Jordan Bailey

Hip Hop Contrapuntal for Dummies

   

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Image by Glaison Francis  from Pexels

Jordan Bailey is a 28-year-old poet, teaching artist, and curator out of Charlotte. NC. Jordan began his journey into poetry at 16, years old, joining Breathe Ink Poetry and becoming their grand slam champion twice. After aging out, Jordan continued the work becoming a coach and teaching artist for the same organization as well as emerging as a star in the adult poetry slam community. He is a part of the 2018 National Poetry Slam Champions and the 2019 Slam Madness Champion. Jordan still seeks to gain more knowledge, skill becoming a Graduate Fellow of The Watering Hole, a writing retreat for writers of color. In the Spring of 2025, he became an artist in residency with Goodyear Arts. Jordan Bailey’s work is built on expanding minds and world building.

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1. Pop Shit

I’m the greatest

to ever

say they the greatest

Word to the wrinkles in

my great grandpa palms

the blood the cotton fields

milked out of bodied

I ain't an elbow pass

I'm Magic

I'm King James holy

I can hold court

better than Thurgood

I heard good I'm better

Cause I gotta be

Niggas

remember statues

not tombstones

I ain't a damn shame

I am a god damn

I got the whole world

Waistband tucked 

2. Pop Smoke

​Dead boy

make the best music

All the booming

Their bass holding

could of been any name

Still bleeding here

we remember the young ones

Purposeless and potential

Dance Boy

that thing you loved for

Make a miracle of your iridescence

You be oil slick

Be an anthem

the song

crying

maybe you'll be more than

Just a long story

made short

the world memorizes

reciting

Till the record breaks

3. Pop Trunk

Never need reason

Never learned control

Hands itching

Cold stares

birthed a tragedy

Try Me

I'll rearrange history

I typhoon small rooms

I'll air this bitch out

what's reason

Ain't a defense

I'm a crash out

Make me pop trunk

for

more blood milked

Better find

my pound of flesh

the world owes me

I don't mind

taking from,

repeating, and reaping

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