Banksy, the renowned street artist, is often credited with saying, “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” That idea captures the essence of political art. Under the Influence exemplifies Banksy’s statement.
Reg E. Gaines blends rap, jazz, poetry, and spoken words to honor the cultural figures who have shaped our world. In doing so, he offers solace to those who feel unseen while also challenging privileged audiences to confront the inequalities embedded in society. Under the Influence demonstrates the enduring power of artistic activism.
Reg E. Gaines is a poet, playwright, and artistic director of the Downtown Urban Arts Festival. He is best known as the author and lyricist of the Tony Award-winning Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk, which used tap to trace Black history from slavery to the present. In Under the Influence, Gaines extends that project by blending hip-hop, jazz, and spoken word to honor figures such as Basquiat, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Anita Rae, Grandmaster Flash, and other artists who have inspired generations of poets, musicians, and dreamers. This production is more than a tribute; it is a call to action.
The production opens with live music with Calvin Gaines on bass and Mark Wilson on keyboard. Their playing is not merely accompaniment; it becomes an essential part of the performance. At times, Reg E. Gaines steps away from center stage while the music carries the momentum, he then folds the musicians into the dialogue. Their responsiveness gives the show an energy that feels spontaneous and alive.
After declaring his intention to honor the ancestors, Gaines invites JaneSpokenWord from the audience. A celebrated slam poet known for her uncensored, provocative work, she rose to the moment. Her lines ask, “Is this our America? Land of the free, where the orange man hides behind the curtain? Is this our America, land of hypocrisy—truth disguised and sanitized?” Her performance urges the audience to imagine revolution not as rhetoric, but as necessity.
Gaines then reclaims the stage, pressing the audience to remember both its heritage and its obligations. He recites several haikus, including “Low Intelligence Haiku Number 22,” and delivers the biting line, “If my name were Christ, I’d definitely think twice about coming back.” He then brings on actor Jamar Arthur, who invokes Langston Hughes with the plea: “Let America be America again. It was never America to me. Let dreams dream dreams.”
Gaines responds with one of the evening’s most pointed observations: “We were once slaves shackled and chained. Now the chains are around our minds.” He urges the audience to break those mental restraints and imagine a different future. He then adds another memorable line: “We don’t need religion to have peace on earth—just a Coltrane solo. We should be spending our time praying for love, not hate.”
