Books, Beats & Beyond

Today I'm talking with Shani Robinson and Anna Simonton about their book, “None of the Above: The Untold Story of the Atlanta Public Schools Cheating Scandal, Corporate Greed, and the Criminalization of Educators”.  In March of 2013, 35 educators in the Atlanta Public Schools were charged with racketeering and conspiracy—the same charges used to bring down the American mafia—for allegedly changing students' answers on standardized tests. The youngest of the accused, Shani Robinson, had taught for only 3 years and was a new mother when she was wrongfully convicted and faced up to 25 years in prison. Critics framed the cheating scandal as one of the worst crimes to be perpetrated against students. In “None of the Above”, Shani Robinson and journalist Anna Simonton, look back to show how black children in Atlanta were being deprived long before some teachers allegedly changed the answers on their students' tests.  Examining the corporate-led education reform movement, hyper-policing in black communities, cycles of displacement and gentrification, and widening racial and economic disparities in Atlanta, they show how the financially powerful have profited from privatization and the dismantling of public education. Shani Robinson is an alumna of Tennessee State University and taught in Atlanta Public Schools for 3 years. She's currently a supporter of social justice causes.  Anna Simonton is an independent journalist and an editor for Scalawag magazine. Her work has been published by The Nation, In These Times, and AlterNet, among others.    You can help Shani fight her case, and speak out about the real issues at the root of the scandal. Please visit the website, https://teacherontrial.com (www.teacherontrial.com).   Amazon: Click link to purchase his book,https://amzn.to/2ZReB4V (“None of the Above: The Untold Story of the Atlanta Public Schools Cheating Scandal, Corporate Greed, and the Criminalization of Educators”).    iTunes: Here is a chronological list of the songs played on the episode. Click to purchase, below. https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/beautiful-city/1165776329?i=1165776797&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Beautiful City) – The Black Opera https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/gentrification/1179541445?i=1179541501&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Gentrification) – Deniro Farrar https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/youth-dem-cold/309136984?i=309137045&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Youth Dem Cold) – Richie Spice https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/eat-to-live/261634389?i=261634544&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Eat To Live) – Talib Kweli https://soundcloud.com/thedrazeexperience/10-draze-the-hood-aint-the (The Hood Ain't the Same) – Draze [Not in iTunes. Available on SoundCloud]   https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=13028033 (Become a Patron!)   Please click on the icon to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.   Social Media   Shani Robinson https://twitter.com/ShaniAuthor (Twitter ) https://m.facebook.com/ShaniAuthor/ (Facebook)   Anna Simonton https://www.scalawagmagazine.org (www.scalawagmagazine.org)   Intro/Outro theme music produced my http://www.cosmiqsound.com/ (Cosmiq).

 Lak is a hip hop educator and emcee. He is also the CEO and founder of Smart Hiphop Global. We will be talking about his album titled, “Lesson 2: Hip Hop & Education”.   Visit Lak's https://www.smart-hiphop.com (Smart Hiphop Global) website.    iTunes: Here is a chronological list of the songs played on the episode. Click to purchase, below. https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/artist/lak/206472964?mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Run America) – (feat. Talib Kweli, DJ Jay Ski & Jai-sun) https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/artist/lak/206472964?mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Redemption) – (feat. Cheri Pye) https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/artist/lak/206472964?mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (God's in the Motive) – (feat. NYCE & Jaq Sparrow)     https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=13028033 (Become a Patron!) Please click on the icon to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.   Social Media   https://www.instagram.com/smarthiphop/ (Instagram) https://www.facebook.com/smarthiphopglobal/ (Facebook) https://twitter.com/smarthiphop (Twitter)     Intro/Outro theme music produced my http://www.cosmiqsound.com/ (Cosmiq).

