Podcast appearances and mentions of Toni Blackman

Toni Blackman is a groundbreaking artist and educator who has captivated audiences worldwide - 50 countries to date! As the first official U.S. Hip Hop Ambassador, she has performed at prestigious venues like the UN, Carnegie Hall, and the Apollo Theater. A pioneer in Hip Hop theater and education, Toni was both an Echoing Green and a Soros Fellow for programs she created like Rhyme Like a Girl and The Freestyle Union. She has also worked as a Spoken Word/Rap Coach for Disney's Emmy Award-winning series, The Crossover. With a passion for social justice and cultural exchange, Toni continues to inspire and empower through her music, writing, and community work. Fresh off dates in Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Accra and Joburg, Toni's celebrating the upcoming release of her audiobook for Wisdom of the Cypher, as well as the release of her documentary, A Woman's Place is in the Cypher, supported by the Big We Foundation's SheStories grant. Toni lives between Brooklyn, NY and Dakar, Senegal.https://www.toniblackman.com---Support this quality, independent Hip Hop cultural journalism: https://www.patreon.com/mannyfaces or https://mannyfaces.substack.com---Hip-Hop Can Save America! with Manny Faces is a Manny Faces Media production, in association with The Center for Hip-Hop Advocacy.LINKS AND RESOURCES:SHOW WEBSITE: https://www.hiphopcansaveamerica.comON YOUTUBE: https://www.hiphopcansaveamerica.com/watchMANNY FACES: https://www.mannyfaces.comNEWSLETTER (free!): https://mannyfaces.substack.comSUPPORT QUALITY INDIE HIP HOP JOURNALISM: https://www.patreon.com/mannyfacesManny Faces Media (podcast production company): https://www.mannyfacesmedia.comThe Center for Hip-Hop Advocacy: https://www.hiphopadvocacy.orgSPONSORS / FRIENDS:The Mixtape Museum: https://www.mixtapemuseum.orgHip-Hop Hacks: https://www.hiphophacks.comHip-Hop Can Save America! is produced, written, edited, smacked, flipped, rubbed down, and distributed by Manny Faces. Eternal thanks to Consulting Producer, Sommer McCoy.

On episode 65 of the VITAL HOOPS Podcast Rosa Clemente and Fernando speak about African identity in Spanish speaking countries, latinidad, misogyny in Hip Hop and third party politics.   HABANA NEGRA (with Sekou) - https://youtu.be/p8ptP4GL-ek?si=LLm0b7AAUF6ctbn9 VITAL HOOPS Podcast Ep 2 Feat. Toni Blackman - https://youtu.be/ctRd-iviN0o?si=ofX0AhlZDpmDLixs Book Recommendations: Rosa: “War Against All Puerto Ricans: Revolution and Terror in America's Colony” by Nelson Antonio Denis Fernando: “Wisdom of The Cypher” by Toni Blackman Rosa Clemente: IG - https://www.instagram.com/blackpuertoricanphd/ https://rosaclemente.net VITAL HOOPS: PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/fernandocardenasxb Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/vitalhoops IG - https://www.instagram.com/vitalhoopspodcast/ Email - vitalhoopspodcast@gmail.com https://www.vitalhoops.net https://www.blackpowermedia.org VITAL HOOPS is 4 THE KULTURE

As part of the Wisconsin Arts Integration Symposium, we bring you our first LIVE episode! Erica and guest host Dr. Yorel Lashley bring on emcee and educator Sheikia Purple Norris, who has invited her long time "guide, teacher, sister, peer" Toni Blackman to the pod. Toni is an author, poet, educator, public speaker, cultural representative, and advocate "representing the divine feminine for women and girls rocking the mic with authenticity," as well as the creator and founder of the I Run Like a Girl Collective. Follow Sheikia Purple Norris: IG @4purppeople Check out Toni Blackman: www.toniblackman.com IG @toniblackman Learn more about the Wisconsin Arts Integration Symposium https://place.education.wisc.edu/k12-programs/wisconsin-arts-integration-symposium/

Returning to the Show tonight are local legends of Hip-Hop in DC the Amphbns.The AMPHBNS originally met in Washington, DC in the mid-90s at an artist's workshop called “The Freestyle Union”. The collective is made up of lyricists, producers, painters, singers, dancers, and martial artists; aside from Native Tongues and other bravely creative influences of their time, they looked to each other the most for creative accountability.The AMPHBNS are 20 different artists from regions from the Philippines to the Caribbean who looked to each other the most for motivation and inspiration. The name refers to the diversity of the collective's talents and each members' ability to adapt and grow.They are here tonight to discuss "FRESH CONVOS: A D.C. Hip-Hop Oral History" at EATON HOTEL CINEMAProduced in partnership with the Humanities Council of Washington D.C., the documentary encapsulates a special time in the D.C. area when local Hip-Hop artists gathered and motivated each other. Featuring early luminaries like Toni Lightfoot, Toni Blackman, and the Poem-cees, the film paints a vivid picture of the vibrant existence of a Hip-Hop scene in the DC Metropolitan area.The screening will be held at the Eaton Hotel Cinema at 1201 K Street, NW, Washington D.C., 20005 from 6pm to 9pm. A Q&A session with the documentary's creators, Khalil “D'Jamaal” Gill and Shatungwa “Chakra Ashram” Juma will be held immediately after the screening. The evening will also feature a special “Happy Hour Video Mix” by AMPHBNS member, Chakra Ashram.Link to Chakra Ashram TWITCH Channel: https://www.twitch.tv/chakraashramAMPHBNS YouTube: / amphbns AMPHBNS EPK: https://www.amphbns.com/epkhttps://www.instagram.com/amphbns/https://twitter.com/amphbns

Friday night Metropolis recorded live at Decadance Radio. Two hours of all the latest house and tech house, with a dusting of melodic, progressive and techno. This week featuring new music from artists including myself & Toni Blackman, Kristin Velvet, Maxinne, Solardo & Idris Elba and labels including Toolroom, Nervous, Circus and more.linktr.ee/charmainlove

