NSW hip hop artist wins Poetry Slam '08
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Omar Musa says he hopes to inspire other Australians to write. (ABC Local: Catherine Croll)
A hip hop artist and poet from New South Wales has won this year's Australian Poetry Slam competition, held at Sydney Opera House last night.
Poetry slam is a style of performed poetry which takes its influences from rap and hip hop.
After the 18 state and territory finalists performed on topics such as going to the dentist and football, there was a tie between Omar Musa from Queanbeyan, south-east of Canberra, and Mark Lloyd from Western Australia.
Mr Musa ultimately won the $5,000 prize and the chance to compete internationally.
He says he hopes others will be inspired to write poetry.
"I think we should keep encouraging events like this because in Australia I think sport and all that sort of thing is encouraged as opposed to intellectual activity and things like poetry," he said.
"I think things like hip hop and slam poetry events are the kind of things that would reignite a love for the English language, which I think is often missing.
More than 600 people entered this year's competition, many with political themes such as the global financial crisis, war and women's rights.
Regina Sutton from the State Library says there has been a resurgence of interest in poetry.
"People are not only using their libraries more, reading more they are really getting into poetry and great literature," she said.
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