Ashley August' Book Release Event !

    Ashley August is a 20 year old Brooklyn Native, Writer, Actress, FemCee and New York City's current Youth Poet Laureate. She began her poetic journey during the summer of 2009 at Urban Word NYC where she has taken part in various slams, competitions, and productions. Now August has released her first chapbook through Bronx-born publishing company Evolution NYC.

    The event was held at the funky bar/restaurant Drom NYC, in Manhattan's East Village. It is a very spacious, modern, stylish venue, and the lights were dim for a classy nighttime feel. The evening began with founder of Evol NYC, Ashley "Ajay" Johnson greeting and thanking all of the guests and then introducing out our hosts.

    The beautiful hosts were good friends of Ashley's and fellow artists, Mojo Disco and Jessica McGrath. Both were lively and very charismatic, entertaining the crowd with funny stories and clever remarks the whole night.
    The first poet to grace the stage was Jay Davis who introduced herself and stated that she hadn't performed in about six months, but would gladly be there for Madam August. The pieces she shared were some old, some new, all lovely. Her performance was followed by another good friend and FemCee Nossis. Nossis kept the energy in the room at an all time high while she performed 3 songs that she wrote and produced herself. Our final performer was Spoken Word artist Reynold Martin, who shared three of his most popular poems(I know because I've heard them before and he is amazing) just before the lady of the hour, Ahsley August, hit the stage reading straight from her book "Love Handles"

     "Love Handles" is a journey of the breaking, healing and discovery of Love's in's, out's and between's. It's a Brooklyn soul figuring out how exactly to handle Love. August performed a select few poems from "Love Handles, a few of which most of us were familiar with and impressed the crowd more than she already has before.

Here are a few photos from the night, courtesy of Kash Photography:

Nossis

Ashley August

Reynold Martin

The Audience

August performing alongside her friend Mariah

Mojo and Jessica

Jay Davis

     The hosts kept the party going, as well as the DJ, DJ Flip Bundlez. Somewhere during the night there was a Twerk/New Orleans Bounce battle between Mojo and a friend of Ashley's, I don't know who one but it was the icing on the cake of the unforgettable night.

Get your own copy of Love Handles HERE!
Also, connect with the artists!
Ashley August

EvolNYC

Kash Photography