Friday night Metropolis recorded live at Decadance Radio. Two hours of all the latest house and tech house, with a dusting of melodic, progressive and techno. This week featuring new music from the Toolroom Miami 2023 release including Essel, Crusy, Ellis Moss, Jewel Kid and myself with Toni Blackman and plenty more.linktr.ee/charmainlove

World-class MC, author, and educator Toni Blackman is the founder of Freestyle Union/Rhyme Like a Girl project and the United States' first Hip Hop Ambassador. Ma Blackman taps in from her new home in Senegal to talk about her forthcoming book on the wisdom of the cypher. This episode is sponsored by Zakat Foundation and BetterHelp. To get 10% off your first month of therapy, visit www.betterhelp.com/travelers Learn more about The Travelers Podcast: https://www.brotherali.com/podcast Buy Travelers Podcast merchandise: https://www.brotheralistore.com/collections/travelers-podcast

She is #DopePeopleFrom the east to the west, global and beyond, Polaryss' zone of genius is at the intersection of art, math, science, & tech, taking her to places like Uganda, Benin & Brazil! Polaryss is an educator, Hip Hop artist, and activist whose synergy and passion are unmatched. Born and raised in the Mecca of Hip Hop, The Bronx, New York, Polaryss incorporates her art and life experiences into every aspect of her work. Whether she's performing on stage or promoting cultural diplomacy globally, she is always educating and entertaining. As an educator and social entrepreneur, Polaryss uses her craft to advocate for women in Hip Hop as well as educational equity in underserved communities. She uses Hip Hop in the classroom as a tool to teach and promote self-advocacy, effective communication, and critical thinking. She also utilizes the skill of improvisation (freestyle) to teach social and fiscal responsibility, classroom curriculum, and self-awareness. As an educator and Hip Hop Ambassador, Polaryss takes pride in the innovative ways she brings Hip Hop into the classroom, pairing it with STEAM and project-based learning to increase literacy. The founder of The Intentional Movement Project, an arts-based literacy program that uses Hip Hop to identify and address giftedness in historically underserved youth, Polaryss has made a significant impact on the global Hip Hop community and seeks to do the same in the field of education. She created The Intentional Movement Project (TIMP) to put emphasis on historically underrepresented gifted learners and aims at partnering with academic stakeholders to increase access to STEAM-based arts education. TIMP offers standards-based quality programming that shines a spotlight on self-advocacy, effective communication, and critical thinking using curriculum-based instruction. From the global stage to the classroom to the boardroom, Polaryss is reimagining education and the world through the lens of Hip Hop Culture. Founding member and former Co-chair of MC Lyte's Hip Hop Sisters (www.hiphopsisters.org, www.hiphopsisters.com), On the board for the Women In Hip Hop Division of the Universal Hip Hop Museum, Director of Creative Operations, Education Advisor and Lead Facilitator for Toni Blackman's Rhyme Like A Girl (@RhymeLikeAGirl on IG), and Hip Hop Cultural Ambassador to the US State Department.To support Dope People, purchase some of our merchandise by visiting https://scottsteward.com/merchTo show love to the Dope People Podcast, be sure to subscribe to us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiD7tgj9ezb7Xuk7IOFHRBg.You can also purchase Dope People merch at https://scottsteward.com/merch

She is #DopePeopleFrom the east to the west, global and beyond, Polaryss' zone of genius is at the intersection of art, math, science, & tech, taking her to places like Uganda, Benin & Brazil! Polaryss is an educator, Hip Hop artist, and activist whose synergy and passion are unmatched. Born and raised in the Mecca of Hip Hop, The Bronx, New York, Polaryss incorporates her art and life experiences into every aspect of her work. Whether she's performing on stage or promoting cultural diplomacy globally, she is always educating and entertaining. As an educator and social entrepreneur, Polaryss uses her craft to advocate for women in Hip Hop as well as educational equity in underserved communities. She uses Hip Hop in the classroom as a tool to teach and promote self-advocacy, effective communication, and critical thinking. She also utilizes the skill of improvisation (freestyle) to teach social and fiscal responsibility, classroom curriculum, and self-awareness. As an educator and Hip Hop Ambassador, Polaryss takes pride in the innovative ways she brings Hip Hop into the classroom, pairing it with STEAM and project-based learning to increase literacy. The founder of The Intentional Movement Project, an arts-based literacy program that uses Hip Hop to identify and address giftedness in historically underserved youth, Polaryss has made a significant impact on the global Hip Hop community and seeks to do the same in the field of education. She created The Intentional Movement Project (TIMP) to put emphasis on historically underrepresented gifted learners and aims at partnering with academic stakeholders to increase access to STEAM-based arts education. TIMP offers standards-based quality programming that shines a spotlight on self-advocacy, effective communication, and critical thinking using curriculum-based instruction. From the global stage to the classroom to the boardroom, Polaryss is reimagining education and the world through the lens of Hip Hop Culture. Founding member and former Co-chair of MC Lyte's Hip Hop Sisters (www.hiphopsisters.org, www.hiphopsisters.com), On the board for the Women In Hip Hop Division of the Universal Hip Hop Museum, Director of Creative Operations, Education Advisor and Lead Facilitator for Toni Blackman's Rhyme Like A Girl (@RhymeLikeAGirl on IG), and Hip Hop Cultural Ambassador to the US State Department.To support Dope People, purchase some of our merchandise by visiting https://scottsteward.com/merchSupport the showTo show love to the Dope People Podcast, be sure to subscribe to us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiD7tgj9ezb7Xuk7IOFHRBg.You can also purchase Dope People merch at https://scottsteward.com/merch

Guerrilla Grooves Radio hosted by Rhinoceros Funk (@rhinocerosfunk) & DJ Fred Ones (@fredonestme). The newest underground hip hop and dopest interviews live on wrap.fm & guerrillagroovesradio.com EVERY TUESDAY 7-10pm EST.

