Exposing fresh talent is the objective of the Jamaica Poetry Festival (JPF) which takes place at the University of Technology (UTech), Jamaica’s amphitheatre today, August 9.

Under the theme ‘Generation Next’, founder and organiser of the event Yasus Afari told the Jamaica Observer that patrons will hear the work of aspirants such as Empress Kay, Kalilah Martin, Scantana, and Ras Jaja. He said their positive messages are a contrast to the violent content that dominates contemporary dancehall.

“This is particularly important in light of the rapidly declining quality of the lyrical content in our music and the attendant social and moral decay,” the veteran poet noted. “The theme signals our work, efforts, and intention to harmonise and integrate all the demographics and psychographics into the social fabric of Jamaica…”