Many people long for more "balance" when it comes to the content of rap music being played on radio or is promoted on streaming and social media channels. Manny Faces suggests we shouldn't focus on the mainstream music business at all when it comes to finding ways to change what young people are being exposed to. Realizing that while music is subjective, popular rap certainly doesn't represent the depth of Hip Hop's total social, cultural or creative ethos. However, calling attention to this...

On this episode we explore the intersection of Hip Hop and social change with Yogi "Y?" Guyadin (@whynotshowlove) on the latest episode of "Hip Hop Can Save America." Host Manny Faces engages with the Hip Hop ARTivist and educator on a range of topics, from the relevance of intergenerational wisdom in the art form to the innovative methods of teaching and community empowerment through art, music and Hip Hop culture. This insightful conversation sheds light on Yogi Guy's personal evolution and...

In this episode of "Hip Hop Can Save America," host Manny Faces engages with financial tech entrepreneur DIVINE to examine the intersection of Hip Hop, technology, and finance. DIVINE introduces his platform, Solvent, which empowers system-impacted individuals through financial literacy and entrepreneurship. They discuss Solvent's mission and services, along with DIVINE's journey "from crack to rap to tech," highlighting the potential of hip-hop to inspire positive change and...

Manny Faces speaks with Jamila Sams, a passionate and visionary educator who is deeply committed to harnessing the transformative power of education to uplift communities. At the heart of her pedagogy lies a profound connection to Hip Hop culture, which she sees as a vital instrument for enriching the learning experience and fostering liberation. Seeing a need to intertwine cultural relevance with learning, Jamila created "We Do It 4 the Culture," a groundbreaking social and emotional...

Representative Jamaal Bowman from New York joins Manny Faces to delve into the mission of the newly launched "Hip Hop Task Force" on Capitol Hill, exploring how Hip Hop culture can be leveraged to effect change in politics and society. Ranging from the intersection of Hip Hop and social justice to the progressive vision for America, this in-depth discussion sheds light on the cultural, political, and societal impact of Hip Hop and its potential to shape a positive future for the...

"As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial" is a documentary / dramatization currently airing on Paramount+. On this excerpt from the "Hip-Hop Can Save America!" Livestream Show, host Manny Faces delves deep into the intersection of hip hop, activism, and social justice with the film's director, J.M. Harper, and Bronx, NY-based rapper Kemba, who is the face of the documentary. This timely conversation underscores the genre's capacity to challenge stereotypes and address critical issues within the...

In this episode of "Hip Hop Can Save America," Manny Faces sits with Dr. Toby Jenkins, who reveals the secret power of "The Hip Hop Mindset" in helping shape leaders and revolutionize education. From activism to self-help to leadership, her book "The Hip Hop Mindset: Success Strategies for Educators and Other Professionals," explores Hip Hop an an unsung hero of professional success. Can the principles of this vibrant culture truly propel you to greatness? Join us for a trailblazing...

We welcome Hip Hop academic Dr. Murray Forman to discuss "That's The Joint: The Hip Hop Studies Reader," the groundbreaking book on Hip Hop studies. This deep dive episode examines how the book, now in its third edition, serves as a crucial resource for bringing structured, scholarly attention to Hip Hop in educational spaces. In addition, the two discuss Forman's work chronicling the advancement of the field of Hip Hop archiving. -- Hip-Hop Can Save America! with Manny Faces is a Manny Faces...

The 4th Annual Hip Hop Music Pedagogy Workshop, February 24, 2024 REGISTER: https://wsmamusic.org/4th-annual-hip-hop-pedagogy-for-music-educators/ In this excerpt from "Hip Hop Can Save America," Manny Faces chats with Randy Swiggum about the upcoming workshop featuring nine power-packed sessions for music educators. They delve into the legacy of the late Jarritt Sheel and his groundbreaking ideas on how Hip Hop can -- and should -- intersect with traditional music education. The two discuss...

In this inspiring episode of "Hip Hop Can Save America," we sit down with the incredible Dr. Adia Winfrey, a transformative figure at the intersection of Hip Hop and political activism. Dr. Winfrey shares her groundbreaking work on empowering the youth through the H.Y.P.E. (Healing Young People thru Empowerment) curriculum and her influential role in redistricting efforts in Alabama. As an avid advocate for civic education and engagement, Dr. Winfrey elucidates how Hip Hop is an essential...

In this episode of Hip Hop Can Save America!, host Manny Faces welcomes author and Hip Hop culture advocate Nadirah Simmons to discuss her book "First Things First: Hip-Hop Ladies Who Changed the Game." Simmons discusses the need for women in Hip Hop to have the freedom to create music on their own terms and the importance of recognizing the often underappreciated contributions of women to the genre and associated culture. The conversation also highlights her website, The Gumbo, which is...

In this episode of "Hip Hop Can Save America," host Manny Faces engages in a powerful conversation with guest UnLearn The World about the transformative power of Hip Hop culture. They discuss how Hip Hop has the ability to uplift communities and individuals, serving as a catalyst for personal and societal change. UnLearn The World shares insightful perspectives, addressing the remix culture within hip hop and its implications for personal growth and community transformation. They delve into...