On Episode 02 of Vital Hoops Toni Blackman and Fernando talk about Hip Hop culture, what it means to them and how basketball is a part of it. Toni and Fernando also talk about the excitement of the Basketball Africa League, the positives and negatives of it being associated with the NBA and how it may help basketball players on the continent. Follow Toni Blackman on IG, Twitter, and Facebook @ToniBlackman and visit her website www. toniblackmanpresents.com Find us on IG and Facebook @VitalHoopsPodcast and on Twitter @VitalHoopsPod Contact us at vitalhoopspodcast@gmail.com Vital Hoops is 4 The Kulture.

We are so excited to bring to our listening audience the amazing Toni Blackman. Toni has traveled the world spreading the art and culture of Hip Hop as the first Hip Hop Ambassador.  Her work has spanned over two decades and is only getting better.  She joined us to discuss her experiences and current projects.  She even dropped a poem on the live stream. Our discussion ranged from her new Wellness project to her philosophy of "Living By Faith" Learn more about Toni at http://www.toniblackmanpresents.com and watch the stream on Youtube. It was truly a pleasure to have her join us.  We're sure you'll enjoy it.Follow Toni's Twitter and hit her LinkTree for more info.

Show Notes:(0:00) Show Intro and Toni Blackman Interview!(48:37) Dr. Claud Anderson and Economic/Historical Mythology(2:05:36) Dhoruba Bin-Wahad Strong Statement on Generational Politics and Struggle(2:19:33) Jimmy Dore, Kyle Rittenhouse and Chat CommentaryToni BlackmanToni Blackman is an award-winning artist whose steadfast work and commitment to hip hop led the U.S. State Department to select her as an American Cultural Specialist and one of the first Hip Hop Envoys. She recently served in Benin this past June. Her past tours have included Senegal, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, southern Africa, southeast Asia and Brazil. She has traveled to 47 countries performing, speaking and teaching.http://www.toniblackmanpresents.com"Is Capitalism Cap? (feat. Chico Bean & Dr. Claud Anderson)"https://youtu.be/OPTXzvspccgThe Curious History of Anthony Johnson: From Captive African to Right-wing Talking Pointhttps://www.aaihs.org/the-curious-history-of-anthony-johnson-from-captive-african-to-right-wing-talking-point/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Contact: cosmicdancerpodcast@gmail.com I like to disseminate love, kindness and knowledge. Please respect yourself, people and earth. Take care and thanks for supporting me with Paypal. Peace! https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5E6WCP8KAS4NG Anyone who hears lo-fi hip hop music for the first time, whatever the format, immediately feels a sense of community. That's how Toni Blackman, musician, artist, teacher and hip-hop's first ambassador to the U.S. State Department, felt when she first heard it decades ago. "I felt like I had found home," she says, recalling wondering, "if there are other artists who feel the same way I do, who feel the way I do? In addition to a sense of belonging, experts say the appeal of lo-fi hip hop music lies in the music itself - how the tunes feel and what they remind us of." Lo-Fi music can fit all genres of music, as the term refers to is recorded music (low-fidelity). This includes ambient sounds , such as children playing outside or the rustling of papers. These can be combined with other "natural sounds that give the feeling of music coming through walls," says Elliot Gann, a psychologist and executive director of Today's Future Sound, an organization that brings therapeutic beat-making and listening to after-school programs. Born in 1997 in Kloetinge, the Netherlands, Pim Sebastiaan de Jonge (Sebastian Kamae) began his journey at just 5 years old, when he had his first music lessons. Quickly, he discovered his love for the piano and in high school began producing and making beats. While developing his skills, Kamae played in several bands. He then decided to study MediaMusic at ArtEZ and graduated as a Bachelor of Arts in 2018 in music production, composition, and audio engineering. In the fall of 2017, he landed an internship in Chicago at SoundScape Studios, where he had the opportunity to work and connect with artists such as Kweku Collins, Femdot, Khary, Ajani Jones, Jack Red, Qari, Melo Makes Music & many more. Sebastian Kamae released his first album, Waves, on June 27, 2018. A few singles followed and his first instrumental EP Wired was released in December 2018. He signed a publishing deal with Cloud 9 Music and is now involved in music full-time mainly in the Netherlands and the United States. His second album Enjoy the Ride was recorded mostly in Chicago and was released in November 2019. My E-book dedicated to Lo-Fi Music : https://tinyurl.com/9h269be Find out what CBD and cannabinoids are. Follow this link www.cannabystreet.com. - Join my Facebook Group Meditation Mindfulness Yoga Mantra www.facebook.com/groups/642191676459430 - Here my short stories about Kindness (I giorni della gentilezza- Paperback - Italian version)- tinyurl.com/3vfud2c9 - Here my book Learn Māori Culture and Proverbs (paperback) tinyurl.com/6zmvz9tt - Version with Full Color Images - www.amazon.com/Learn-M%C4%81ori-…1621334435&sr=8-3 - Poster Maramataka: tinyurl.com/pht4easb - Here my book dedicated to Lo-Fi Music (ebook and paperback), tinyurl.com/r2d69dyb - on Amazon USA, UK, INDIA, JAPAN, GERMANY, BRAZIL and other countries. - Here my book with illustrated philosophical short stories (ebook and paperback), tinyurl.com/rpcd5c - on Amazon USA, UK, INDIA, JAPAN, GERMANY, BRAZIL and other countries. - Here my book Black Book Note www.amazon.com/BLACK-BOOK-NOTE-i…32&s=books&sr=1-1 - Here my journal dedicated to the great italian poet Dante Alighieri tinyurl.com/42rt7jjh. - E-book and Video on www.lofimusic.it. - Here my fashion brand dedicated to Spirituality, www.mantratshirt.it.

