by Caleb Fort
Daily Lobo
Apollo Night at the SUB on Friday was a typical talent show with one exception.
"If the audience enjoys what you're doing, they'll cheer you on; but if they're not into it so much, you might get booed off the stage," said Jay Tillman, an organizer of the event.
The show was put on by the Black Student Union and was named after the Apollo Theater in Harlem. The format of the show was also inspired by the theater's amateur night, Tillman said.
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However, the audience only booed a couple of times, and never enough to get a performer off the stage.
Student Jessikha Williams won the talent show and a gift certificate to Applebee's.
Williams recited an original poem about the expectations men and the media place on women and youth.
Hakim Bellamy, who also recited a poem at the show, said Williams' performance was his favorite.
"I've seen her in choir before, so I know she can sing. But I had no idea she was going to be doing poetry, and it was really good," he said. "I do this. I'm a slam poet in the city, and I was like, 'We're not worthy, we're not worthy.'"
He was impressed with all the performances, he said.
"I thought the talent was spectacular," he said. "I say all the time that Albuquerque is sitting on a gold mine of talent, and that was really evident here tonight."
Other performances included a rendition of singer Alicia Keys' "How Come You Don't Call me Anymore," and a 15-minute comedy routine.
One student sang "Lift Every Voice and Sing," which is also known as the African-American national anthem.
The show was part of the Black Student Union's Black History Month program.
Having the show during Black History Month is a mixed blessing, Bellamy said.
"I do think it's a good idea, but I do think it also gets lost in all of the black history events that are going on," he said. "So it might be something to have in January as a kickoff, or maybe in March as a close."
There were about 40 people, most of them African-American, in the audience. Bellamy said he was happy with the turnout.
"It's good to see a lot of brown-skinned people out here," he said. "You don't have to be anti-anything else to be pro-what you are."
Tillman said he would like a more diverse audience at future BSU events.
"I'd just like to see more student body involvement," he said. "It's not only for black students on campus. Our events are student oriented - they're meant for everyone to be able to enjoy."
Student Reggie Hudson enjoyed the show, he said.
"It was a blast," he said. "I just liked that we could all come together and have fun."
The event was a good way to build camaraderie among African-American students, he said.
"In black society right now, we don't have a lot going for us. As a community, we need to get together and have an impact," he said. "I'm not saying there's not unity. There is unity, but it's one of those things where you can never have enough."