Today I'm talking with Jeanne Theoharis about her book, “A More Beautiful and Terrible History: The Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights History”.   The civil rights movement has become national legend, lauded by presidents from Reagan to Obama to Trump, as proof of the power of American democracy. This fable, featuring dreamy heroes and accidental heroines, has shuttered the movement firmly in the past, whitewashed the forces that stood in its way, and diminished its scope. Historian Jeanne Theoharis dissects this national myth-making, teasing apart the accepted stories to show them in a strikingly different light.   By showing us the complex reality of the movement, the power of its organizing, and the beauty and scope of the vision, Theoharis reveals that there was nothing natural or inevitable about the progress that occurred. In unearthing our civil rights legacy, “A More Beautiful and Terrible History”, holds an uncomfortable mirror to the nation, underscoring the crucial work that remains to be done.   Jeanne Theoharis is Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Brooklyn College of City University of New York. She is author or co-author of seven books, including the New York Times best-selling and 2014 NAACP Image Award-winning, The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks.      Amazon: Click link to purchase his book, https://amzn.to/2IuXL5y (“A More Beautiful and Terrible History: The Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights History”).     iTunes: Here is a chronological list of the songs played on the episode. Click to purchase, below. https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/which-side-are-you-on-feat-tef-poe-kendra-ross/1045652954?i=1045652957&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Which Side Are You On? )– Tef Po https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/in-the-name-of-mlk/1451861732?i=1451861743&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (In the Name of MLK) – Lak https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/black-panther-party/1329122629?i=1329123354&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Black Panther Party) – Griot B https://soundcloud.com/jperiod/rise-up (Rise Up!) – Black Thought https://soundcloud.com/jperiod/rise-up ([Not on iTunes. Only on SoundCloud]) https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/uncle-ben-single/1450768516?mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Uncle Ben) – NOWDAZE       https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=13028033 (Become a Patron!) Please click on the icon to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.   Social Media   https://twitter.com/JeanneTheoharis (Twitter )   Intro/Outro theme music produced my http://www.cosmiqsound.com/ (Cosmiq).

Jabee is an Emmy-Award winning emcee, representing Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His rhymes have been recognized by Chuck D of Public Enemy and Sway Calloway on Sway In The Morning. In 2014, his commercial work earned Jabee a regional Emmy. We will be talking about his EP titled, “Thy Will Be Done”    iTunes: Here is a chronological list of the songs played on the episode. Click to purchase, below. https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/some-love-some-fight-feat-chopps/1450322544?i=1450322966&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Some Love, Some Fight) (feat. Chopps) https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/school-song-feat-murs/1450322544?i=1450322968&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (School Song) (feat. Murs) https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/believe-who-you-want-feat-a-billi-free/1450322544?i=1450322969&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Believe Who You Want) (A. Billie Free) https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/die-with-dignity-feat-blu/1450322544?i=1450322974&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Die With Dignity) (feat. Blu)     https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=13028033 (Become a Patron!)   Please click on the icon to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.   Social Media   https://www.instagram.com/mynameisjabee/ (Instagram) https://www.facebook.com/jabeemusic/ (Facebook) https://twitter.com/mynameisJabee (Twitter)     Intro/Outro theme music produced my http://www.cosmiqsound.com/ (Cosmiq).

RJ PAYNE is a phenomenal emcee, representing Philadelphia, PA. He has attracted the attention of numerous well-respected emcees/producers like Lord Jamar, Pete Rock, Erick Sermon, Black Thought, and that's just a few. We will be talking about tracks from his extensive discography and much more.   Click here to visit RJ Payne's https://iamrjpayne.com/home (website).       iTunes: Here is a chronological list of the songs played on the episode. Click to purchase, below. https://iamrjpayne.com/music (Mental Slaves) https://iamrjpayne.com/music (Drums of War) https://iamrjpayne.com/music (Can't Do It No More) https://iamrjpayne.com/music (Educated Ignorance) https://iamrjpayne.com/music (Frankie Needles)     https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=13028033 (Become a Patron!)   Please click on the icon to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.   Social Media   https://www.instagram.com/iamrjpayne/ (Instagram)     Intro/Outro theme music produced my http://www.cosmiqsound.com/ (Cosmiq).

