Dwayne Morgan Celebrates 32 Years of Spoken Word

The Canadian spoken word veteran Dwayne Morgan, a recipient of the Order of Ontario, is celebrating his 32-year career with a five-show series in Toronto this November. Author, performer, and two-time national poetry slam champion Morgan returns to the stage with a concept that blends poetry, music, and transmission.

Performances will take place on November 5, 12, 19, 22 and 26 at ConTXT by Trane and the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, for an event that promises to be as creative as it is engaging.

A journey marked by consistency and transmission

Since its inception in 1993, Dwayne Morgan has established itself as a reference in North American spoken word. In 1994, he founded Up From The Roots Entertainment, a structure designed to support Afro-Canadian artists and those from urban cultures.
Thirty years later, this mission remains at the heart of its approach: to give a stage to voices that would otherwise have no space to express themselves.

His recognition extends far beyond the country's borders: Morgan has performed across Canada, the United States, Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean, sharing his writing and energy with diverse audiences. He has notably performed for Barack Obama, Michaëlle Jean, shared the stage with Russell Peters, open for Alicia Keys, collaborated with Drake and even took part in the Super Bowl 46.

A series of shows to celebrate live art

The month of November will be punctuated by several unique concepts:

• November 5 — Poems in the Key of Life #1 : Dwayne Morgan and the jazz pianist Thompson Egbo-Egbo will open the series with a performance around the dialogue between poetry and music.
• November 12 — Poems in the Key of Life #2 : second part, this time with the hip-hop/R&B pianist Joel Joseph.
• November 19 — Back Chat : an interactive spoken word scene where the artists Patrick De Belen, AG, Patrick Walters, Shelly Grace and Scribe will perform before interacting with the audience.
• November 22 — When Brothers Speak 2025 : the flagship event, recognized as the largest gathering of Afro-descendant poets in North America, will bring together Will, Randell Adjei, Cloud, Tebe Zalango and Scribe, under the direction of Dwayne Morgan.
• November 26 — Poems in the Key of Life #3 : last chapter of the series, with the soul/folk pianist Jennie Laws and the singer Harmony Pike.

A pillar of Canadian spoken word

With ten albums to his credit, including Silent Night, a Christmas album entirely in spoken word, Dwayne Morgan remains a central figure on the Toronto urban scene.

Founder of the Toronto Spoken Soul Festival, he continues to build bridges between generations and artistic disciplines.

Always true to his style, Morgan sees this series of shows as a living legacy, a way to keep the word moving while creating spaces for the artists of today and tomorrow.

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