Individual World Poetry Slam
The Individual World Poetry Slam is a yearly poetry slam tournament put on by Poetry Slam, Inc. that pits individual slam poets from around the world against one another.
History
From 1990 to 2007, the National Poetry Slam held an "individual" poetry competition simultaneously with the team competition, with the poets earning the highest ranking individual poems during the first two days of competition moving on the semifinal and final rounds. The first ever winner of this event was Patricia Smith, who would go on to win the Individual National Poetry Slam Championship title a record four times.Starting in 2004, Poetry Slam Inc decided to host a separate event called the Individual World Poetry Slam, in which solo poets competed for the championship title. The first iWPS was held in Greenville, SC under the direction of Kimberly Simms and the first iWPS champion was Buddy Wakefield.
Because of the popularity of iWPS and to avoid the confusion of two "individual" poetry slam titles being awarded ever year, Poetry Slam Inc. decided to cancel the "indie" competition at the National Poetry Slam.
In 2016, the competition was held in Flagstaff, Arizona. When PSI dissolved, the name was taken by the Dallas Poetry Slam who continues to organize the event.
Format
The tournament has two days of preliminary rounds, in which poets compete in 1, 2, 3, and 4 minute bouts. After these 4 bouts are completed, the poet's rankings in each bout are added up and the top 12 poets of the tournament are invited to compete in the final round. A 3 minute time limit is applied to the poems in the final round.Tournament results by year
| Year | Winner | Runners Up | Number of Competitors | Host City |
| 2019 | Jay Ward, Akeem Olaj, Breeze | Meccamorphosis Anita D TIE - Xach Blunt & RJ Wright TIE - Yaw Kyeremateng & Doctor TJ Hakeem Furious Cocoa Flo TIE - Kimberly Arrington & Bluz Jael Benjamin | 74 | San Diego, CA |
| 2018 | Mic Ting | Natasha Hooper Jahman Hill David G Wayne Henry Jay Ward Yaw Kyeremateng Curtis Davis Melania Luisa TIE - Shasparay Lighteard & Breeze Rio Chanae Ryan J | 84 | San Diego, CA |
| 2017 | Arvind Nandakumar | Anthony McPherson Kenneth Something Rudy Francisco Kofi Dadzie RJ Walker Damien McClendon Asia Bryant-Wilkerson Christopher Michael Steven Willis Yaw Kyeremateng Michael Harriot Jahman Hill Ed Mabrey | 90 | Spokane, WA |
| 2016 | Ed Mabrey | Rage Almighty Patrick Roche Joaquin Zihuatanejo Ebo Barton Akeem Olaj Johnny Osi FreeQuency Jozer TIE - Toaster & Ashlee Haze Emtithal Mahmoud Christopher Michael Steven Willis | 96 | Flagstaff, AZ |
| 2015 | Emtithal Mahmoud | Rasheed Copeland TIE - FreeQuency & Christopher Michael TIE - Rudy Francisco & Imani Cezanne TIE - Porsha O & Javon Johnson TIE- Crystal Valentine & TaneshaNicole Steven Willis Paul Tran D.E.E.P. | 96 | Washington, DC |
| 2014 | Porsha O | Danez Smith Desiree Dallagiacomo Hanif Abdurraqib Will Evans TIE - Damien Flores & Hieu Nguyen Ed Mabrey Joaquin Zihuatanejo Twain Imani Cezanne Leo Bryant | 72 | Phoenix, AZ |
| 2013 | Ed Mabrey & Chancelier "Xero" Skidmore | Aaron Samuels Jozer Rudy Francisco Dominique Ashaheed Carrie Rudzinski Joaquin Zihuatanejo TIE - Outspoken Bean & Denice Frohman Doc Luben Antwaun "Twain" Davis | 70 | Spokane, WA |
| 2012 | Ed Mabrey | Thuli Zuma Melissa May Seth Walker Clint Smith 6 is 9 Franny Choi Brian "Omni" Dillon TIE - Lauren Zuniga & George "G" Yamazawa, Jr. Cameron Awkward-Rich Lisa Slater | 67 | Fayetteville, AR |
| 2011 | Chris August | Jesse Parent Kait Rokowski TIE - Tatyana Brown & Brian "Omni" Dillon Danez Smith Alvin Lau Ed Mabrey Michael Lee TIE - Suzi Q Smith & Joanna Hoffman Storm Thomas Robyn Bateman
| 78 | Cleveland, OH |
| 2010 | Rudy Francisco | Jesse Parent Chancelier "Xero" Skidmore C. P. Maze George "G" Yamazawa, Jr. Thomas "Tre G" Gilbert Tara Hardy Alvin Lau Gary Johnson Zak "Kane" Corsi Sasha Langford Houston Hughes | 72 | Charlotte, NC |
| 2009 | Amy Everhart | Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo Rudy Francisco 6 is 9 Theo Wilson The Original Woman Tara Hardy Ed Mabrey Sierra DeMulder Kim Johnson William Evans Alvin Lau | 96 | Berkeley, CA |
| 2008 | Joaquin Zihuatanejo | Jason McBeth 6 is 9 Buddy Wakefield Joshua Bennet Andrew Tyree Lizz Straight Tara Hardy Colin Gilbert Bobby LeFebre Queen Sheba The Original Woman | 70 | Charlotte, NC |
| 2007 | Ed Mabrey | Anis Mojgani Andrea Gibson Jamie DeWolf Dan Leaman Sonya Renee Jared Paul Ryler Dustin Nicole Homer Buddy Wakefield J. W. "Baz" Basilo Da'shade Moonbeam | 72 | Vancouver, BC |
| 2006 | Mighty Mike McGee | Joaquin Zihuatenejo Andrea Gibson Jared Paul Da Minista Versiz Sonya Renee Stephanie Williams Krissi Reeves Rachel McKibbens Basik Knowledge Q | 71 | Charlotte, NC |
| 2005 | Buddy Wakefield | Versiz Maze Forever Roger Bonair-Agard Joaquin Zihuatanejo Black Butta Fly Chris August Bluz Future Da Minista MAD Ansel Appleton | 60 | Worcester, MA |
| 2004 | Buddy Wakefield | TIE - Celena Glenn & Ed Mabrey Rachel McKibbens Paradox Alvin Lau ? Marcell Murphy Beth Bullmer | 60 | Greenville, SC |