EPISODE 8 OF SEASON 2 If like me, lo-fi beats have given you the peace of mind you need while working during this pandemic, then you already know something about mindful hip-hop. And that is the topic of my conversation with Brooklyn-based hip-hop artist, Toni Blackman., who is an advocate of mindful hip-hop. Our conversation is a journey that takes us to the start of her career in the 90s as a recording artist, through the years while using her platform for education and healing. Toni has also been wearing many hats throughout the years; from consulting/facilitating workshops for corporates, co-creating work with  A-list celebrities and using hip-hop cyphers as a tool for healing and education in her immediate community of Brooklyn, and other parts of the world.She was one of the first  US global hip-hop ambassador selected by the State Department, and continues this work through her artist residencies throughout the world. So far, she has taken her various hip-hop projects to 47 countries and worked with a countless number of artists in Africa, South America and Southeast Asia.Toni's work and commitment to hip-hop has now led her to mindfulness and meditation, where she creates safe spaces for healing on various platforms including a  YouTube Channel, a podcast and a theatrical performance called 'Let The Cypher Say Amen'.This is an awesome conversation about dedication, commitment and above all, well-being. LINKS TO TONI'S OTHER WORKHow To Freestyle: https://youtu.be/SJWqZcewxsU The Wisdom of the Cypher: https://youtu.be/8W4yro7ESWUMORE HERE: https://www.youtube.com/user/ToniB104

Welcome to Wonder & Awe, a podcast exploring the intersection between art and science. In this episode, Louie Schwartzberg hosts an inspiring conversation with poet and songwriter IN-Q and hip-hop ambassador and meditation expert Toni Blackman. IN-Q is a National Poetry Slam champion, award-winning poet, and multi-platinum songwriter. His new book is called “Inquire Within,” a book of poems about love, loss, forgiveness, transformation, and belief. Toni Blackman, an award-winning artist, educator, and expert in hip-hop and mediation. She’s traveled the world as a hip hop ambassador and will soon publish her first book, The Wisdom of the Cypher.  

Toni Blackman is a poet, global music educator, and Hip-Hop Ambassador. We reminisce about when meeting and getting money when the Black Internets was young, how gentrification killed the gypsy cabs, and that time in Denver she curved me like Bubba Wallace #daytona500. We the man who seduced her with his cooking and other fly exes (except the one that gave her a wrinkle), the choices she makes in relationships, being single, finding peace with her Pops and whether any man, woman, or otherwise is really loyal. Black Women's Inspirational Booties, what Toni is looking for in a man (asking for a friend) and convincing me I owe my ex an apology for that book  … we go there on #conversationforadults #ImNotBeingSued for this. Resources: https://www.toniblackmanpresents.com/ (toniblackmanpresents.com) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toniblackman/ (@toniblackman) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ToniBlackman4/ (facebook.com/ToniBlackman4) Twitter: https://twitter.com/ToniBlackman (@ToniBlackman) YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ToniB104/videos (youtube.com/user/ToniB104/videos) http://www.rhymelikeagirl.com/ (Rhyme Like a Girl) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_SlvO3FWZx/ (#LyricalDebate) https://www.amazon.com/Denzel-Principle-Black-Women-Cant/dp/031253485X (“The Denzel Principle: Why Black Women Can't Find Good Black Men”) by Jimi Izrael Let's Talk: Website: https://conversationforadults.com/ (conversationforadults.com) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conversationforadults/ (@conversationforadults) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/conversationforadultswithjimiizrael/ (facebook.com/conversationforadultswithjimiizrael) Twitter: https://twitter.com/convoforadults (@convoforadults) Conversation for Adults is a production of http://crate.media (Crate Media)

Red and Hanifah are back this week with special guest, Hip-Hop Ambassador Toni Blackman! They discuss her work with the…

Activist, artist, M.C., and music educator Toni Blackman talks with us about establishing a breathwork practice, the links between spirituality and hip-hop, and the healing power of music to shift our hearts and minds.

With the world literally at a standstill, now more than ever it’s important to check in with our friends and community. How are you coping in these unprecedented times? Need a little pick me up? A real-talk session? We got you! Join Risikat “Kat” Okedeyi and her special guests as they talk through ups and downs of quarantine life, the little joys, the real-world observations, and the tips that keep them on track throughout it all. Featured Guest: Toni Blackman, a highly respected artist, and social entrepreneur is the first Hip Hop artist selected to work as a cultural ambassador with the US Department of State. She is currently an artist with the Carnegie Hall Weill Music Institute and a fellow in the Echoing Green Foundation’s Thought Leadership Cohort. Creator of Freestyle Union Cipher Workshop and Rhyme Like A Girl, for which she was awarded a prestigious Open Society Institute fellowship (Soros Foundation), Toni is one of the world’s foremost HipHop activists. Follow Toni on IG/Twitter: @ToniBlackman FB: ToniBlackman4 and MissBlackman1. Donations can be made via CashApp: $MissBlackman VENMO: Toni-Blackman PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/ToniBlackman --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/katskorner/message

Episode 73 of Real Black News features Toni Blackman, US Hip Hop Ambassador, artist, and educator sharing her work traveling throughout Africa as the US State Department’s hip hop Envoy. She discusses her time at Howard University and the work today teaching women self-esteem through hip hop while navigating as a woman in the culture. In a special politics report ahead of Super Tuesday, civil rights lawyer and Democratic Strategist, Shavar Jeffries, breaks down where Democratic presidential candidates stand on black issues. Other show topics include the student protests at Syracuse University, HBCUs preparing students to teach STEM, Marijuana convictions overturned, and more. To support, go to patreon.com/realblacknews and give $1 or more.

