Photo courtesy of Audley
David Stamps is a 55-year-old, LGBT, veteran, living in St. Albans, Queens, NYC. He’s recently been named 2023-24 Artist-in-Residence at The Kennedy Center by Karina Galiano, at THE REACH program, for the cultural and social impact of his latest project. a poetry play entitled,” The Black Bullet Dichotomy” aka “The BBD.”
“The BBD” is a negative-low-energy matrix created to dehumanize the Black family for a free, powerful, labor force to power a perverted version of the “American Dream.” Where the Black man is deemed 3/5ths of a man. You can’t take a piece of paper and transform a man from 3/5ths a man to a whole man. Either he was a man in the beginning, and you lied, or he’ll never be a man in your eyes. That’s why they have no problem killing us.
The Black family must employ unconditional love, spiritual alignment, and in-depth understanding of “The Law of Attraction” to bypass this culture-specific travesty. The BBD is a CHOREOPOEM of one poet’s existential crisis concerning the unhealthy relationship forced on the Black man in reference to the bullet in America using Hip Hop, Spoken Word/Poetry, Dance, and Song. It’s quite literally where Hip Hop meets The Twilight Zone!
The BBD was hand-picked as a finalist in the AITAF Bridge Award Competition for 2022 by Pulitzer-Prize winning playwright Paula Vogel. It afforded David a three-day writing retreat on Cape Cod with Paula. She also mentoring him with the marketing for the ground-breaking play.
Karina Galiano, the Social Impact Director at REACH, will be forwarding his package to THE ROOTS, the house band for The Jimmy Fallon Show. They’re already in-residence at The Kennedy Center, to do the original score for the BBD. Also, Debbie Allen, Oprah Winfrey, and Simone Echols, the Curator of Hip Hop at The Kennedy Center, will be receiving the package in the coming weeks.
Lastly, the BBD has been selected to kick-off the 50 year anniversary celebration of The Frank Silvera Workshop, in association with The Billie Holiday Theater’s Virtual “New Play Reading Series” scheduled for February 26, 2022, at 7PM EST. That’s the last Sunday in Black History Month. It’ll be completely online, FREE OF CHARGE, and if you can’t make the actual Virtual, online performance it’ll be posted on YouTube.
THE BLACK BULLET DICHOTOMY
WRITTEN BY: DAVID M. STAMPS
SYNOPSIS
A moment of your time, I’d like to make the case for Black-on-Black rhyme…
I grew up on the means streets of Detroit, Mich. There was this brother, let’s say his name was,” QP!” Now QP was LGBT. To be LGBT, in the H-O-O-D, now that’s a hard thing to be. So QP picked up that gun, and he got his respect too, but he got shot down dead in the street.
I was LGBT in the H-O-O-D, but I had emotional intelligence. So that’s what The BBD address, the decisions this poet makes when he feels unworthy as opposed to the decisions he makes when he embarks on the transformational journey to embrace his worthiness. Have you noticed a disproportionate number of black men being shot and killed in America?
I’ve stumbled upon the underlying culprit. It’s The Black Bullet Dichotomy. What is that? I’m so glad you asked. The BBD is a CHOREOPOEM of one poet’s existential crisis concerning the unhealthy relationship forced on the Black man concerning the bullet in America using Hip-Hop, Spoken Word/Poetry, Dance and Song.
It’s quite literally “Where Hip-Hop meets The Twilight Zone.”
SYNOPSIS: A volatile young poet accidentally shoots and kills a “pillar of the community.” He realizes he’s the victim of The Black Bullet Dichotomy, but before he can expose it, he gets shot through the head, but he doesn’t die.
He goes into a coma where he’s led by a Spiritual Guide to the mystical city of Utopia, MS. Martyrs of the dichotomy, like the Spirit of Tupac Shakur and ancestors like the Spirit of Harriet Tubman, explain the dichotomy to him. He experiences an awakening.
He sits up in his casket at his own funeral to denounce the hypocrisies of the dichotomy. But what about the zealots out to take revenge on him for killing an innocent man? What will become of this poet with a message of love for the world? Will he live long enough to expose the Black Bullet Dichotomy?
GO BANG! Magazine: Where were you born and raised?
David M. Stamps: First, thanks for this opportunity to discuss my work. It’s awesome. I was born in Fontana, CA. When I was two years old, we moved to Detroit, Mich. I did my high school years in Flint, Mich.
