Youth Empowerment with Ozay Moore of All Of The Above Hip Hop Academy

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER_02]: I am Brother Cornel West and this is Hip-Hop Can Save America.

[00:00:33] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm Brother Cornel West and this is Hip-Hop Can Save America.

[00:01:02] [SPEAKER_00]: It's smart. It's insightful. The way that they can communicate a complex message in a very

[00:01:11] [SPEAKER_00]: short space is remarkable and a lot of these kids, they're not going to be reading the

[00:01:16] [SPEAKER_00]: New York Times. That's not how they're getting their information.

[00:01:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Alright, let's go. I am joined on Hip-Hop Can Save America by Ozay Moore, founder of the All

[00:01:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Of The Above Hip-Hop Academy. It's great to see you, sir. Long overdue. I've had you

[00:01:54] [SPEAKER_01]: on the radar for a long time but you've recently hit a new milestone in the history and future

[00:02:00] [SPEAKER_01]: of your organization. I thought it would be a great time to take it and I just appreciate

[00:02:03] [SPEAKER_01]: you taking some time out your day to rock with us.

[00:02:05] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, it's an honor being here. I'm really thankful for the time and the acknowledgement. It's

[00:02:10] [SPEAKER_03]: been a long time coming and like we were talking earlier, we've been in each other's

[00:02:13] [SPEAKER_03]: orbit for a long time so it's nice to finally connect.

[00:02:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, for sure. Like I said, a long overdue. The All Of The Above Hip-Hop Academy

[00:02:23] [SPEAKER_01]: just started at the now and then we'll backtrack a little bit and see how we got

[00:02:28] [SPEAKER_01]: here. Just give us the quick rundown for those who are not familiar with the organization

[00:02:31] [SPEAKER_01]: that you founded and that you've been rocking for many years now. Just give a quick rundown

[00:02:36] [SPEAKER_01]: of what the Academy does, how long it's been around and your role.

[00:02:42] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, right on. I'm a transplant from Seattle here to Lansing, Michigan. When I moved

[00:02:47] [SPEAKER_03]: here just basic doing the bar scene, doing local shows, rocking.

[00:02:54] [SPEAKER_01]: You're an artist.

[00:02:55] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm an artist as well.

[00:02:56] [SPEAKER_01]: You're an artist as well.

[00:02:56] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, MC, DJ, writer. I paint as well. I don't break but I've always had the heart of a B-boy

[00:03:03] [SPEAKER_03]: and I support the culture 100,000%. I moved here in 2006 by 2009, 2010, started playing around

[00:03:14] [SPEAKER_03]: with this idea about bringing folks together, local artists together under this umbrella

[00:03:19] [SPEAKER_03]: called AOTA or All the Above Creative. Just kind of build a network of artists and like-minded

[00:03:27] [SPEAKER_03]: individuals to give back to the community. One, to support each other in our creative

[00:03:32] [SPEAKER_03]: endeavors but also to kind of really get rooted as I was a transplant and didn't really

[00:03:35] [SPEAKER_03]: know a lot of people except for artists in the community based on my activity at

[00:03:40] [SPEAKER_03]: the time.

[00:03:41] [SPEAKER_03]: And then by 2012 we messed around here and developed some after school program

[00:03:45] [SPEAKER_03]: and some summer camps with the intention of centering hip hop culture to do a myriad of

[00:03:51] [SPEAKER_03]: intentional good. We are as participants and practitioners, the value of being involved

[00:03:57] [SPEAKER_03]: but the rest of the world and I think the general public doesn't really understand the

[00:04:03] [SPEAKER_03]: intersectionality of hip hop culture as it pertains to youth development, academic

[00:04:09] [SPEAKER_03]: achievement, community support and building, economic support and building.

[00:04:16] [SPEAKER_03]: So we started down the path of making those connections more explicit. In those early days,

[00:04:25] [SPEAKER_03]: we transitioned and it was all the above hip hop academy now. We didn't have the nonprofit,

[00:04:30] [SPEAKER_03]: we just had a group of hip hoppers who were like let's give back to the community and

[00:04:34] [SPEAKER_03]: design some curriculum.

[00:04:35] [SPEAKER_03]: Collective.

[00:04:35] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, collective.

[00:04:36] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, yeah.

