A spoken-word category in which each entrant performs one dub poem, a rhythmic, message-driven piece about Jamaican life, recorded on the template as a four-minute entry scored out of 100 and offered in all seven classes.
Speech – Dub Poetry is the sixty-second entry on the Jamaican national performing arts festival template and the seventh category of its Speech discipline. It follows the two mixed-language classes and leads into public speaking and story telling. The handbook files it as category 9 of the speech syllabus, with the abbreviation DP on entry forms, and it is the one speech class that is not a reading of a set kind of text: it is a performance of a poem written in a particular rhythmic style.
The handbook describes dub poetry as a form with a specific use of rhythmic emphasis in the metric flow of the lyrics, with some repetition or use of a refrain, sometimes combined with drums, sound effects, music or instruments. It says the form usually speaks on Jamaican subjects in social issues and problems, or as a lament on emotional matters. A second definition in the same document puts it more simply: a performance art in which the poet speaks with strong rhythm, often backed by music or beats, to explore Jamaican life, community issues or deep emotions.
The handbook asks that a composition contain the elements of the genre, and it names three: rhythm, flow and message. In Classes 1 to 6 each entrant presents one selection of dub poetry, limited to three minutes. Musical accompaniment is optional. If it is used it must stay secondary to the performer’s own voice, and any drummers or musicians must remain off stage unless the drummer is also the performer. So the poem is carried by the speaker, and the beat is a support, never a replacement.
On the day the round is short and direct. The entrant walks on, delivers the poem with its beat, refrain and pauses, and leaves. The panel marks voice, speech, presentation and interpretation on the speech table used across the whole discipline. Because dub poetry is performed rather than read, the handbook’s general speech guidance on costume applies: pick clothing that suits the character and message, avoid school uniform, and avoid plain black, white or grey unless the mood of the poem calls for them. The right author must be acknowledged, and a copy of the selection goes in with the entry form.
The template records the item as a team entry, both genders together, with English as the language, a four-minute window with the warning bell at three minutes and a score out of 100, in all seven classes. The handbook describes the category as a solo class in Classes 1 to 6 with a three-minute limit, and it lists two separate group versions: a dub poetry ensemble of 7 to 16 members and an experimental dub poetry ensemble of 2 to 6 members, both in Classes 1 to 7. An organiser who wants to follow the handbook for the solo class should set the entry type to individual and the time limit to three minutes. Organisers run a dub poetry class because it gives speakers of a strongly rhythmic, spoken-word art a place to be judged on its own terms, apart from standard recitation.
Where Speech – Dub Poetry comes from
Dub poetry is widely recognised as a Jamaican spoken-word form that grew out of the rhythms of reggae and dub music in the 1970s, setting a poet’s voice against a strong beat to speak about everyday life and social conditions. Nothing in the source for this template says when the class joined the festival, who has won it or how it developed, so no festival history is claimed here.
Where Speech – Dub Poetry is run
On eTalenter this item is used in one template, the Jamaican national performing arts festival template, where it is assigned to all seven classes (six age bands from the youngest children to adults aged 20 and over, plus a combined class) in the Speech discipline, after the two mixed-language classes and ahead of public speaking. The form began in Jamaica and has since been performed by poets in the Caribbean diaspora and in other countries, and spoken-word and slam categories appear in school, community and youth festivals elsewhere. Each event sets its own rules, time limits and age bands, so the rules on this page apply to the festival the template is built from.
- Jamaica (the national performing arts festival the template is built from)
Key facts
- Compositions must contain the elements of the genre, named in the handbook as rhythm, flow and message; the form abbreviation on entry forms is DP
- One selection of dub poetry in each class from 1 to 6, limited to three minutes; the handbook also notes that a dub poem may serve as the second selection beside a standard English one where the rules allow
- Musical accompaniment is optional but must be secondary to the performer’s voice; drummers and musicians stay off stage unless the drummer is also performing
- The template gives a team entry, both genders together, English as the language, a four-minute limit with the warning bell at three minutes and a score out of 100, in all seven classes; the handbook describes a solo category for Classes 1 to 6 plus separate ensemble versions of 7 to 16 members and 2 to 6 members (experimental) for Classes 1 to 7
- Marked on the shared four-part speech table: voice production, speech, presentation and interpretation, weighted 20, 30, 20 and 30 at auditions, 10, 35, 15 and 40 at parish level and 4, 20, 4 and 22 (out of 50) at the national finals
- Ideas, not rules, for choosing a subject: a poem about a market day or a bus ride told through a repeating refrain; a lament for a place that has changed; a message piece about school, water, safety or respect for elders. Always check the text with the organiser and keep it suitable for the age of the entrant
On eTalenter, Speech – Dub Poetry is filed under On Stage and typically scored with Marks. It appears in 1 ready-made event templates — each one can adjust its time limit, age-group assignment and scoring setup independently.
Across the templates that use it, Speech – Dub Poetry is most often entered as an Team competition, typically scored out of 100, commonly time-limited to around 4 minutes where a limit is set.