In April 2014, a cohort of twenty-five hip hop artists assembled in Washington, D.C. for the first orientation meeting of a new cultural diplomacy program sponsored by the United States State Department. Next Level brings hip hop practitioners from the United States to other countries where they collaborate with local artists in workshops and other events in short residencies. Mark Katz, a hip hop scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, proposed the program and served as its first director. Build: The Power of Hip Hop Diplomacy in a Divided World (Oxford University Press, 2019) is Katz's response to the first five years of this project. Cultural diplomacy has been part of the State Department's outreach efforts since the 1940s, but hip hop was only included in the program when Toni Blackman became a cultural specialist in 2001. In his book, Katz takes on the hard questions prompted by the legacy of American imperialism abroad and racism at home that informs hip hop as a global art form and makes a Next Level residency a complex interaction between people that have something important in common, but also much that could divide them. He uses the insights he has gleaned from over thirty residencies around the world as he considers the sometimes conflicting agendas between artists and diplomats that can complicate cultural diplomacy. While defending the value of people-to-people exchanges as a way to bring about what he calls conflict transformation, Katz takes a hard look at what is beneficial as well as difficult about these types interactions. Mark Katz is Professor of Music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the founding director of Next Level. His work centers on hip hop and the transformative effect of technology on music. In 2016 he was awarded the Dent Medal. Build is his fourth book. Kristen M. Turner, Ph.D. is a lecturer at North Carolina State University in the music department. Her work centers on American musical culture at the turn of the twentieth century and has been published in several journals and essay collections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In April 2014, a cohort of twenty-five hip hop artists assembled in Washington, D.C. for the first orientation meeting of a new cultural diplomacy program sponsored by the United States State Department. Next Level brings hip hop practitioners from the United States to other countries where they collaborate with local artists in workshops and other events in short residencies. Mark Katz, a hip hop scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, proposed the program and served as its first director. Build: The Power of Hip Hop Diplomacy in a Divided World (Oxford University Press, 2019) is Katz’s response to the first five years of this project. Cultural diplomacy has been part of the State Department’s outreach efforts since the 1940s, but hip hop was only included in the program when Toni Blackman became a cultural specialist in 2001. In his book, Katz takes on the hard questions prompted by the legacy of American imperialism abroad and racism at home that informs hip hop as a global art form and makes a Next Level residency a complex interaction between people that have something important in common, but also much that could divide them. He uses the insights he has gleaned from over thirty residencies around the world as he considers the sometimes conflicting agendas between artists and diplomats that can complicate cultural diplomacy. While defending the value of people-to-people exchanges as a way to bring about what he calls conflict transformation, Katz takes a hard look at what is beneficial as well as difficult about these types interactions. Mark Katz is Professor of Music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the founding director of Next Level. His work centers on hip hop and the transformative effect of technology on music. In 2016 he was awarded the Dent Medal. Build is his fourth book. Kristen M. Turner, Ph.D. is a lecturer at North Carolina State University in the music department. Her work centers on American musical culture at the turn of the twentieth century and has been published in several journals and essay collections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In April 2014, a cohort of twenty-five hip hop artists assembled in Washington, D.C. for the first orientation meeting of a new cultural diplomacy program sponsored by the United States State Department. Next Level brings hip hop practitioners from the United States to other countries where they collaborate with local artists in workshops and other events in short residencies. Mark Katz, a hip hop scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, proposed the program and served as its first director. Build: The Power of Hip Hop Diplomacy in a Divided World (Oxford University Press, 2019) is Katz’s response to the first five years of this project. Cultural diplomacy has been part of the State Department’s outreach efforts since the 1940s, but hip hop was only included in the program when Toni Blackman became a cultural specialist in 2001. In his book, Katz takes on the hard questions prompted by the legacy of American imperialism abroad and racism at home that informs hip hop as a global art form and makes a Next Level residency a complex interaction between people that have something important in common, but also much that could divide them. He uses the insights he has gleaned from over thirty residencies around the world as he considers the sometimes conflicting agendas between artists and diplomats that can complicate cultural diplomacy. While defending the value of people-to-people exchanges as a way to bring about what he calls conflict transformation, Katz takes a hard look at what is beneficial as well as difficult about these types interactions. Mark Katz is Professor of Music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the founding director of Next Level. His work centers on hip hop and the transformative effect of technology on music. In 2016 he was awarded the Dent Medal. Build is his fourth book. Kristen M. Turner, Ph.D. is a lecturer at North Carolina State University in the music department. Her work centers on American musical culture at the turn of the twentieth century and has been published in several journals and essay collections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In April 2014, a cohort of twenty-five hip hop artists assembled in Washington, D.C. for the first orientation meeting of a new cultural diplomacy program sponsored by the United States State Department. Next Level brings hip hop practitioners from the United States to other countries where they collaborate with local artists in workshops and other events in short residencies. Mark Katz, a hip hop scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, proposed the program and served as its first director. Build: The Power of Hip Hop Diplomacy in a Divided World (Oxford University Press, 2019) is Katz’s response to the first five years of this project. Cultural diplomacy has been part of the State Department’s outreach efforts since the 1940s, but hip hop was only included in the program when Toni Blackman became a cultural specialist in 2001. In his book, Katz takes on the hard questions prompted by the legacy of American imperialism abroad and racism at home that informs hip hop as a global art form and makes a Next Level residency a complex interaction between people that have something important in common, but also much that could divide them. He uses the insights he has gleaned from over thirty residencies around the world as he considers the sometimes conflicting agendas between artists and diplomats that can complicate cultural diplomacy. While defending the value of people-to-people exchanges as a way to bring about what he calls conflict transformation, Katz takes a hard look at what is beneficial as well as difficult about these types interactions. Mark Katz is Professor of Music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the founding director of Next Level. His work centers on hip hop and the transformative effect of technology on music. In 2016 he was awarded the Dent Medal. Build is his fourth book. Kristen M. Turner, Ph.D. is a lecturer at North Carolina State University in the music department. Her work centers on American musical culture at the turn of the twentieth century and has been published in several journals and essay collections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In April 2014, a cohort of twenty-five hip hop artists assembled in Washington, D.C. for the first orientation meeting of a new cultural diplomacy program sponsored by the United States State Department. Next Level brings hip hop practitioners from the United States to other countries where they collaborate with local artists in workshops and other events in short residencies. Mark Katz, a hip hop scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, proposed the program and served as its first director. Build: The Power of Hip Hop Diplomacy in a Divided World (Oxford University Press, 2019) is Katz's response to the first five years of this project. Cultural diplomacy has been part of the State Department's outreach efforts since the 1940s, but hip hop was only included in the program when Toni Blackman became a cultural specialist in 2001. In his book, Katz takes on the hard questions prompted by the legacy of American imperialism abroad and racism at home that informs hip hop as a global art form and makes a Next Level residency a complex interaction between people that have something important in common, but also much that could divide them. He uses the insights he has gleaned from over thirty residencies around the world as he considers the sometimes conflicting agendas between artists and diplomats that can complicate cultural diplomacy. While defending the value of people-to-people exchanges as a way to bring about what he calls conflict transformation, Katz takes a hard look at what is beneficial as well as difficult about these types interactions. Mark Katz is Professor of Music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the founding director of Next Level. His work centers on hip hop and the transformative effect of technology on music. In 2016 he was awarded the Dent Medal. Build is his fourth book. Kristen M. Turner, Ph.D. is a lecturer at North Carolina State University in the music department. Her work centers on American musical culture at the turn of the twentieth century and has been published in several journals and essay collections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies

In April 2014, a cohort of twenty-five hip hop artists assembled in Washington, D.C. for the first orientation meeting of a new cultural diplomacy program sponsored by the United States State Department. Next Level brings hip hop practitioners from the United States to other countries where they collaborate with local artists in workshops and other events in short residencies. Mark Katz, a hip hop scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, proposed the program and served as its first director. Build: The Power of Hip Hop Diplomacy in a Divided World (Oxford University Press, 2019) is Katz’s response to the first five years of this project. Cultural diplomacy has been part of the State Department’s outreach efforts since the 1940s, but hip hop was only included in the program when Toni Blackman became a cultural specialist in 2001. In his book, Katz takes on the hard questions prompted by the legacy of American imperialism abroad and racism at home that informs hip hop as a global art form and makes a Next Level residency a complex interaction between people that have something important in common, but also much that could divide them. He uses the insights he has gleaned from over thirty residencies around the world as he considers the sometimes conflicting agendas between artists and diplomats that can complicate cultural diplomacy. While defending the value of people-to-people exchanges as a way to bring about what he calls conflict transformation, Katz takes a hard look at what is beneficial as well as difficult about these types interactions. Mark Katz is Professor of Music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the founding director of Next Level. His work centers on hip hop and the transformative effect of technology on music. In 2016 he was awarded the Dent Medal. Build is his fourth book. Kristen M. Turner, Ph.D. is a lecturer at North Carolina State University in the music department. Her work centers on American musical culture at the turn of the twentieth century and has been published in several journals and essay collections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In April 2014, a cohort of twenty-five hip hop artists assembled in Washington, D.C. for the first orientation meeting of a new cultural diplomacy program sponsored by the United States State Department. Next Level brings hip hop practitioners from the United States to other countries where they collaborate with local artists in workshops and other events in short residencies. Mark Katz, a hip hop scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, proposed the program and served as its first director. Build: The Power of Hip Hop Diplomacy in a Divided World (Oxford University Press, 2019) is Katz's response to the first five years of this project. Cultural diplomacy has been part of the State Department's outreach efforts since the 1940s, but hip hop was only included in the program when Toni Blackman became a cultural specialist in 2001. In his book, Katz takes on the hard questions prompted by the legacy of American imperialism abroad and racism at home that informs hip hop as a global art form and makes a Next Level residency a complex interaction between people that have something important in common, but also much that could divide them. He uses the insights he has gleaned from over thirty residencies around the world as he considers the sometimes conflicting agendas between artists and diplomats that can complicate cultural diplomacy. While defending the value of people-to-people exchanges as a way to bring about what he calls conflict transformation, Katz takes a hard look at what is beneficial as well as difficult about these types interactions. Mark Katz is Professor of Music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the founding director of Next Level. His work centers on hip hop and the transformative effect of technology on music. In 2016 he was awarded the Dent Medal. Build is his fourth book. Kristen M. Turner, Ph.D. is a lecturer at North Carolina State University in the music department. Her work centers on American musical culture at the turn of the twentieth century and has been published in several journals and essay collections.

In April 2014, a cohort of twenty-five hip hop artists assembled in Washington, D.C. for the first orientation meeting of a new cultural diplomacy program sponsored by the United States State Department. Next Level brings hip hop practitioners from the United States to other countries where they collaborate with local artists in workshops and other events in short residencies. Mark Katz, a hip hop scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, proposed the program and served as its first director. Build: The Power of Hip Hop Diplomacy in a Divided World (Oxford University Press, 2019) is Katz’s response to the first five years of this project. Cultural diplomacy has been part of the State Department’s outreach efforts since the 1940s, but hip hop was only included in the program when Toni Blackman became a cultural specialist in 2001. In his book, Katz takes on the hard questions prompted by the legacy of American imperialism abroad and racism at home that informs hip hop as a global art form and makes a Next Level residency a complex interaction between people that have something important in common, but also much that could divide them. He uses the insights he has gleaned from over thirty residencies around the world as he considers the sometimes conflicting agendas between artists and diplomats that can complicate cultural diplomacy. While defending the value of people-to-people exchanges as a way to bring about what he calls conflict transformation, Katz takes a hard look at what is beneficial as well as difficult about these types interactions. Mark Katz is Professor of Music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the founding director of Next Level. His work centers on hip hop and the transformative effect of technology on music. In 2016 he was awarded the Dent Medal. Build is his fourth book. Kristen M. Turner, Ph.D. is a lecturer at North Carolina State University in the music department. Her work centers on American musical culture at the turn of the twentieth century and has been published in several journals and essay collections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Toni Blackman is an award-winning hip hop artist, cypher specialist, poet, writer, and social entrepreneur. From a young age, Toni’s love for language and words, combined with her curiosity about injustices in the world, resulted in writing her first book of poetry at age 8 on social justice. From there, Toni’s work evolved to theater, activism, and cypher circles. Tune in to hear how Toni’s journey led to her choosing one area to master, destigmatizing rap music, creating a safe space for women to develop confidence to tell their own stories, the downfalls of overachieving and being rewarded for it, facing burnout, and learning to prioritize self-care and intentionality. Learn more about Echoing Green and the leaders we support at echoinggreen.org. Learn more about Toni and her on-going work at the intersection of social justice and performing arts at toniblackmanpresents.com