GO BANG! Magazine: How would you describe your childhood and teen years?
David M. Stamps: I had an amazing childhood! My father beat me in the street every day with an extension cord. My “heterosexual” brother beat me and grinded on me every day. My hygiene was extremely poor and yet I maintained a 3.4 grade average, starred in the school play, and almost won the talent show. It was amazing. That’s where I learned about the power of unconditional love.
GO BANG! Magazine: Do you have a role model, or someone that you look up to or who inspires you? If so, who would that be?
David M. Stamps: There are two. First, August Wilson. “The Piano Lesson” is one of my favorite plays of all time. There’s such a foreboding in the air of the piece, juxtaposed with this truly hilarious comedy. Brilliant,
Second, James Baldwin. He was so good in “The Uncondition.” If you listen to Esther Hicks then you understand that. And if you don’t listen to Esther Hicks on YouTube, for FREE, you don’t know what you’re missing. I’ve seen James Baldwin be authentic amid a deeply troubling narrative around the Black gay man in his day.
GO BANG! Magazine: What inspired you to write “The Black Bullet Dichotomy?”
David M. Stamps I grew up on the means streets of Detroit, Mich. There was this brother, let’s say his name was,” QP!” Now, QP was LGBT. To be LGBT, in the H-O-O-D, now that’s a hard thing to be. So QP picked up that gun, and he got his respect too, but he got shot down dead in the street.
I was LGBT in the H-O-O-D, but I had emotional intelligence. So that’s what The BBD address. The decisions this poet makes when he feels unworthy, as opposed to the decisions he makes when he embarks on the transformational journey to embrace his worthiness. Have you noticed a disproportionate number of Black men being shot and killed in America?
I’ve stumbled upon the underlying culprit. It’s The Black Bullet Dichotomy. What is that? I’m so glad you asked. The BBD is a CHOREOPOEM of one poet’s existential crisis concerning the unhealthy relationship forced on the Black man, concerning the bullet in America using Hip-Hop, Spoken Word/Poetry, Dance and Song. It’s quite literally “Where Hip-Hop meets The Twilight Zone.”
GO BANG! Magazine: What do you hope The BBD accomplishes?
David M. Stamps: Because I know emotional intelligence and spiritual alignment is the only way to get out of the low energy-matrix that is the Black Bullet Dichotomy. For the sole purpose of manifesting destiny, the White slave owner dehumanized the Black family. When they convinced Black people that they were worthless, through religion, unspeakable abuses, and torture, they lowered our vibration and confused us on our connection to “source energy.” Thereby making us vulnerable to “The Black Bullet Dichotomy.”
Some people believe supply created demand, but I heard once heard a wise person say that “DEMAND CREATES SUPPLY.” The souls of my ancestors and brethren slain at the hand of gun violence cry out at the senseless murders by gun both, by the racist’s White supremacists and the misled Black man trying to imitate “Massuh’s philosophy.” Unconditional love is the key.
Hence, THE BLACK BULLET DICHOTOMY – A 78-page CHOREOPOEM. Use this ground-breaking award-winning poetry play to move all people, but especially the Black man to seek spiritual alignment, because as The Poetess says,” When you’re in alignment, you’re out of harm’s way.”
The only way to become impervious to the bullet is to employ spiritual alignment, Unconditional Love, and develop an in-depth knowledge of The Law of Attraction. It’s the only way to raise our vibration and bypass The Black Bullet Dichotomy.
I’ve created a multimedia production of “The Black Bullet Dichotomy” debuting February 5-9, 2024, using my Artist-in-Residency at The Kennedy Center. It includes a $10,000 grant, via THE REACH AFTER HOURS Residency at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.
GO BANG! Magazine: You classify The BBD as a choreopoem. Please define what a choreopoem is.
David M. Stamps: When I saw “For Colored Girls” this year, I thought it was a brilliant production. I could see that it was word and ritual in this textured space. At least, that’s what it was for me. But I’d say, when I labeled “The Black Bullet Dichotomy”, it was more about the dance this young man, “The Heckler”, (a volatile poet and lead of the piece played brilliantly by Myles Wright) is doing with time. The way the poetry dances off the page and then the tribal, urban dance inspired from the text.
GO BANG! Magazine: Congratulations on The BBD being selected as a finalist in the AITAF Bridge Award Competition. Please describe how you felt when you learned of this honor.
David M. Stamps: It was amazing!
