Lemon Andersen performs "Please don't take my Air Jordans"

Рет қаралды 266,011

11 жыл бұрын

Would you kill for a pair of Air Jordans? Lemon Andersen spins a tale of someone who did, reciting a poem by Reg E. Gaines. These verses taught Lemon that poetry could be about more than self-expression, and could sound like music when given rhythm and infused with the grit of the New York streets around him.
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Пікірлер: 262

@benniengoie8292 5 жыл бұрын

My English teacher played this for me 5 years ago as a sophomore. Man time flies

@brenplaysgamess3443 3 жыл бұрын

i’m watching this rn for class 💀

@dqrrenll 3 жыл бұрын

@@brenplaysgamess3443 im confused asf i need a quote

@imright489 3 жыл бұрын

Yea my english teacher showed us this

@MXLXY 2 жыл бұрын

i’m doing homework on it rn

@Will.boogi3 2 жыл бұрын

Today

@jarrodlacy9856 10 жыл бұрын

Nodding my head my with an astounding, astonishing "Yes." Lemon is keen and quintessential to raw experience, that not only defines his life but he encapsulates his audience with it through insistence. Grand.

@JadaJadaRosa 10 жыл бұрын

This was such a good performance of this wonderful poem

@Mickeystwin33 9 жыл бұрын

I just listened to Macklemore's Wings for the first time and all I could think of was this poem

@talajiahgreen317 8 жыл бұрын

yup

@yourmidnights13 8 жыл бұрын

+Mickeystwin33 i was thinking that too

@lovatlas 5 жыл бұрын

It was based on this poem.

@jdivund 9 жыл бұрын

Saw Lemon in person for myself and I gotta say he's a pretty fly guy who talks not trying to die, in a world with so many troubles that jus 1 screw-up can pop ur bubble

@Bluemann 11 жыл бұрын

I love it that he's not applauding his own work, but explains how other people are great. He is awesome Thank you TED. I enjoyed this, high level.

@yoda8685 4 жыл бұрын

Steal my air Jordan’s you must not

@urfiredup 11 жыл бұрын

its really good to see versatile performances on the TED stage, this one was a really good one

@binnghulbain 11 жыл бұрын

I wish I could form beautiful words to match his and show my appreciation for what I just watched. I could listen to that for hours.

@noahevans423 6 жыл бұрын

"Cut school friday" 5 seconds later. "very next day I bopped into school" wouldnt the next day be saturday?

@j0kkebr0k4 5 жыл бұрын

The next schoolday bro :)

@africanmaan 5 жыл бұрын

Weekend school. A guy that skips school to steal shoes would most likely need to make up some days towards the end of the year.

@bobtehbuildin 4 жыл бұрын

If you go to school Friday, when would the next day you were at school be?

@bgarcia6944 3 жыл бұрын

Don’t ruin the poem....😭

@ELSEXYMUSIC 10 жыл бұрын

yo, saw this guys documentury on tv he other day. Just amazing. made me want to try poetry. Hope your still doing your thing man! Much respect.

@FilmsterStudios 10 жыл бұрын

My school is doing a writing competition on this

@KingAGBozz 9 жыл бұрын

Our school in germany too !!

@mikeyo1234 11 жыл бұрын

Emotive. Powerful. Great message.

@alexpick2028 8 жыл бұрын

fucking love this ... and anyone who can leave negative commentary on a delivery of such conviction and passion and positive information has either a hole in their heart or a plug in their ear. lemon you're a legend brother

@SurgeCess 7 жыл бұрын

Exactly, well said Alex.

@andy4an 11 жыл бұрын

Great performance, classic poetry, obvious passion and thought provoking.

@premiumlager7 11 жыл бұрын

Whether you understand this 8:56 video or not, Andersen's devotion and passion for poetry is suprisingly inspirational.

@dphantom1314 11 жыл бұрын

I wish the poem kept going. I would like to hear where he gets the jacket. And so on. Also if he will ever get caught.

@YossiMontrose 11 жыл бұрын

Amazing talk! really enjoyed listening to it.

@HenryHarvey 10 жыл бұрын

If you liked this poetry, reg e gaines, the man who wrote the original poem is performing at a free event: STAND BY ME: Changing the Dialogue with Acts of Conscience in Honor of Pete Seeger Thursday, APRIL 17, 2014 6:30-9:30pm @ Quaker Meeting Room, Rutherford Place/16th Street, NYC

@bexxyaruba5493 7 жыл бұрын

Amazing! Each time I hear Lemon say something, I know i'm gonna LOVE it!

@GHortaV 11 жыл бұрын

This was fucking awesome. I needed this to keep watching TED talks.

@999across 11 жыл бұрын

I had some preconceived notions but I clicked. I was truly amazed, I watched twice.

@gm4491 10 жыл бұрын

This was deep!

