Malcolm-Jamal Warner will forever be associated with his role as Theo Huxtable on “The Cosby Show.”
Danny Simmons Jr. is connected to hip-hop royalty.
The pair are headliners for “Poetry Unplugged: Shock Value,” a night of spoken-word art Friday at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center. Now in its 7th year, “Poetry Unplugged” has annually honored the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It is hosted by the center’s new senior director of programming Orlando Watson, a Cleveland native and spoken-word artist himself.
Warner, 52, is eager to demonstrate to his Pittsburgh fanbase his evolution from Theo to a multi-faceted artist. For the past six seasons, the award-winning director and producer has starred in the Fox medical drama “The Resident.”
“I’m just trying to stay busy, keeping my name out of the tabloids,” he said with a chuckle.
Warner, who will go without background music in a solo spoken-word show, is also busy as the bassist and bandleader of a seven-piece jazz-funk band, Miles Long, which recently released the album “Hiding in Plain View.”
From his suburban Atlanta home, the married father of a 5-year-old daughter discussed his excitement about playing a venue named for the man he describes as “an iconic black figure in American theater.”
“It’s dope. I’m definitely looking forward to being at the August Wilson Theater,” he said.
The son of Lincoln University graduate Robert Warner, he said poetry has been a part of his DNA “from the womb.”
“My father attended college with Gil Scott Heron and keyboardist Brian Jackson,” he said. Pamela McGee Warner, his mother, has been his manager since the Cosby years, he said.
Simmons Jr. has two legendary younger brothers in Russell Simmons, the founder of Def Jam Recordings, and Joseph “Rev. Run” Simmons, a member of the groundbreaking hip-hop trio Run DMC.
In a call from his home in Philadelphia, the 69-year-old Simmons Jr., enjoying his second marriage, noted that his poetry stems from his father, Daniel Simmons Sr., a poet and history professor at Pace University in Manhattan. His mother, Evelyn Penn Simmons, was a kindergarten teacher originally from Queens.
While his brothers were busy carving out hip-hop careers, Simmons Jr. was finding his niche as a poet, and ultimately became an author, visual artist, philanthropist and art curator. His legacy will forever live alongside the landmark organization Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, co-founded with his brothers.
As a duo with jazz bassist Ron Carter, he released an album of poetry and music in 2022 called “The Brown Beatnik Tomes (Live at BRIC).”
On Friday, Simmons will work alongside Pittsburgh bassist Dwayne Dolphin, who currently tours with Fred Wesley and the new JBs. Simmons will also be lauded with the first AWAACC Arts Advocacy Award for his work in poetry, including creating HBO’s “Def Poetry Jam” and receiving a Tony Award for the show’s Broadway adaptation.
The show, which begins at 8 p.m., will also feature poets Tira Yasmine, Taalam Acey and poet/deejay, Rich Medina. A multimedia display will feature four artists; Netttrice Gaskins, Ya La’Ford, Al Johnson and Imo Imeh. They’ll demonstrate visual artistry during spoken-word presentations.
Medina, an internationally acclaimed DJ, will host an after-party from 10:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. with food for purchase and cash bar. This event includes adult language and themes. Audience discretion is advised.
Tickets are $48; awaacc.org.
First Published: January 18, 2023, 11:00 a.m.
