Slam

Story

Synopsis

Raymond Joshua, a young black performance poet, is arrested and imprisoned for a petty marijuana charge in a Washington, D.C. jail. Although the confining prison walls do little to shield him from danger, it is within those walls that Raymond establishes his identity, strength, and voice and meets a prison gang leader and a prison writing teacher, Lauren Bell. Bell inspires Raymond to use the power of creative expression to free himself from the struggles and demise of the Black male as another victim of the judicial system.

Director

Marc Levin

Writers

Saul Williams, Marc Levin, Bonz Malone

Language

English

Country

United States of America

Release date

7 October 1998

Ensemble

Cast

• 

  Saul Williams

  Ray Joshua

• 

  Sonja Sohn

  Lauren Bell

• Bonz Malone

  Hopha

• Lawrence Wilson

  Big Mike

• 

  Beau Sia

  Jimmy Huang

• Andre Taylor

  China

• Momolu Stewart

  Bay (Jail Rapper)

• Ron Jones

  Do Wop Cop

• Reamer Shedrick

  Do Wop Cop

• Allan E. Lucas

  Chief C.O.

• Dominic Chianese Jr.

  Officer Dom

• Jerome Goldman

  Jail Class Poet 'Why'