In this ground-breaking work, “The Science of Melanin”, perhaps the first full-length scientific analysis of the substance found in practically all living organisms and inanimate objects, Dr. T. Owens Moore attempts to dispel the myths and rectify the common misconceptions associated with melanin.   Dr. T. Owens Moore, is trained as a Physiological Psychologist. He is a graduate of Lincoln University in PA, and he has an M.S. and a Ph.D. from Howard University. For more than twenty years, he has served as a college professor, a biomedical researcher, and an African-centered scholar/activist, at Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA. And also Fayetteville State University in North Carolina.     Click here to visit Dr. T. Owens Moore's http://www.drtmoore.com (website).       Click link to purchase his book,http://www.drtmoore.com/shop/ (“The Science of Melanin”).   iTunes: Here is a chronological list of the songs played on the episode. Click to purchase, below. https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/ya-momma-so-black/1090262730?i=1090263482&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Ya Momma So Black) – J-Live https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/melanin-man-feat-masego/1299931850?i=1299931864&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Melanin Man) – Brasstracks (feat. Masego) https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/royalty-remix/1083679762?i=1083679776&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Royalty) – Nick Grant (feat. Big K.R.I.T. & Killer Mike) https://patrzl.bandcamp.com/track/melanin (Melanin) – Pat Rzl     https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=13028033 (Become a Patron!) Please click on the icon to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.   Social Media   https://www.facebook.com/timothy.o.moore (Facebook) https://www.instagram.com/drtmoorecom/ (Instagram) https://twitter.com/drtimothyowens1 (Twitter)     Intro/Outro theme music produced my http://www.cosmiqsound.com/ (Cosmiq).

Abasi Qadhafi is an emcee, representing New Orleans. We will be talking about his album, “The 411”, along with some tracks from his most recent album, “Unplugged”.       iTunes: Here is a chronological list of the songs played on the episode. Click to purchase, below. https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/black-gizmo/1452018022?i=1452018023&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Black Gizmo) https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/balloons-in-the-sky/1364295166?i=1364295177&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Balloons In The Sky) https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/love-yourself/1364295166?i=1364295183&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Love Yourself) https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/spiritual-database/1439862267?i=1439862268&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Spiritual Database)     https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=13028033 (Become a Patron!) Please click on the icon to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.   Social Media https://www.facebook.com/abasi.qadhafi (Facebook) https://twitter.com/abasiqadhafi (Twitter) https://www.instagram.com/goodnewsbas/ (Instagram)  

Today I'm talking with the New York hip hop duo, Armand Hammer, which consists of Billy Woods and ELUCID. We will be talking about their album titled, “Paraffin”.       iTunes: Here is a chronological list of the songs played on the episode. Click to purchase, below. https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/no-days-off-feat-billy-woods-elucid/1428970777?i=1428971777&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (No Days Off) https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/fuhrman-tapes-feat-billy-woods-elucid/1428970777?i=1428971780&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Fuhrman Tapes) https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/ecomog-feat-billy-woods-elucid/1428970777?i=1428972660&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Ecomog)     https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=13028033 (Become a Patron!)     Please click on the icon to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.   Social Media https://www.facebook.com/hammerandarm/ (Facebook)

Today I'm talking with William Loren Katz, about the updated version of his definitive book titled, “Black Indians: A Hidden Heritage”. Also, joining the conversation is Phil “Pompey” Wilkes Fixico. He is a direct descendent of the Seminole Maroons.     “Black Indians: A Hidden Heritage”, unveils how the first paths to freedom taken by runaway enslaved Africans led to Native American villages. There, black men and women found acceptance and friendship among our country's original inhabitants. Though they seldom appear in textbooks and movies, these two heritages united in their struggle to gain freedom and equality in America.   Click here to visit William Loren Katz's http://williamlkatz.com (website).   You can contact Phil “Pompey” Fixico at refixico@aol.com   Amazon: Click link to purchase his book, https://amzn.to/2WTzTxh (“Black Indians: A Hidden Heritage”).   iTunes: Here is a chronological list of the songs played on the episode. Click to purchase, below. https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/idle-no-more-feat-charlie-fettah-wab-kinew-young-kidd-single/594055928?mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Idle No More) – Boogey the Beat (feat. Charlie Fettah, Wab Kinew & Young Kidd) https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/freed0m/1201022927?i=1201023148&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Freedom) – Frank Castle https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/primero/1435239253?i=1435239572&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Primero) – Griot B https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/sila-feat-tanya-tagaq/1128841577?i=1128841741&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Sila) – A Tribe Called Red (feat. Tanya Tagaq) https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/r-e-d-feat-yasiin-bey-narcy-black-bear-single/1128854232?mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (R.E.D.) – A Tribe Called Red (Yasiin Bey, Narcy, & Black Bear) https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/artist/joey-stylez/315430022?mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Looking at the Devil) – Joey Stylez https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/crazy-baldhead/925056178?i=925056182&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Crazy Baldhead) – Bob Marley     https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=13028033 (Become a Patron!) Please click on the icon to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.   Social Media   William Loren Katz https://www.facebook.com/william.katz.7 (Facebook)   Phil “Pompey” Fixico https://www.facebook.com/phil.fixico (Facebook)   Intro/Outro theme music produced my http://www.cosmiqsound.com/ (Cosmiq).

