Artists
2005 Festival Lineup

	Afi Afi stands out as one of the rare birds in the music scene. It is unusual for music lovers nowadays to get such a great musical experience from artists. Usually, you are faced with differentiating between whether or not a performer is solely a singer; just a lyricist; or simply an entertainer. But with Afi, you get all of the above. The lucky crowd that witnessed her performance last weekend became a part of what could only be called a musical experience. Visit Afi's website
	April Ardito April has been writing for 16 years, and performing for eight. In 2001, she went on tour that took her from her home in Worcester, MA all the way to Los Angeles, CA and back again. That was also the year she won the first ever "Spirit of the Slam" award for organizing a 90-hour consecutive open mic at NPS in Seattle. April is the owner of RoseWater Publications, a chapbook publisher that also puts out a yearly anthology called "Through Spider's Eyes" She has completed NaNoWriMo (an insane endeavor which requires participants to write 50,000 words in just thirty days) four years running. You may have also heard her referred to as "that crazy woman who got Chris August to finals" at IWPS this past February.
	Grenique The industry is alive with talented singers, but definitely missing something. That something is a young vibrant songstress that goes by the name of Grenique. A singer songwriter/producer, Grenique’s unique style and flavor are reflected through her soulful sound. Her passion, creativity and wisdom set her apart from the usual. “My life experiences have built character in me and I sing from my inner soul. My songs are raw, and my creativity is in the way I express myself," explains Grenique. Grenique’s not new to this industry. Her first debut album titled" Black Butterfly", on Motown hit Billboards “Hot 100 chart. Her 1999 single “Should I’ made much noise and the video blazed up BET rotation. Grenique has built a solid fan base. Her promotional tour gained her the support and respect of her fans. Even to this day many of her fans whether in the industry or the public await the sophomore effort of this hot artist.
	Naiea Visit Naiea's website
	Ms. Nyema On her debut project, Phenyemanal, she displays the soul of an Eryka Badu or India Arie, the power and conviction of a Jill Scott and Chaka, and the sexiness of Toni Braxton or Beyonce. Writing all of the songs on the CD, she is poised to be introduced to the world as a young lady full of life's experiences in love, laughter, sorrow and victory. "Writing and singing are like therapy for me". The songs on her project definitely put those writing and singing skills on full display. "Going On" is poised to be a new women's anthem; with it's Spanish guitars, "Desiree's Dance" is a beautiful track that will have the listener in a trance. Don't be surprised if a new generation of babies are born to the slow groove "Phenomenal", or when the emotion-filled "Perfect World", is covered by bands for years to come. Born Nyema Luenne, (pronounced Lu-wenn), in Monrovia, Liberia, Ms. Nyema moved to New York as a teen. She discovered her love for music and entertainment at the tender age of 3. "I sang my first solo not having anything else in mind but making my grandmother proud of me" Ms Nyema states. From singing solos in church, to performing at the Apollo, Wilson's, Nell's, an off-Broadway play, hosting the Washington DC based TV show, and preparing for acting roles in short films, Ms Nyema's career is definitely going full steam ahead. "Right now, I just feel blessed to have crossed paths with some really amazing people, who are helping me live a dream," says Ms. Nyema as she is being mic'ed up for the show's open "I can still say I am making my grandmother proud, while I am also bringing something for the whole world to feel !" Visit Ms. Nyema's website
	Rebecca "Butterfly" Vaughns Rebecca "Butterfly" Vaughns has been married to poetry since the age of ten. There are no words that can explain the passion and love Rebecca has for poetry. She holds Langston Hughes accountable for turning her into a fiend. Rebecca leaves audiences amazed at her ability to freestyle poetry leaving one to think its been inked for awhile. She impressed Bruce George ~ Co-Founder of Def Poetry Jam in 2002 at the 2nd Annual Spoken Word Expo held in St. Louis, MS when she came hard from the dome in the midst of a cipher out in the parking lot after an open mic session. Rebecca has tapped many of mics on various stages from elementary schools to high schools to colleges to jails to festivals and is in high demand for weddings, funerals, baby christenings, retirement parties, church galas and everything else in between. She's an International Spoken Word Artist with people appreciating her work in Canada, The Bahamas, Jamaica, Belize, Africa, and Argentina just to name a few. She's appeared on internet and mainstream radio as well as underground radio. She's done live broadcasting performances on Haitian and Spanish television locally and has appeared on various radio stations and television in other cities throughout the USA. Her work is supported and loved by the likes of Shang~comedian/ poet, Betty Wright ~ singer/songwriter, Floetry, MC Lyte, Joss Stone, and Robert Townsend just to name a few. Rebecca has truly made a name for herself in the arena of spoken word and poetry since taking the stage May, 1997. Rebecca holds several accolades for her craft to include 2003 Spoken Word Artist of The Year, two slam wins, and her work is featured on compilations in New york, Chicago, and Miami just to name a few as well as appearances in anthologies to include Drumvoices Revue ~ spring,summer, fall 2004 issue with a tribute to Katherine Dunham.
	Spirit Daynna Dixon, born in Washington, DC. Duke Ellington Graduate- Vocal Department. Performing since age 5. Artist, Producer, Activist, Single Mom of 3. Enrolled in Masters of Science in Southern New Hampshire University to graduate in May 07. Founder of “Artivism" and Producer of “Protesting from the Stage" using art to organize for social justice.
	The People 606 With a band name meaning humankind, The People 606 create bold harmonic music that feeds the soul, believing you’ll love what you hear and live what you love. They live up to this by delivering the goods on songs like the electric funk 27years and the smooth grooved To Survive. Both songs make you want to move and sing along while driving home the essential idea of humanities collective interdependence for survival. A live show is a must see.
	Yamico Yamico, A.K.A. “Fatal Beauty", The First Lady of “Off The Rack Records" is from the streets of Charlotte, NC. For the past 6 years she has written and performed as a rapper up and down the East Coast. She has performed with such artist as Outkast, JaRule and others. She is now ready to take the dirty south to a whole new level with the soon to be released singles, “Hit-N" and “Ya’ll Ain’t Ready", featuring “Lil Mac" of Fa Real Records. Her strong and direct lyrics are based on her experiences and thoughts as she’s transformed from the street corner to the stage, introducing this new street Diva to the music industry. Yamico is truly a success story; straight from the Projects of Piedmont Courts, to banging out hits around the country. Get ready for the lady from the “New Dirty South", Charlotte, NC