Students piled into Stallings Ballroom for Aggies and Poets: After Dark on April 13, as a part of the Aggie Fest week of events. Aggies and Poets: After Dark was presented by Student Government Association (SGA) and was put together by SGA Secretary, Janae Brown as this is her last Aggies and Poets event.

Due to the event taken place throughout Aggie Fest, it had the luxury being held from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. “It really emphasized the Aggie Fest part, believing the hype,” said Brown. “It was great for the university letting me have this event at this time of night because it really puts emphasis on the after dark aspect,” added Brown. A delay held the program to start later than planned due to the many students wanting to get into the venue.

As a presence of spoken word for the student body, Aggies and Poets: After Dark had performances of a mass variety.

Poets, singers and rappers performed many original pieces or sung songs the crowd was familiar with such as, “I’ll Be There” by Tiffany Evans and Chris Brown’s interpretation of Otis Redding’s “Try A Little Tenderness” from the film, “This Christmas.”

Members of Couture Productions also performed at the event.

Many performers had promising messages throughout their poems, but one performer made a huge impact in the event with his original piece, “Top Nine.” Brandon Brockington, a junior English major from Baltimore, MD was performing at Aggies and Poets for the second time.

Brockington got the inspiration to write the piece after watching a video clip of “The Boondocks” when character Uncle Ruckus was making fun of Greek Life and college students.

Brockington’s piece was about the leadership and responsibilities of the African American community. He strongly expressed that the poem was not to target greeks on campus, but he used Greek letter organizations as a parody to deliver a message for the  African American community as a whole. “As students we have a responsibility and we have to serve our representation of our responsibilities,” added Brockington.

For this being her final Aggies and Poets event, Brown feels very accomplished of the event’s turnout. She is very confident that her successor, upcoming SGA Secretary, Whitney Walker will make Aggies and Poets: After Dark and annual event.

As Brown looks forward to graduating in May and her SGA term coming to a close, Walker, a sophomore nursing major from Durham, NC plans to improve the event.

“[I’m] really excited about the turnout of it since the first Aggies and Poets and next year I plan to have it in a bigger facility, but somewhere where more people can attend and enjoy the event,” said Walker.  

After the event ended a lot of students were pleased with Aggies and Poets and the talents that was displayed.

“I enjoyed the poetry and singers. I love Couture Word because they always coming hard. The very last poet really brought it and I loved every word from the beginning to the end,” said Johnika Golden, a sophomore psychology major from Fayetteville, NC.

• Jonathan Veal