Sap is a Delaware-raised emcee/producer. He has produced for artists such as The Game, Rick Ross, Mac Miller, Schoolboy Q, Meek Mill, and Fat Joe, just to name a few. We will be talking about his album titled, “Self Improved”.       iTunes: Here is a chronological list of the songs played on the episode. Click to purchase, below. https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/me-own-two-hands-feat-zookie/1446826395?i=1446826406&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Me Own Two Hands (feat. Zookie)) https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/makes-you-wonder/1446826395?i=1446826397&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Makes You Wonder) https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/favors/1446826395?i=1446826400&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Favors) https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/backfire/1446826395?i=1446826402&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Backfire) https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/earned-that/1446826395?i=1446826405&mt=1&app=music&at=1010lsYg (Earned That)     https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=13028033 (Become a Patron!)   Please click on the icon to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.   Social Media https://twitter.com/therealsap (Twitter) https://www.facebook.com/TheRealSap/ (Facebook) https://www.instagram.com/therealsap/ (Instagram)  

I$O INDIES is a hip hop duo, which comprises of Conchez Yut and Dillmatic. We will be talking about their album titled, “I.S.O.”

Contemporary history is littered with the surprisingly complex stories of white people participating in blackface and minstrelsy. At the end of their experiments in so-called "blackness," Alisha Gaines argues, these debatably well-meaning white impersonators arrived at little more than false consciousness....

The Vitamin Cea is an emcee, representing Mississippi. We will be talking about her album titled, “Joy Full Noise”....

“Black is Beautiful; A Philosophy of Black Aesthetics”, provides a long-overdue synthesis, identifying and exploring the most significant philosophical issues that emerge from the aesthetic dimensions of black life, both in the fine arts and beyond...

Donnie Raven is an emcee, representing Denver, CO. We will be talking about his album titled, “Livelihood”.

Haseeb is an emcee, representing Los Angeles, California. We will be talking about his album titled, “Growth”.

Today, I'm talking with Dr. Judith Weisenfeld about her highly-informative book called, “New World A-Coming: Black Religion and Racial Identity during the Great Migration”....

Griot B is an emcee and the founder of School Yard Rap, which is a company created for one purpose, to Educate through Entertainment. We will be talking about School Yard Rap and two of his albums titled, “Ourstory & Historia”

Today I'm talking with Samad Savage about his album titled, “The Grey Area”!

“The Bone and Sinew of the Land: America's Forgotten Black Pioneers and the Struggle for Equality”, tells the long-hidden stories of America's black pioneers, the frontier they settled, and their fight for the heart of the nation. It courageously unveils the lost history of the nation's first Great Migration. In building hundreds of settlements on the frontier, these black pioneers were making a stand for equality and freedom....

Ace Clark is an emcee, representing Brooklyn, NY. We'll be talking about his socially-conscious album titled, “Black Privilege”.

Sceyentifik is an emcee, representing Ohio. We will be talking about his album titled, “The Sceyence Project, Vol. 1”.

“The Black Tax: The Cost of Being Black in America”, is an extraordinary analysis of how anti-Black bias has created a detrimental tax that Black Americans pay in almost every marketplace and how that tax has suffocated our livelihood, and significantly reduced our ability to leave a sizable inheritance to our children.......