On this episode, we listen to "Why Worry“ by Toni Blackman, a hip-hop artist, speaker, healer, and global ambassador. Check out more from Toni: https://soundcloud.com/missblackman1 https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/toni-blackman/428144459 https://open.spotify.com/artist/48ho4Mg0LK4KH5D7y6tOEs https://www.facebook.com/ToniBlackman4/ Instagram and Twitter: @toniblackman Email: toniblackmanbooking@gmail.com Shout out to Alex Landry and Mike Viega for supporting Clinical BOPulations! You can support this podcast as well by contributing to our Patreon and get bloopers, early releases, and more! https://www.patreon.com/clinicalbopulations Also, let everyone know you're a bophead by grabbing some swag from the Bop Shop! www.clinicalbopulations.threadless.com Share this episode from our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ClinicalBOPulations) to help get the word out. Join our conversation of how you currently or could use this song in a clinical setting. ALSO, if you or someone you know is a songwriter and would like to be featured on this podcast, send us a message on our facebook page! These views do not represent AMTA or CBMT.

Hip hop artist and writer Toni Blackman talks about living without regrets, overcoming fear, and connecting with others through music, meditation, and rhyme. Summary: Today’s podcast features Toni Blackman, who shares some highlights from her career, lessons she’s learned, and how fear, self-confidence, and living without regrets has shaped her life choices and artistic path. She jumps right in by talking about fear, a major obstacle to overcome for any artist, and how it has shown up in her life and music. “This whole belief that you're supposed to be fearless, that stops a lot of people. But there’s a lot that we can get done and complete while fear is still here,” she says. Overcoming that fear, and living her life without regret, is one of Toni’s strongest motivators. As a freshman in college she heard a speaker talking about how no one wants turn 50 years old, and wonder what would be different had they taken “what if” chances throughout their lives. “It resonated with me so deeply that so much of what I do comes from, ‘I’m going to do this ‘cause part of me wants to do it, and instead of overthinking myself out of doing it, I’m just going to do it,’” she says. Toni also shares how, if her circumstances had been just a little different, she might not have become an artist. Although most of her family members were accomplished athletes, Toni suffered from asthma and allergies, and at times couldn’t even go outside. Since she couldn’t play sports, she began writing poetry instead. With the help of her aunt, who was an English teacher and published author, Toni self-published her first poetry book at the tender age of 8. “It gave me an identity,” she says. “My aunt gave me the gift of writing. She put a pen in my hand.” Toni is known for her self-confidence and fearlessness, but she says that wasn’t always the case. In fact, she was shy as a child until she began dancing regularly. And although she projected self-confidence, it wasn’t until she had to push herself through a challenging Speech and Debate tournament in college that she finally began to connect with her self-confidence on a deeper level. Since then, she’s made it a career goal to help other people connect with their authentic confidence through workshops, practices, and other activities. She and Mauren also discuss the upcoming release and inspiration behind Toni’s “Hip Hop meditations,” a project that has its roots in work that Toni was doing in the early 90s, but has finally come to fruition in her “Meditation Mixtape Series,” soon to be released through Independent Ear and the Brooklyn Sound Lab. Toni offers advice to other creative women, saying that while it is important to do your inner work and heal your hurts, waiting until you’re “done” to start seriously creating is a mistake. “Perfectionism is just a form of fear. Needing anything to be perfect is a form of fear… it’s a disguise for fear,” she says. “For women it’s really important to do what you’re supposed to do. Part of that is committing to healing your wounds so you can enjoy it when it’s completed.” About our guest: Toni Blackman, a highly respected artist and social entrepreneur, is the first Hip Hop artist selected to work as a Cultural Ambassador with the US Department of State. This visionary artist leads freestyle masterclasses, rap cyphers, has developed innovative approaches to using the cypher as a concept for community building, leadership development, and healing, and is on the working committee for Harry Belafonte’s Sankofa.org. She is also the creator of Freestyle Union Cypher Workshop and Rhyme Like A Girl, for which she was awarded a prestigious Open Society Institute fellowship. Website https://www.toniblackmanpresents.com Links

We’re out here today with our friend and great musical talent, Ms. Toni Blackman, who joins us with the spirit of Hip Hop meditations and the importance of world traveling. #AffirmationFridayTK is out in the rainy city today, so Ms. Toni Blackman and Gemz are joining Conscious on the mic. Food quickly becomes the topic as they discuss the late Anthony Bourdain and the respect he gave communities in his food travel show. Conscious also talks about skipping opening nights at art shows--and skipping the wine. In #NewsYouCanUse:The “McJesus” Sculpture was removed from Israeli museum after violent manifestations.Hawaiian Congressman under scrutiny after comments that he “was an Asian trapped in a White body.”Purdue has to recall chicken nuggets after pieces of wood were found in food. Ms. Toni Blackman also takes the time to enlighten us in her work and her journeys, both spiritual and through the great continent of Africa. After #ChatroomCheckIn, we take the show through affirmations, ending on a high note with creativity and promise. #AffirmationFridayRUNDOWN0:00 #SONG: Allah - @Benny_Starr (prod. by @RillWilliams)3:15 #Intro: Ms. Toni Blackman (And Gemz) are in the Building; Remembering Anthony Bourdain; Conscious and Opening Arts16:23 #SONG: Dee Lite - Groove Is In The Heart21:45 #NewsYouCanUse: McJesus; Asian in a White Body; Perdue chicken nugget recall; 33:53 #Discussion: Where is your food from?47:00 #SONG: Yayo49:59 #GUEST: Ms. Toni Blackman’s Hip Hop Meditations; 61:27 #SONG: Premiere Gaou - Magic System65:05 #ChatroomCheckIn67:15 #TALK: Ms. Toni Blackman and travelling; 79:35 #SONG: Water (with Mahalia) · Kojey Radical#Outro

