Taalam Acey

Taalam Acey (born September 16, 1970) is an American spoken-word artist. He began pursuing the art in 1997 after visiting a poetry reading upon the invitation of a friend. At that point in his life, Acey was a full-time lecturer in senior level accounting at Rutgers University and a principal partner in a small business consulting firm. In 1999, Acey left Rutgers University to become a full-time performance poet. Each year, he travels to more than 50 cities in the United States and abroad to share his art and perspectives with enthralled audiences. Much of Acey's poetry addresses social and political issues from an afro-centric perspective while he maintains a fan base of a wide range of ethnicities. His work also provides a poetic perspective of relationships, whether man to woman, mother to son, or man to man. He champions the struggles of single parenthood and fatherly responsibility.

Early years

Born in Newark, New Jersey, Acey spent his childhood immersed in the African-centered political analysis. At the time of his birth, his teenage parents were field soldiers in Amiri Baraka’s Community for a Unified Newark (CUAN). Notably, the year of Acey's birth, CUAN helped Kenneth Gibson become the first black mayor of Newark.