake expressed hope that his newfound platform will bring more eyes and ears to such messages. He also is eager to see if it might result in more exposure for fellow artists who practice an oral tradition that dates back to ancient times and, in the United States, has strong roots in the Harlem Renaissance and the Beat Generation of the 1950s.
“I can’t wait to see what doors and opportunities open up for others in our community,” he said. “For so many years, we’ve been grinding and putting in the work. I stand on the backs of giants like Nikki Giovanni and Bay Area dudes like Prentice Powell and Shawn William. … I get to carry on the legacy they started.”
Reggie Edmonds is excited by the possibilities. He’s the co-founder of Rich Oak Events, an organization that puts on open mic sessions and poetry slams throughout the Bay Area, some of which Leake has participated in. Like many of his peers, he was thrilled with Leake’s “AGT” win.
“This completely changes the game,” Edmonds said. “To see America embrace a very powerful, but very niche, art form that doesn’t get the respect it deserves is very inspiring. And it gives you hope.”
Robert Pesich, a poet, scientist and president of Poetry Center San Jose, echoes that sentiment.
“It’s a big breakthrough for Brandon, and the art form, as well,” he said. “At the same time, I think Brandon would have enjoyed success with or without the win. He’s that talented.”
Pesich was treated to an early sneak preview of the “AGT” champ when Leake appeared at a Poetry Center event in downtown San Jose several years ago.
“Oh my. It was a refreshing, inspiring and brilliant performance,” he recalls.
Edmonds always knew Leake was “amazing,” but wondered if “the country would realize it, as well.” He believes a combination of Leake’s talent and engaging personality — along with some good timing — made that happen.
“Spoken word has this beautiful ability to convey complex issues in a way that is both honest and palatable. I think that’s exactly what we need right now,” he said. “And with Brandon’s charm and charisma, he could sell honey to a beehive.”
As part of his winnings, Leake will get the chance to launch a show at the Luxor in Las Vegas. That pretty blows his mind when he thinks about how his particular talent has been so marginalized over the years.
“With spoken word, you’re never given top billing,” he said. “Historically, you’re going on stage on a Tuesday or a Thursday at 9 or 10 p.m. So many of your friends and family can’t even go see you. They’ve got work in the morning. … But you just keep grinding.”
Pesich and Edmonds are optimistic that Leake’s TV success might turn more people onto the excitement of spoken-word poetry — especially in the Bay Area, where many talented practitioners reside, and where the first National Poetry slam was held in 1990 at San Francisco’s Fort Mason.
“A great spoken-word artist offers me a look into myself and the world around me,” Pesich said. “I have a bodily reaction to the performance. My skin tingles, and the hair on the back of my neck stands up.”
Contact Chuck Barney at cbarney@bayareanewsgroup.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/chuckbarney and Facebook.com/bayareanewsgroup.chuckbarney.