Toni is an international champion of hip-hop culture, known for the irresistible, contagious energy of her performances and for her alluring female presence. An award-winning artist, her steadfast work and commitment to hip-hop led the U.S. Department of State to select her to work as the first ever hip-hop artist to work as an American Cultural Specialist. She has already served in Senegal, Ghana, Botswana, and Swaziland where her residencies include performance, workshops, and lectures on hip hop music and culture. She recently toured Southeast Asia with Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Musical Ambassador program and has shared the stage with the likes of Erykah Badu, Mos Def, The Roots, Wu Tang Clan, GURU, Bahamadia, Boot Camp Clic, Me’Shell NdegeoCello, Sarah McLachlan, Sheryl Crow, Jill Sobule and even Rickie Lee Jones. Her first book, Inner-Course was released in 2003 (Villard/Random House). Toni has performed in Eve Ensler’s V-Day Festival, the DODGE Poetry Festival, in Spain at the Barcelona World Social Forum, featured in the CUTTING EDGE Festival in Darmstadt, Germany, featured at SENERAP International Hip Hop Festival in Dakar and toured South Africa as a headliner on the URBAN VOICES Festival alongside the legendary Linton Kwesi Johnson. Toni has collaborated with a host of highly esteemed musicians including Craig Harris, James “Blood” Ulmer, Vernon Reid, Jay Rodriguez and master kora players Papa Susso and Yacouba. She continues to work with artists from around the world. She has been listed in ESSENCE Magazine’s listing of “30 Women to Watch,” featured in SAVOY Magazine, Newsweek Japan, The Washington Post, and in The New York Times. NHK-Global Japan Television produced a full-length documentary on her work with hip-hop airing it to 11 million viewers on national TV in Japan. She and her work have been highlighted on BET, as well as on FOX News and VH1, featured in UPSCALE, and VIBE.

Toni is an international champion of hip-hop culture, known for the irresistible, contagious energy of her performances and for her alluring female presence. An award-winning artist, her steadfast work and commitment to hip-hop led the U.S. Department of State to select her to work as the first ever hip-hop artist to work as an American Cultural Specialist. She has already served in Senegal, Ghana, Botswana, and Swaziland where her residencies include performance, workshops, and lectures on hip hop music and culture. She recently toured Southeast Asia with Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Musical Ambassador program and has shared the stage with the likes of Erykah Badu, Mos Def, The Roots, Wu Tang Clan, GURU, Bahamadia, Boot Camp Clic, Me’Shell NdegeoCello, Sarah McLachlan, Sheryl Crow, Jill Sobule and even Rickie Lee Jones. Her first book, Inner-Course was released in 2003 (Villard/Random House). Toni has performed in Eve Ensler’s V-Day Festival, the DODGE Poetry Festival, in Spain at the Barcelona World Social Forum, featured in the CUTTING EDGE Festival in Darmstadt, Germany, featured at SENERAP International Hip Hop Festival in Dakar and toured South Africa as a headliner on the URBAN VOICES Festival alongside the legendary Linton Kwesi Johnson. Toni has collaborated with a host of highly esteemed musicians including Craig Harris, James “Blood” Ulmer, Vernon Reid, Jay Rodriguez and master kora players Papa Susso and Yacouba. She continues to work with artists from around the world. She has been listed in ESSENCE Magazine’s listing of “30 Women to Watch,” featured in SAVOY Magazine, Newsweek Japan, The Washington Post, and in The New York Times. NHK-Global Japan Television produced a full-length documentary on her work with hip-hop airing it to 11 million viewers on national TV in Japan. She and her work have been highlighted on BET, as well as on FOX News and VH1, featured in UPSCALE, and VIBE.

Toni Blackman CEO & Founder at Rhyme like a Girl and artist/writer/educator Topic: "Hip Hop and Today's Girls" Toni is an international champion of hip-hop culture. An award-winning artist, her steadfast work and commitment to hip-hop led the U.S. Department of State to select her to work as the first ever hip-hop artist to work as an American Cultural Specialist. This multi-talented woman has been listed in ESSENCE Magazine’s listing of “30 Women to Watch.”

April is the founder of Akila Worksongs a communications agency that specializes in arts and activism, a phrase popularized by founder April. The agency offers public and media relations; online marketing (email, social media, mobile); event planning, marketing, and production services. Its distinguished client and relationship rosters (individuals and groups) have included luminaries such as Sonia Sanchez, Amiri and Amina Baraka, Nana Camille Yarbrough, Ras Baraka, Sister Souljah, Doug E. Fresh, Sean Combs, Chuck D., asha bandele, Toni Blackman, UNIVERSES, Rosa Clemente, JLove Calderon, Erica Ford, Kevin Powell, Mo Beasley, Byron Hurt, Alex Bugnon, Tulani Kinard, Iyanla Vanzant, Marcella Runell Hall, Marc Lamont Hill, Adesola Osakalumi, Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def), Talib Kweli, and many others. It has also serviced or collaborated with a number of highly respected community-based and non-profit organizations; cultural arts institutions; and corporate and philanthropic entities since 1993, including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Museum of Natural History, Apollo Theater, Center for Black Literature, Center for Law and Social Justice, Comedy Central, Ford Foundation, Fort Greene Festival, HarlemStage/Aaron Davis Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, Mott Foundation, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Playwrights Horizons, Public Theater, Romare Bearden Foundation, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and various others. A special 20th Anniversary celebration of Akila Worksongs featuring an afternoon of spoken word, live music, drama, and dance is coming up.