About the film

SLAM follows six world-class slam poets from Baltimore, MD as they audition, train, and compete at Southern Fried, one of the largest national slam poetry competitions in the country. What begins as a series of tryouts becomes something far more personal: a fight for identity, belonging, and the soul of a city.

At the center is Black Chakra, a poet whose raw, unapologetic talent is matched only by the weight of his personality — giving the film its heartbeat and raising the question of whether greatness forged in struggle is enough when the stakes are highest.

Alongside veterans Slangston Hughes and Lady Brion, the team must write, practice, and learn to trust one another under pressure, building a collective voice out of very different lives.

As Southern Fried approaches, one thing becomes clear: they're not just competing for a title. They're competing for something that can't be handed back once it's lost — their place in the world.