@leshawn1177 8 жыл бұрын

that was nice i loved it

@RomainVanAelst 11 жыл бұрын

Loved it!

@Noirwar 11 жыл бұрын

Here is a message that was conveyed in the story. There is more in this world than what you perceive. An Urban drama poem begat his finding of a science he never knew existed especially in the confines of such candor. It was more to his world than being a dope poet but a scientist. He then ran into someone like him who had no real knowledge of what he understood or had done. And he cursed him out using forms of poetry to show why he was qualified.

@MrLost181 11 жыл бұрын

wait what? the poem about the Nikes as well as the other stories he shares are social commentaries , what he had experienced during his life.the fact you cats saw the negativity in his poem shows that he managed to get the message across.. this guy is a legend in slam poetry his flows, words and emotions is what made him stand out... he's not showing off or trying to be pretentious . he is embracing his culture, where he's from and the people he represents, trying to get kids off the streets.

@Peeano88 10 жыл бұрын

Morning inspiration!

@anklebreaka03 11 жыл бұрын

LEMON!!!!! Wow i remember watching this guy years ago on Def Jam poetry and he killed it, and now hes here. Shit...he made it, he deserves it. Very talented

@kyedoesstuff Жыл бұрын

Lol. My reading class learned this last Tuesday!

@godisdead34 11 жыл бұрын

This TED talk video, and the comments beneath this TED talk video, is such an interesting juxtaposition of eloquence/beauty and foulness/ugly.

@jameskim6808 11 жыл бұрын

are some people seriously disliking this cuz it of his clothes and speech style? I bet most of these dislikers didn't watch it till the end....

@bosna737 11 жыл бұрын

Awesome!!

@jamesforreal 11 жыл бұрын

A genius of brick and concrete set against the standard stereotype of intellectual, with a Brooklyn flair as he dances the words to the melody of a NYC subway train. In other words... yo, that boy nice with it.

@CreativeLeisure00 11 жыл бұрын

Perhaps the next school day...Monday. Thats the beauty of art. No need to be so literal or analytical about minor situational details. It's just food for thought. So eat.

@marcusspringsteed3683 10 жыл бұрын

Actually they pay him to talk about his hopes and dreams and about what he loves. If you understood the first thing about the things he says and what he does then you could truly appreciate his art. And the poem he performed wasn't his first off, it was written by one of the poets that got him interested in poetry, and second, it is very well showing that people place too much need/want in things of the worlds (Ex: The Air Jordans) And I would say "Lemon's" poems are some of the best.

@jacobwiit9894 3 жыл бұрын

Who’s here from online school???

@mendezangel110 3 жыл бұрын

This was 🔥🔥🔥

@late_arvie 11 жыл бұрын

Awesome.

@dwangus 11 жыл бұрын

I was in the audience at that TED talk, and I couldn't appreciate all of it because some annoying kid behind me kept repeating his speech word for word memorized... Now I'm here and I can listen to it interrupted, it's somewhat confusing but still good!

@thebeany 11 жыл бұрын

2:56 "And scene". I tried writing poetry once, but then realized I was writing another language.

@originalvintage 10 жыл бұрын

Amazing as always! Check his old stuff w/ Def Jam Poetry.

@liberiangurl010 9 жыл бұрын

Same here

@byram1 5 жыл бұрын

This was very nice.

@mattdemers6789 11 жыл бұрын

thats amazing

@ShokoDemon 11 жыл бұрын

exquisitely performed =]

@Whizdomation 11 жыл бұрын

Oh wow, this is so true. Kids these days need to watch this :)

@valfitness 11 жыл бұрын

You payed very little attention. It was not his poem he was doing a rendition of it. And a damn good job at it!

@Ezkanohra 3 жыл бұрын

?? how would you know anything about anything on the internet?????????

@anlongyi 11 жыл бұрын

This was lovely to listen to. I think I am often guilty of prejudice against 'ghetto type' people; I avoid people wearing the characteristic baggie pants and hoodie and I grimace at most rap music. The crime and violent culture usually just seems barbaric and stupid. But what really comes through in this genius performance is the human experience. The way the character is motivated by desire to be accepted. Something everyone can surely relate to. We don't choose the culture we are born in to.

@AngilasGuy 11 жыл бұрын

I didn't think I'd like this, but this was actually really well done.

@hosjek 11 жыл бұрын

kinda left me in aaaw......goooood !!

@lanceseidman 11 жыл бұрын

Awesome

@wushish 11 жыл бұрын

I love this talk.... maybe cause i listen to a lot of underground rap, i actually got what he was saying and it wasn't so foreign to me.

@brod2man 11 жыл бұрын

awesome

@stolthabesh 11 жыл бұрын

Lemon is a know poet.. he has some poetry clips from def poetry jam

@yahyehassan3907 Жыл бұрын

Are you on the metro, i could swear i was sitting by you.