Erica Newhouse, Artistic Director at (AITAF) Arts in the Armed Forces, a nonprofit that sponsors the annual “BRIDGE AWARD COMPETITION” exclusively for military veterans, called me as I was getting out of the shower. I freakin’ lost it.
Paula Vogel and David Stamps
Photo courtesy of Tim Bellow Sr.
Being a finalist afforded me a three-day writing retreat with three-time Obie winner and Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, Paula Vogel. Paula was amazing. She was warm and inviting, and completely available. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I can’t wait to have again! Paula’s helping me develop the marketing plan as well as mentoring in all things “BLACK BULLET DICHOTOMY.”
GO BANG! Magazine: In addition to that, your marketing package will be forwarded to some very prominent individuals in the entertainment industry including Debbie Allen and Oprah Winfrey. How does that make you feel?
David M. Stamps: It’s all so exciting! The premise of the piece is “when you’re in alignment you’re out of harm’s way!” Getting the message of unconditional love, spiritual alignment, and an in-depth understanding of “The Law of Attraction” out to my people has led me into some amazing conversations in some amazing rooms.
The fact that living legends like Debbie Allen and Oprah Winfrey will receive my materials is beyond exciting. All I must do is meditate and allow. Just don’t focus on the “how” but instead focus on the “why!”
GO BANG! Magazine: Can you please tell our readers about your upcoming participation in the Billie Holiday Theater’s Virtual “New Play Reading Series”, which part of the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Frank Silvera Workshop, which is being held on Zoom on Sunday, February 26, 2023 @7pm EST.
David M. Stamps: A director I knew, invited me to narrate this cool play called, “Faces in My Fist!” I loved the play and had an awesome time working with Kimberly Gunn. She’s the Virtual Producer, and anything else she needs to be over there to make sure things run smoothly. It’s been an awesome experience. Shout out to the Frank Silvera Workshop and Garland Thompson Jr.
GO BANG! Magazine: In conclusion, what do you want your legacy to be?
You know, I’m reading this incredible book by John Truby. It’s named,” The Anatomy of Genres.” It’s like a seven-hundred and forty-something page must-read. But in that book, he accesses that the SCI-FI genre’s really about “immortality.” It’s about mastering a thing, until you leave behind a work that stands after you’re gone. Thereby becoming immortal.
Well, The Twilight Zone’s definitely SCI-FI, and this story’s definitely epic. I want my legacy to be that I brought a sense of immortality to the Black man’s innate sense of poetry. 😊
GO BANG! Magazine: David, I want to thank you for granting me this interview. I also want to inform you that you have now officially been BANGED!!! GO BANG!
You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: Feb 26, 2023, 04:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Topic: FSWW Play Reading: The Black Bullet Dichotomy
Register in advance for this webinar:
Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: FSWW Play Reading: The Black Bullet Dichotomy.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.
Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wUtR9PP2S9K1eQCLM4DBNA
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Crowdfunding Campaign – Financial support with the fundraising effort which consists of a T-shirt with The Key Art, a complimentary download of my latest Spoken Word Song, produced by Platinum-selling producer, Glenn Mosley, entitled,” The Nightmare.” All for $100
Mentoring – Looking for help in structuring the nonprofit and putting together a BOARD.
Support– If you know an agency that can provide administrative support in these endeavors.
Spread the word – Let people know about “The Black Bullet Dichotomy”, and what it means, and the goal. To spread unconditional love, gain daily spiritual alignment, and to develop an in-depth understanding of the “Law of Attraction” and to bypass the culture-specific travesty that is “The Black Bullet Dichotomy!
A short film by David Stamps “The Deadly MS Sue Aside”
Cashapp Donations – $Spokenworldent
You can follow David Stamps on LinkedIn
LinkedIn post: 3 Things I learned from Paula Vogel
LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS BELOW!!!
Pierre A. Evans is a freelance writer of Entertainment, Music, Art, Culture, Fashion and Current Events, and previously for SoulTrain.com, NDigo.com, ChicagoDefender.com, EmpireRadioMagazine.com, and UrbanMuseMag.com, an author, singer/songwriter, actor, model, poet, dancer, and DJ. He is also the Owner of Pinnacle Entertainment Productions and the Owner/Publisher of GO BANG! Magazine. Follow him on Facebook @Pierre Andre Evans, Twitter @Playerre, and on Instagram @Pierre_Andre_Evans.
