Enjoy the Blaq Ice Experience: King of Spoken Word Poetry and Father of the Chicago Poet Laureate

KING OF POETRY BLAQ ICE
Home
THE STORY
VIDEOS
Gallery
BLAQ MARKET
ACTIVISM
TOUR DATES
SPOKEN WORD AWARDS
NATIONAL SPOKEN WORD FEST
LEGENDS OF CHICAGO HIPHOP
DJ TONY SWAAGA
SIMEON CLASS OF 1990
THE P.O.E.T MOVEMENT
BLAQ ICE REVIEWS
KING OF POETRY BLAQ ICE
Home
THE STORY
VIDEOS
Gallery
BLAQ MARKET
ACTIVISM
TOUR DATES
SPOKEN WORD AWARDS
NATIONAL SPOKEN WORD FEST
LEGENDS OF CHICAGO HIPHOP
DJ TONY SWAAGA
SIMEON CLASS OF 1990
THE P.O.E.T MOVEMENT
BLAQ ICE REVIEWS
More
  • Home
  • THE STORY
  • VIDEOS
  • Gallery
  • BLAQ MARKET
  • ACTIVISM
  • TOUR DATES
  • SPOKEN WORD AWARDS
  • NATIONAL SPOKEN WORD FEST
  • LEGENDS OF CHICAGO HIPHOP
  • DJ TONY SWAAGA
  • SIMEON CLASS OF 1990
  • THE P.O.E.T MOVEMENT
  • BLAQ ICE REVIEWS
  • Home
  • THE STORY
  • VIDEOS
  • Gallery
  • BLAQ MARKET
  • ACTIVISM
  • TOUR DATES
  • SPOKEN WORD AWARDS
  • NATIONAL SPOKEN WORD FEST
  • LEGENDS OF CHICAGO HIPHOP
  • DJ TONY SWAAGA
  • SIMEON CLASS OF 1990
  • THE P.O.E.T MOVEMENT
  • BLAQ ICE REVIEWS

LETS GET READY FOR THE 2025 NATIONAL SPOKEN WORD AWARDS

Our Vision

 

The National Spoken Word Awards was founded in 2017 by De'Andre Hawthorne aka Blaq Ice, an international award winning Spoken Word Poet from Chicago and the father of the Chicago Poet Laureate. He was instrumental in bringing the National Poetry Awards to Chicago in 2016, the 7th and final year of the National Poetry Awards. The end of the National Poetry Awards inspired the beginning of the NATIONAL SPOKEN WORD AWARDS.

The Grammys Of Spoken Word

 

The awards were created to honor American Spoken Word Artists and those international Spoken Word artists who have made an impact in the United States. The 1st annual Spoken Word Awards was held on Saturday September 2, 2017 in Chicago IL. The NSWAs will be held every year, the weekend of Labor Day, kicking off International Spoken Word Month. The nomination period takes place every year, starting April 1st (National Poetry Month), and ending the third Sunday in May.

The nomination period starts April 1st, the first day of National Poetry Month and goes until May 15th. The voting period starts June 1st until July 31st. Voting is done electronically, fairly and every Spoken Word artist has the same opportunity to get their fans and supporters to vote for them. The National Spoken Word Awards has done what no other awards show does, post the voting results, so that all could see the transparency and the integrity of the National Spoken Word Awards. Please visit our website at nationalspokenwordawards.com 

2024 nswa highlights

EPIFANY, CHEF GABBY AND SHE UNAPOLOGETIC

THE NATIONAL SPOKEN WORD AWARDS 2024

HOODRAISED, THE MESSENGER, VINNOM AND JERONIMO

THE NATIONAL SPOKEN WORD AWARDS 2024

CARLTON CJ JONES AND KING OF POETRY DARRYL THE REAL DEAL

THE 2024 NSWA BEST COMETRY CATEGORY

2024 nswa best slam poet

NSWA MULTI-AWARD WINNING POET ROBIN BOBO


the youth showed up and showed out

LEXI WC, THE 2024 CHICAGO MUSIC AWARD WINNER FOR BEST YOUTH

2024 NSWA YOUTH NOMINEE CJ CATLETT JR.

THE 2024 NSWA WINNERS

    THE 2024 NSWA PHOTOS

      king of poetry blaq ice live at the 2024 nationL SPOKEN WORD

      E.G.O. EASING GOD OUT

      the 2024 national spoken word fest

      KING OF POETRY BLAQ ICE RECEIVES THE 2024 DUBCEEZ LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

      THE 2024 nswa victory tour LIVE AT THE HISTORIC DALEY PLAZA

      LATI D, CHEF GABBY, T'AURA THE POET & VISION

      2024 NSWA VOTING RESULTS

      CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS

      NSWA CATEGORIES AND RULES april 1, 2024 - mARCH 31, 2025

      THE CATEGORIES

      THE CATEGORIES

      THE CATEGORIES

       

      01. NSWA BEST SPOKEN WORD MALE / FEMALE



      02. NSWA BEST SPOKEN WORD FEMALE


      03. BLAQ ICE AWARD/BEST SPOKEN WORD ENTERTAINER


      04. BEST SPOKEN WORD STAGE SHOW


      05. BEST OPEN MIC SET


      06. BEST HOST


      07. BEST COMETRY OF THE YEAR


      08. INTERNATIONAL SPOKEN WORD ARTIST OF THE YEAR



      09. THE NICO WASHINGTON / NSWA 

      PROMOTER OF THE YEAR



      10. BEST SPOKEN WORD VENUE



      11. SLAM SPOKEN WORD ARTIST OF THE YEAR



      12. BEST SPOKEN WORD YOUTH (UNDER 19)



      13. BEST SPOKEN WORD DUO OR GROUP



      14. STRAWBERRI TAYLOR AWARD/ BEST EROTIC

       