Manny Faces welcomes Dr. Jason "J. Rawls" Rawls to the show. Dr. Rawls is a long-time producer, DJ, author and educator, and is now the Assistant Professor of Hip Hop at THE Ohio State University, developing curricula for a Hip Hop minor program. Some key topics covered: 1. Hip Hop Beyond Music: Cultural Diversity - Embracing the multifaceted aspects of Hip Hop culture, including dance, visual art, and storytelling traditions. 2. Hip Hop Origins: Sociological Significance - Exploring the...

The discussions and celebrations around #HipHop50 and the Hip Hop 50th anniversary were great, but missed a lot. To fully appreciate its golden anniversary, we must consider that Hip Hop's greatest contribution to humanity isn’t any of its singular or collective elements. Instead, it lies in Hip Hop’s intersection with other aspects of the human experience, and how its unique artistic, cultural and social characteristics create powerful new tools to help uplift lives, livelihoods and...

There is an initiative that was created and launched by two folks over at Google, developed during their 20% time -- the time that Google allows employees the resources and leeway to work on projects of their own choosing. Gmail, as it happens, was once someone’s 20% time project. In any event, what started out as PythonMC and is now called breakbeatcode, is one of my favorite intersections of Hip Hop, technology, education and youth. I’ll let my guests break it down, but I promise, once you...

For years, Don Sikorski has studied the murder of Biggie Smalls, aka The Notorious, aka Christopher Wallace. So have a lot of people. The stories about what happened, why it happened, who’s to blame, and why there hasn’t been justice, are all over the place. There are enough twists and turns to those questions, it sounds like a movie. And it was. 2018’s "City of Lies" starred Johnny Depp and Forest Whitaker. It told the story, up until that point. A story which included many things that have...

On this episode of the world's most enlightening Hip Hop podcast, Dr. Raphael Travis Jr. joins us to talk about the healing power of Hip Hop, including his seminal book. "The Healing Power of Hip Hop," which explores the therapeutic and empowering aspects of hip hop culture. Dr. Travis takes us on a journey through the unique importance of Hip Hop to help society, particularly communities of color, highlighting the empowering narratives that consistently appear in Hip Hop culture: esteem,...

If you’re like me, you first heard Masta Ace as the lead off to what many, like me, will say is the best posse cut in Hip Hop history, "The SYmphony." As one of his bars predicted, Masta Ace’s rapping did stay with us for a while. A long while. Now 32 years since the release of his debut full-length Take A Look Around, Masta Ace has a discography that surpasses most of his peers, he's welcomed in a second wave of a career after deciding to shed the confines of the music industry, and has now...

On this brief update episode, creator and host Manny Faces talks about what's next for the Hip-Hop Can Save America! podcast. (HINT: It has to do with going live!) 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 WEBSITES: https://www.hiphopcansaveamerica.com MANNY FACES: https://www.mannyfaces.com NEWSLETTER (free!): https://mannyfaces.substack.com SUPPORT QUALITY INDIE HIP HOP...

"If our democracy is to survive, the empire must be dismantled.” That’s what Dr. Cornel West told Manny Faces and his colleagues at News Beat in an exclusive, wide-ranging interview in which he talked about dismantling systems of oppression, uplifting the poor and working class, ending America’s military industrial complex, and abolishing poverty, homelessness, and prisons. West, who is vying for the Green Party nomination for U.S. President, said his third-party bid is also about putting an...

Dr. A.D. Carson, who is Associate Professor of Hip Hop at the University of Virginia, received quite a bit of well deserved acclaim for his dissertation, “Owning My Masters: The Rhetorics of Rhymes & Revolutions,” which was delivered as an exceptional rap album. But first and foremost, AyDeeTheGreat is a rapper, an artist, and sits in a unique position with one foot in the music world, and another firmly inside academia. A.D. provides brilliant insight on this intersection, as well as...

Mikal Amin Lee is a three time visitor to the show, which isn’t a surprise when you learn about all he does. As an artist, he’s toured the world and dropped dozens of projects and features. As an educator, he’s taught and lectured about Hip Hop pedagogy and anthropology, as a writer and essayist he’s edited Hip Hop studies journal, “Words, Beats & Life,” and “Equity and Excellence in Education” from UMass Amherst and he writes for Words, Beats & Life’s blog, The Counter Balance, and...

Rumble, DJ Akademiks and the hidden danger of platforming so-called "Hip Hop" provocateurs

Words, Beats & Life is a Hip Hop non-profit founded back in 2002. In its 20+ years, it has evolved and expanded, offering classes, workshops, showcases, festivals and conferences, not to mention creating the first peer-reviewed academic Hip Hop journal, and now, anointing the first ever 'rap laureate.' (SPOILER ALERT: It's Lupe Fiasco.) Under the leadership of founding executive director, Mazi Mutafa, WBL has created something of a blueprint for how a Hip Hop-based non-profit should...