▁Po etry ▁S lam , ▁Inc . ▁that ▁p its ▁individual ▁sl am ▁po ets ▁from ▁around ▁the ▁world ▁against ▁one ▁another . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁the ▁National ▁Po etry ▁S lam ▁held ▁an ▁" ind ividual " ▁poetry ▁competition ▁( known ▁as ▁" ind ies ") ▁simultaneously ▁with ▁the ▁team ▁competition , ▁with ▁the ▁po ets ▁ear ning ▁the ▁highest ▁ranking ▁individual ▁po ems ▁during ▁the ▁first ▁two ▁days ▁of ▁competition ▁moving ▁on ▁the ▁semif inal ▁and ▁final ▁r ounds . ▁The ▁first ▁ever ▁winner ▁of ▁this ▁event ▁was ▁Pat ric ia ▁Smith , ▁who ▁would ▁go ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁Ind ividual ▁National ▁Po etry ▁S lam ▁Championship ▁title ▁a ▁record ▁four ▁times . ▁ ▁Starting ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁Po etry ▁S lam ▁Inc ▁( P SI ) ▁decided ▁to ▁host ▁a ▁separate ▁event ▁called ▁the ▁Ind ividual ▁World ▁Po etry ▁S lam ▁( i W PS ), ▁in ▁which ▁solo ▁po ets ▁( not ▁teams ▁of ▁po ets ) ▁competed ▁for ▁the ▁championship ▁title . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁i W PS ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁Green ville , ▁SC ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁i W PS ▁champion ▁was ▁Bud dy ▁W ake field . ▁ ▁Because ▁of ▁the ▁popular ity ▁of ▁i W PS ▁and ▁to ▁avoid ▁the ▁confusion ▁of ▁two ▁" ind ividual " ▁poetry ▁sl am ▁titles ▁being ▁awarded ▁ever ▁year , ▁Po etry ▁S lam ▁Inc . ▁decided ▁to ▁cancel ▁the ▁"