@marcusspringsteed3683 10 жыл бұрын

That poem sounds so much like a story! Its so great!

@HigherPlanes 11 жыл бұрын

If it didn't make any sense to you, it went completely over your head, so don't worry about it too much.

@weflylow2183 11 жыл бұрын

I miss him being on def poetry jam.

@imurrealdadoops 11 жыл бұрын

Wing$ - Macklemore You must hear this song. It speaks heavily on this subject.

@darrellshields8672 8 жыл бұрын

Bars

@robertoescobar7013 9 жыл бұрын

Nice poem

@DreamBrotherGrace 11 жыл бұрын

This just broke my swagdar.

@MrLost181 11 жыл бұрын

Lemon!!!

@GamingGangstaa 10 жыл бұрын

is that the guy from "inside man" movie

@kansastintcompany 3 жыл бұрын

Yup

@007VitaminD 10 жыл бұрын

How is that a double entendre around 7:25 ? ty

@eddyndungu6248 9 жыл бұрын

But not vice versa

@Utubmusical 11 жыл бұрын

This is art :) His metrum isn't perfect, but he pulls it off convincingly nonetheless!

@mattdemers6789 11 жыл бұрын

nice dude thats nice

@jviarruel 11 жыл бұрын

shared it

@buddhafyre 5 жыл бұрын

Originally written and performed by Reg E. Gaines on a CD of the same name....

@scarfacethx 11 жыл бұрын

That could be almost every other person in Atlanta. I moved away from Atlanta.

@Waltham1892 11 жыл бұрын

That fierce flowers grow from between the cracks of the side walk; That proper grammar don't give weight to your talk; That the the knife that is sharpest moves fleet; And Shakespeare best work was meant to be played in the street...

@cassandrarhys 11 жыл бұрын

Frickin' buh-rilliant.

@vk08 11 жыл бұрын

So what was the second lesson he learnt?

@jacobwiit9894 3 жыл бұрын

2020 anyone

@landdcollection 11 жыл бұрын

That was pretty cool actually. He really is a bit off beat, but that just adds to it if you look with at least an open mind.

@MartinsaMadman 11 жыл бұрын

He killed on a Friday, but went to school the next day. Saturday school!

@MrLost181 11 жыл бұрын

injecting positivity instead of negativity... its normal to find people who shun individuals such as lemon. people who judge people on their stereo types and how he talks and acts All the attributes,skills and success that he shares is not something he is trying to boast about but to show that it's possible for anyone who shares his passion...life lessons turned into an emotional art form in this case poetry..Honestly its kind of hard now to express what you feel without being judged or branded.

@timinniss 11 жыл бұрын

Lol. I read that and the irony is painfully hilarious.

@ernesthall5463 11 жыл бұрын

how'd he bop into school the very next day if this happened on a friday? Love you though Lemon

@nickleback669 11 жыл бұрын

you didn't watch the full video did you?

@Noirwar 11 жыл бұрын

You forgot or failed to acknowledge that he "acknowledged" the people whom he borrowed from. Learning is not all experience it is mostly observation.

@cgerman5 11 жыл бұрын

"...whatever slander you send my way. Your Mother."

@drditup 11 жыл бұрын

Possible. I skipped one third of his introduction and then half of the actual talk trying to find a point in his gibberish, but I could not. He was talking about poetry and my mother and it's probably a good representation of "life of a mugger on a street"-show. But what's his point? What did he want us to know or learn?

@falloutgirl902 4 жыл бұрын

How was he not in Hamilton!?

@Kenji07 8 жыл бұрын

he's puerto rican. so not exactly macklemore...

@bloriso 6 жыл бұрын

half PR, half macklemore

@JDMGE 11 жыл бұрын

Straight truth here, people are so fascinated with the superficial stuff in life. Jordans are not important but folks will camp out for days for them and for what? Kanye lyrics ring heavy in head with my people, And I Spent $400 On Bucks On This Just To Be Like N**** You Aint Up On This smh

@Santello22 11 жыл бұрын

I kinda liked it, although i have to say i rather see this on "Def poetry jam".

@Shiningsupern0va 8 жыл бұрын

XD My friend wrote this... "Poems,Poems I don't go to school to learn about poems but what I learned from my teacher is 'Your Mother' "

@Dabeast7233 8 жыл бұрын

JOHNNNNNN CENAAAAAAA

@pennyh7674 11 жыл бұрын

they already have not trying to be rude if that sounded rude cause that kind of sounded rude to me but yeah

@GabrielSparkletits 11 жыл бұрын

I bet he'd know where the biggest rock is.

@jeffeyerman8843 11 жыл бұрын

haha whatever slander you send my way... Your Mother. But I did understand the poem and like it, also you should try This ====> To this day by shane koyczan