CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – After a night at a spoken word club in Nashville, Eleazar Craig came home with inspiration.

“I went to an event where about 70 percent of the people who got on the mic were from Clarksville,” Danger said. “I said, ‘Why don’t we have something like this in Clarksville?'”

After discussing the matter with one of his fraternity brothers, Danger – who goes by the stage name J.A.K. (Justified Ambitious King) Danger – said he decided to put his idea into action.

“Andre Williams over at the Good People Lounge said, ‘Hey man, I would love for my place to host the first thing like this in Clarksville,'” Danger told Clarksville Now.

Getting others involved

He reached out to Komplex Simplicity, another spoken word artist whom he had met at an event in Nashville, to help host the show.

“I agreed to come on because I knew that I could contribute stability. I knew I could contribute professionalism, and I know that I’m talented, I say that as humbly as possible,” Simplicity said with a laugh.

They kicked off on Martin Luther King Jr. weekend.

“The Power of Words is an open-mic, live performance event,” Danger said. However, it has proven to be much more than that. Although their roots are in poetry and spoken word, they also leave the mic open for singers, rappers, comedians and other forms of expression.

“It’s more of a community-based platform and environment where people can come and share, be open and vulnerable to tell their story,” Simplicity told Clarksville Now.

She said oftentimes the Power of Words events become spiritual.

“People get on that stage and they just leave it all there. They talk about their most vulnerable moments,” Simplicity said.

Keeping it going

Danger retired from the military recently, and is taking up law school as his next venture.

S.U.G, another spoken word artist, and the host who will be taking over for Danger after he leaves, said that the Power of Words open mic nights are full of diverse performers.

“I continue to come back because sharing my art with others has become one of my favorite outlets. The Good People Lounge has genuinely become one of my favorite places for raw, pure, authentic interactions with other humans who enjoy good music, good laughs, good drinks, and good entertainment,” S.U.G said.

Although the group has been active only since January, many of the performers continue to come back to each monthly show.

Danger said they want the audience to walk away feeling something. “I want them to take away one, the talent, to know that there is talent in Clarksville. Two, I want audiences to be motivated and inspired to create,” Danger said.

The next Clarksville Power of Words will be this Saturday at the Good People Lounge starting at 7 p.m.

On their Facebook page, the group writes that this month’s theme is freedom from the fear of speaking, and they encourage everyone who has something on their heart to leave it on the mic.

Correction: The spelling of Eleazar Craig’s name was incorrect in an earlier version of this article. It has been updated.