Rap Sessions: Hip-Hop Activism in the Obama/Tea Party Era, feat. Chuck D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rap Sessions: Hip-Hop Activism in the Obama/Tea Party Era, 

Featuring Special Guest Chuck D

September 13, 2012 @ 6:00pm

Conaway Center - Columbia College

1104 S. Wabash Ave.

1st floor

Chicago, IL  60605

For the sixth year, the Institute partners with Rap Sessions: Community Dialogues on Hip-Hop to bring a distinguished panel of scholars, journalists, and activists for a townhall-style meeting addressing important issues in our communities. Rap Sessions is led by critically-acclaimed journalist, activist, political analyst, and Institute Fellow Bakari Kitwana.

This year's panel explores the ways the election of Obama, the emergence of the Tea Party, and the shifting national political landscape has both strengthened and diminished hip-hop's effectiveness at galvanizing youth. 

Panelists include: Chuck D, hip-hop activist, entrepenuer, producer, and MC; Rob "Biko" Baker, executive director of The League of Young Voters; Rosa Clemente, community organizer and journalist; Laura S. Washington, columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times and political analyst for ABC-7 Chicago; and Jasiri X, independent hip-hop artist.

More Heart Than Swag: Otis Redding & Chuck D

from Public Enemy:

This is a polite respect call to the troops , to continue to inspire but reflect the people better. OTIS Redding was a humble country man from Macon Georgia who bought a jet to work in, not flash. He perished in that plane. Heres to hoping that the J & K supergroup can elevate the masses and try a little bit more to reflect OTIS's heart rather than swag, because they're too good to be less.

Hip Hop and Health?

Fat Joe Minus 88 Pounds

Rap Gets a Physical
Soundcheck with John Schaefer

WNYC | Wednesday, July 27, 2011

With famous names like “Notorious B.I.G.” and “The Fat Boys,” it’s easy to believe that hip hop hasn’t always been all that healthy. Yet hip hop does have a rather robust history of artists, from Dead Prez to MF Doom, using their raps to promote healthier lifestyles. To explore hip hop’s complicated medical history, we’ll be joined by Mark Anthony Neal, Professor of Black Popular Culture at Duke University, and Byron Hurt, the filmmaker behind the upcoming documentary Soulfood Junkies. Plus, we get a housecall from the “Hip Hop Doc”- Dr. Olajide Williams, President and Founder of Hip Hop Public Health and Public Enemy frontman Chuck D.