What judges look at in Speech – Dub Poetry
What a Speech – Dub Poetry panel is actually weighing up, and where the marks are usually won or lost:
- The handbook prints one marking table for the whole Speech discipline, so a dub poem is scored on the same four headings as every other speech class; the points below follow that table and are a summary, not a quotation of the rule
- Voice production: audibility, projection, tone, resonance, colouring, texture and pace, worth 20 at auditions, 10 at parish level and 4 of 50 at the national finals. In dub poetry the voice is the instrument, so marks go to a speaker who uses pace, pitch and range to build the beat, and are lost to one who keeps a single level and speed throughout
- Speech: articulation, enunciation and pronunciation, worth 30, 35 and 20 of 50. Words must be crisp even at speed, and the refrain must land cleanly each time. The handbook names Oxford English as its reference for pronunciation and does not explain how that applies to a Jamaican-language poem, so an entrant should ask the organiser how the panel reads it
- Rhythm, flow and message: the handbook says a composition must contain these elements of the genre. The panel looks for a steady, deliberate beat, lines that run into each other without stumbling, and a clear point of view. A poem that is only a list of rhymes, or that has a beat but no message, loses marks under interpretation and speech
- Presentation: costume, stage presence, performance energy, style and visual impact, worth 20, 15 and 4 of 50. Energy matters in this form, but it has to be controlled: movement that follows the beat and gesture that underlines the message usually score better than constant motion that crosses the poem
- Interpretation: comprehension, expression, mood and feeling and believability, worth 30, 40 and 22 of 50. This is where a dub poem is won. The panel rewards an entrant who understands the subject, shifts mood where the poem shifts, and sounds like the person the poem is about; it marks down one who recites the lines evenly
- Accompaniment and time: any music or drumming must stay secondary to the performer, with musicians off stage unless the drummer is the performer, and the poem must finish within three minutes
Treat these as the judging focus, not a fixed rubric: publish your own weighted criteria for Speech – Dub Poetry under Scoring Setup, or start from the full speech competition judging criteria guide.
How to prepare for Speech – Dub Poetry
How entrants and their teachers usually get Speech – Dub Poetry right on the day:
- Check the rules first: one dub poem, within three minutes, containing rhythm, flow and message, with the author acknowledged and a copy of the text ready for the entry form. If you wrote the poem yourself, say so on the entry; if you chose a published poem, use an approved source
- Pick a subject you understand and can speak about with conviction. A poem about something you have seen or lived sounds believable; a borrowed theme with no connection to you sounds recited
- Find the beat before you learn the words. Tap the pulse on a table, say a single line to it, and mark where the stresses fall. Write the beat above each line so you can see where a refrain should land and where you can slow down
- Time it with a stopwatch at performing speed and aim for about two and a half minutes so the three-minute limit leaves a margin for nerves. Cut a verse rather than speed up, because speed is the first thing that blurs the words
- Practise the refrain until it is the strongest moment of the poem. It returns several times, so vary its colour each time: louder, softer, slower or more bitter as the story develops
- If you use music, drums or a recorded beat, rehearse with it at the same level you will have on the day and keep it below your voice. Remember that musicians must stay off stage unless the drummer is also the performer, so plan the entry, the cue and the exit before you arrive
- Record yourself and listen with your eyes closed. Flag every line where the words are lost, the beat slips or the energy drops, and fix those first. Then perform for someone who does not know the poem and ask what the message was
- After a result, ask for the adjudicator’s comments and note which of the four headings lost marks. Voice and interpretation are usually the quickest to improve: choose a more demanding poem next season, add contrast between verses and keep the diction sharp
Ready-made event templates that include Speech – Dub Poetry
Open any template to preview it in eTalenter and install it as a live, editable event.
| Template | Category | Score label | Competitions |
|---|---|---|---|
| JCDC National Performing Arts Festival (Jamaica) | On Stage | Marks | 7 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Speech – Dub Poetry judged individually or as a team?
Across eTalenter’s templates it’s most often run as an Team entry, though an organiser can set either participation type when assigning the item to an age group.
What is dub poetry?
The handbook defines it as a form with specific use of rhythmic emphasis in the metric flow of the lyrics, with some repetition or use of a refrain, sometimes combined with drums, sound effects or music. It usually speaks on Jamaican social issues or as a lament on emotional matters. In short, it is a spoken poem delivered over a strong beat.
Is dub poetry the same as rap or singing?
No. Dub poetry is spoken, not sung, and the handbook requires the performer’s voice to lead. Any music is secondary and optional. Entries that depend mainly on a backing track or sung melody are not what the class describes, so ask the organiser if you are unsure.
Can I use drums or a backing track?
The handbook says musical accompaniment is optional but, if used, must be secondary to the performer’s vocal presentation. Drummers and musicians must stay off stage, except when the drummer is also the performer. The handbook does not say anything about recorded tracks, so ask the organiser before using one.
How long can the poem be?
The handbook allows three minutes for the selection. The template gives a four-minute window with the warning bell at three minutes, so an organiser following the handbook should change the limit to three minutes.
Is this judged individually or as a team?
The handbook describes the solo category as an individual class for Classes 1 to 6, and lists separate ensemble categories for groups: a dub poetry ensemble of 7 to 16 members and an experimental dub poetry ensemble of 2 to 6 members. The template records the item as a team entry, so an organiser who wants the solo class should set it to individual.
Does it have to be in Jamaican language?
The handbook calls for Jamaican content and subjects but does not set a language rule for this class in the text read for this page. Because the Oxford pronunciation rule is written for standard English speaking, ask the organiser how the panel will mark pronunciation for a poem in Jamaican language.
Want the full judging picture? Read the full speech competition judging criteria guide, or browse every on stage competition item.
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