      15. BEST SPIRITUAL SPOKEN WORD ARTIST

       


      16. RISING STAR OF THE YEAR



      17. RADIO SHOW / TV OR STATION OF THE YEAR



      18. BEST SPOKEN WORD STORYTELLER  



      19. ARMEN RAH / NSWA MENTORSHIP AWARD 


      20. P.O.E.T COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD



      21. BEST SPOKEN WORD ALBUM


      22. NSWA OVERCOMER OF THE YEAR

      CATEGORIES

      RULE 1-11

      THE CATEGORIES

      THE CATEGORIES

      1. MUST BE A PERFORMING POET / 10 FEATURES W/ VIDEO/ ADVERTISEMENT PROOF


      2. MUST BE A PERFORMING POET W/ 10 FEATURES/ W VIDEO / ADVERTISEMENT PROOF


      3. VIDEO PROOF OF A LIVE INTERACTIVE AUDIENCE PERFORMANCE W/ 5 FEATURES 



      4. VIDEO PROOF OF STAGE PRODUCTION OR SHOWCASE THAT INCLUDES PERFORMANCES AN HOUR OR MORE IN LENGTH



      5. AN OPEN MIC THAT RAN AFTER APRIL THE PREVIOUS YEAR (A MINIMUM OF 6 MONTHS)


      6. MUST HAVE VIDEO PROOF OF HOSTING 5 OR MORE EVENTS



      7. VIDEO PROOF PERFORMING 3 DIFFERENT COMEDY POETRY PIECES



      8. MUST BE AN ACTIVE PERFORMER WHO LIVES OUTSIDE THE U.S. W/ 5 OR MORE PERFORMANCES W/ VIDEO PROOF



      9. MUST CURATE AND OR PROMOTE 5 OR MORE LIVE OR ONLINE SPOKEN WORD EVENTS



      10. VENUES THAT HOST SPOKEN WORD EVENTS BETWEEN APRIL THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND THE CURRENT YEAR



      11. MUST HAVE PROOF OF COMPETING IN AT LEAST 5 SLAMS


      NSWA RULES 1-11

      RULE 12-22

      THE CATEGORIES

      RULE 12-22

      12. MUST HAVE PROOF OF STAGE PERFORMANCE


      13. MUST HAVE PROOF OF A GROUP PERFORMANCE



      14. MUST HAVE  3 OR MORE DIFFERENT PIECES AND SHOW VIDEO PROOF OF 5 OR MORE LOVE, SEX, ROMANTIC OR EROTIC PERFORMANCES



      15. MUST PERFORM 3 OR MORE DIFFERENT SPIRITUAL OR RELIGIOUS PIECES W/ VIDEO PROOF OF 5 OR MORE PERFORMANCES



      16. POETS WHO ARE IN THE PROCESS OF ESTABLISHING THEMSELVES



      17. MUST HAVE A CURRENT POETRY ONLINE, RADIO, SOCIAL MEDIA OR TV SHOW



      18. MUST SHOW VIDEO PROOF OF 5 OR MORE STAGE PERFORMANCES TELLING A STORY



      19. MUST HAVE VIDEO PROOF OF MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS  


      20. PROOF OF COMMUNITY SERVICE​


      ​21. CD RELEASE DATE MUST BE AFTER APRIL THE PREVIOUS YEAR


      22. SPOKEN WORD ARTIST WITH A HEALTH CHALLENGE THAT BRIEFLY PREVENTED THEM FROM PEROFORMING

      NSWA RULES 12-22

      THE 2023 NSWA highlights

      BLAQ ICE PRODUCTIONS

      THE 2022 NSWA HIGHLIGHTS

      THE YOUTH SPEAKS

      THE RISING STAR CATEGORY

      THE 2021 NSWA HIGHLIGHTS

      THE BEST COMETRY ARTIST

      THE BEST SLAM POET

      BEST STORYTELLER

      THE 2020 NSWA HIGHLIGHTS

      BLK SOL AND HOODRAISED

      THE YOUTH CATEGORY

      LYRICAL AND JERONIMO

      THE 2019 NSWA HIGHLIGHTS

      DARRYL THE REAL DEAL

      RHEMA RHETORIC

      THE 2018 NSWA HIGHLIGHTS

      BLAQ ICE PRODUCTIONS

      THE RED CARPET INTERVIEWS

      BABA GRIOT

      THE MESSENGER

      THE 2017 NSWA HIGHLIGHTS

      BLAQ ICE PRODUCTIONS

      FacebookInstagramLinkedInTikTokXYouTube
      FacebookInstagramLinkedInTikTokXYouTube
      FacebookInstagramLinkedInTikTokXYouTube
      FacebookInstagramLinkedInTikTokXYouTube
      FacebookInstagramLinkedInTikTokXYouTube
      FacebookInstagramLinkedInTikTokXYouTube

      Copyright © 2025 THE NEW BLAQ ICE WEBSITE - All Rights Reserved.


      Powered by

      This website uses cookies.

      We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.

      Accept