Ghost of the Machine is an emcee, representing New York City. We will be talking about his album produced by DJ Proof titled, “Heroes of Hire 2”

Jamall Bufford is an emcee, representing Detroit, Michigan. We will be talking about his album titled, “Time in Between Thoughts”.

When Dr. George Yancy penned a New York Times op-ed entitled “Dear White America” asking white Americans to confront the ways that they benefit from racism, he knew his article would be controversial. But he was unprepared for the flood of vitriol in response. The resulting blowback played out in the national media, with critics attacking Dr. Yancy in every form possible—including death threats—and supporters rallying to his side. Despite the rhetoric of a “post-race” America, Dr. Yancy quickly discovered that racism is still alive and thriving. In “Backlash: What Happens When We Talk Honestly About Racism in America”, Dr. Yancy expands upon the original article and chronicles the ensuing controversy as he seeks to understand what it was about the op-ed that created so much rage among so many white readers. He challenges white Americans to rise above the vitriol and to develop a new empathy for the African American experience. Dr. George Yancy is a Professor of Philosophy at Emory University, and works primarily in the areas of critical philosophy of race, critical whiteness studies, and philosophy of the Black experience. He is the author, editor and co-editor of over 18 books. He is known for his influential essays and interviews in the New York Times' philosophy column called, The Stone.

Benjamin J is an emcee, representing North Carolina. We will be talking about his album titled, “First in Flight”.

“Birth of a White Nation: The Invention of White People and its Relevance Today”, is a fascinating book on race in America that begins with an exploration of the moment in time when "white people," as a separate and distinct group of humanity, were invented through legislation and the enactment of laws. It provides a thorough examination of the underlying reasons as well as the ways in which "white people" were created, and how the creation of whiteness divided laborers and ultimately served the interests of the elite. "Birth of a White Nation" demonstrates how the social construction and legal enactment of "white people" has ultimately compromised the humanity of those so labeled. Jacqueline Battalora is currently a lawyer and professor of sociology and criminal justice at Saint Xavier University. She is also a former Chicago Police officer. She holds a Ph.D. from Northwestern University and has been engaged in anti-racist training since the mid 1990s.

Denzil Porter is an emcee hailing from the North Bronx, NY. We will be talking about his album titled, “Semantics of Mr. Porter”.

“White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism”, explores the counterproductive reactions white people have when their assumptions about race are challenged, and how these reactions maintain racial inequality. In this in-depth exploration, Dr. Robin DiAngelo examines how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively. Dr. Robin DiAngelo is an academic, lecturer, and author and has been a consultant and trainer on issues of racial and social justice for more than twenty years. She formerly served as a tenured professor of multicultural education at Westfield State University.

J. Lately is an emcee, hailing from the Bay Area of California. We will be talking about his album titled, “Be F******g Happy”.

Mad Squablz is an emcee, representing, Philadelphia, Pa. We will be talking about his album titled, “Lamps”.

Nomis is an emcee, representing southern California. We will be talking about his album titled, “Rhodes to Rome”

WrittenByC4 is an emcee representing New York City and New Jersey. We will be talking about his album titled, “One of the Greats”.

CAP 6 is an artistic collective comprised of multiple emcees and one DJ (Intricate, Nové, Hakeem Furious, Donny Blot, & Robert Ohtis). Cap 6 is based out of Tallahassee, FL. We will be talking about their album titled, “JELLY”

MarQ Spekt is an indie hip hop artist representing Philadelphia, PA . We will be talking about his album titled, “At War with the Shadows”

“I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness”, gives an eye-opening account of growing up Black, Christian, and female in middle-class white America. It presents an illuminating look at how white, middle-class, Evangelicalism has participated in an era of rising racial hostility, inviting the reader to confront apathy, recognize God's ongoing work in the world, and discover how blackness--if we let it--can save us all. Austin Channing Brown is a writer, speaker, and practitioner who helps schools, nonprofits and religious organizations practice genuine inclusion.

The Foreigners are a duo consisting of Dre Skuffs and Passport Rav. They are both hailing from New Jersey. We will be talking about their self-titled EP, “The Foreigners”.

