Brandon Leake Challenges Freedom on latest “Black Jesus” Poem
Justin Lubin/NBC Reading Time: 2 minutes
Brandon Leake’s latest poem “Black Jesus” challenges our idea of freedom. The America’s Got Talent champion premiered his latest piece on Youtube. The poet is gearing up to release Unraveling, his first real poetry book. The new poem is a taste of what fans can expect when his book hits bookshelves on March 8.
Leake taped his latest spoken word poem at Word Humboldt in Arcata, CA. The venue is a hub for the spoken word community. The organization usually hosts open mics as well as help poets tour locally and nationally. Leake connected and moved the audience with his poetry and one man theater show earlier this year.
The poet shows why he was able to capture America’s heart and win Season 15 of America’s Got Talent. The one minute spoken word addresses the plight of the Black man experience in America. The wordsmith will surely cause a bit of commotion on social media as he compares that experience to the crucifixion of Jesus.
“The Story of Jesus the Nazarene could have been a viral video of 2016,” Leake recites.
Brandon Leake’s “Black Jesus”
Leake goes on to name drop Black men who have been unjustly killed in America. He mentions Philando Castile, who was killed by a police officer in 2017, and compares the spilling of his blood to a man dying for another man’s sins. The poet also mentions Emmett Till, the young 14 year old who was lynched in Mississippi in 1955.
In the end, Leake asks his audience if America today would recognize Jesus’s “freedom.”
Leake is able to capture the harsh times that we are living in. A time where government is still trying to pass the Emmett Till Lynching Act. A time where we are witnessing countless wars across the world.
The Unraveling author shocked viewers when he dominated America’s Got Talent. By just using his words he was able to leave spectators in awe while making them critically think. Since winning, the spoken word poet has only continued his mission. He has won fans from all around the world, including celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres. Leake has made several appearances on the comedian’s talk show.
The Season 15 winner is also a headliner on the America’s Got Talent Live Las Vegas Show. For now fans can preorder Leake’s upcoming Unraveling book.