Dr. Tommy J. Curry is the author of the groundbreaking book titled, “The MAN-NOT: Race, Class, Genre, and the Dilemmas of Black Manhood”. Dr. Tommy J. Curry posits that we should conceptualize the Black male as a victim, oppressed by his sex. He argues that Black men struggle with death and suicide, as well as abuse and rape, and their genred existence deserves study and theorization. This book offers intellectual, historical, sociological, and psychological evidence that the analysis of patriarchy offered by mainstream feminism (including Black feminism) does not yet fully understand the role that homoeroticism, sexual violence, and vulnerability play in the deaths and lives of Black males. Dr. Curry challenges how we think of and perceive the conditions that actually affect all Black males. Dr. Tommy J. Curry is a Professor of Philosophy and Africana Studies at Texas A&M University.

Jonah Cruzz is an emcee, representing Atlanta, GA. We will be talking about his mixtape, “Just to Get By”.

Charlie Smarts is 1 of the 5 members from the North Carolina super-group, Kooley High. I'll will be talking about their album, which was executive produced by 9th Wonder titled, “Never Come Down”

J. Nolan is an emcee, representing Atlanta, GA. We will be talking about his album titled, “Rise of ATLantis”.

Magestik Legend is an emcee representing Detroit, Michigan. And is also one half of the critically acclaimed duo, The Black Opera. We will be talking about his album titled, “All This Time”.

“Class War, USA: Dispatches from Workers' Struggles in American History”, is a rich collection of stories about ordinary people who resisted oppression and exploitation against all odds. Brandon Weber's succinct and vivid essays capture crucial moments of struggle when working-class people built movements of hope and defiance. From the mines to the factories to the fields, Weber shares the experiences of the real-life men and women who organized, heroically resisted, and battled the bosses and corrupt politicians. Class War, USA, is an invaluable tool for learning the lessons of grassroots struggle, and is the perfect counter-narrative to the myth that change comes only from the top. Brandon Weber has written for The Progressive, Upworthy, Big Think, and many other online publications, and has been a union activist for over 30 years. His has also written for The Progressive Magazine, Common Dreams, Good.Is and Liberals Unite.

Awon is an emcee, representing Newport News, VA via Brooklyn, NY. We will be talking about his album produced by Phoniks titled, “The Actual Proof”.

Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum is the author of the fully revised and updated classic, bestselling book on the psychology of racism titled, “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?”. Enter any high school with a racially diverse population and you will find Black, White, and Latino youth clustered in their own groups. Why is this? Is this self-segregation a problem to address or a coping strategy? Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, argues that straight talk about our racial identities is essential if we are serious about enabling communication across racial and ethnic divides. Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, is president (EM-MERI-TAH) emerita of Spelman College and in 2014 she received the Award for Outstanding Lifetime Contribution to Psychology, which is the highest honor presented by the American Psychological Association.

Think2wice is an emcee from Portland, Oregon. MCRE is an emcee from Vernon, Connecticut. We will be talking about their album titled, “When No One's Listening”.

Cavalier is an emcee representing Brooklyn, NY. He has shared the stage with Nas, DMX, Little Brother, The Beatnuts, Smif N Wessun, and many other renown emcees. We will be talking about his melodious and introspective album titled, “Private Stock”.

TiRon & Ayomari are both singers, songwriters, and emcees, representing Los Angeles, CA. They have received tremendous recognition by media outlets from Complex to RapGenius, and XXL, to LA Weekly, and The Source. We will be talking about their eclectic and melodically rich album titled, “WET: The Wonderful Ego Trip”.

Yugen Blakrok is an emcee hailing from South Africa. She has opened for legends like MC Lyte, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, and Edo G. She has also performed alongside legends like Public Enemy and Jeru the Damaja. Most recently she has collaborated with Kendrick Lamar on the Black Panther soundtrack. That was the opening track you just heard. We will be talking about her beat knocking and lyrically heavy album titled, “Return of the Astro-Goth”

Hurt is an emcee and songwriter out of Pasadena, California. We will be talking about his hard-hitting, heartfelt, and politically conscious album titled, “Between Heaven and the Benjamins”.