[00:04:38] [SPEAKER_03]: We did that for a number of years by 2017. We applied for a nonprofit status, got it so

[00:04:45] [SPEAKER_03]: we're official 501C3. But then again, you know the way that Lansing is set up, it didn't

[00:04:50] [SPEAKER_03]: make sense for us to have a brick and mortar as an artist myself understood the value

[00:04:54] [SPEAKER_03]: of being able to tour and be on the road and get out and then come back home and

[00:04:59] [SPEAKER_03]: have a place to situate yourself right. So it ended up being like an opportunity

[00:05:03] [SPEAKER_03]: for local artists to win and while they're at home to be able to give back. You know,

[00:05:07] [SPEAKER_03]: there was a structure for that. But as things began to grow and you know it's been actually

[00:05:13] [SPEAKER_03]: 2017 to the end, been a minute now. My quick math is in quick math man, you know.

[00:05:19] [SPEAKER_01]: After the pandemic no one knows years anymore anyway so it's fine.

[00:05:24] [SPEAKER_01]: Seven years right.

[00:05:24] [SPEAKER_01]: We lost all sense of time.

[00:05:25] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, now we have a brick and mortar man but we've been building the trust of

[00:05:30] [SPEAKER_03]: our community and of Lansing specifically for the last a dozen years. You know what I mean?

[00:05:35] [SPEAKER_03]: And so it really means a lot to finally have a space where we can do and carry out our mission

[00:05:41] [SPEAKER_03]: and vision which is to mentor you, support artistic expression and serve our community

[00:05:45] [SPEAKER_03]: as a hip hop cultural resource. And that's in a nutshell. We can unpack that as we go

[00:05:49] [SPEAKER_03]: but that's essentially what we do now.

[00:05:51] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, well let's start on that and congratulations. The nonprofit world I'm dipping my toes

[00:05:58] [SPEAKER_01]: into it. It's a whole different, it's a whole different animal especially for creative folks

[00:06:02] [SPEAKER_01]: and there's so much stuff we have to do. That all being said again congratulations.

[00:06:07] [SPEAKER_01]: What are some of the I guess in practice some of the programs or some of the you know

[00:06:12] [SPEAKER_01]: actual things that the academy as a collective and or now as more of a you know

[00:06:17] [SPEAKER_01]: formalized entity and or now as a place to call home. What are some of the actual

[00:06:22] [SPEAKER_01]: programs? What does some of this work look like in practice?

[00:06:25] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, you know we started leaning really heavy on the hip hop cultural resource piece right.

[00:06:30] [SPEAKER_03]: We were hosting beat battles every quarter events you know that sort of thing.

[00:06:36] [SPEAKER_03]: And then our programs we started developing programs we have our kind of flagship program

[00:06:41] [SPEAKER_03]: is bars beats and rhyme sessions essentially it's a highly collaborative opportunity for young people

[00:06:46] [SPEAKER_03]: to focus on the skill of making beats and the skill of writing rhymes and then the collaboration

[00:06:52] [SPEAKER_03]: that happens in that space of young aspiring MCs and producers kind of working to create material

[00:06:58] [SPEAKER_03]: but learn the history of the practice you know as it as it is relevant to what they're learning.

[00:07:04] [SPEAKER_03]: So say you're learning how to program drums and today we're going to talk about the 808

[00:07:09] [SPEAKER_03]: but we're also going to look at you know the history of the 808 you know and how it's

[00:07:13] [SPEAKER_03]: been utilized throughout hip hop history and even current so we make the information we make those

[00:07:18] [SPEAKER_03]: those historical pieces relevant through the content and the approach of what we're teaching

[00:07:23] [SPEAKER_03]: and then it's all project based at the end of the program you know hopefully if everybody's

[00:07:27] [SPEAKER_03]: got the basics down we'll create a song we'll have a song to show but more or less we're

[00:07:32] [SPEAKER_03]: less interested in going through an eight week program with AOTA and coming out with a song

[00:07:38] [SPEAKER_03]: then we are interested in the youth development opportunities and those intersections and

[00:07:44] [SPEAKER_03]: the community building and you know the transfer of skills and the awareness that these skills

[00:07:51] [SPEAKER_03]: are applicable in other spaces of your life you know what I mean.

[00:07:54] [SPEAKER_01]: So if we come up with some examples for the lay people because they make some songs how does that

[00:07:59] [SPEAKER_01]: make you a better human?

[00:08:01] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah it does.

[00:08:02] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah so let's talk about like in the creative process of working with a producer right

[00:08:06] [SPEAKER_03]: and you have to make all these incremental decisions around you know what you want

[00:08:10] [SPEAKER_03]: and what they might want or what you envision what they're envision so now you have to collaborate

[00:08:14] [SPEAKER_03]: and you have to collaborate effectively to come up with something that you're both proud of right

[00:08:18] [SPEAKER_03]: just those little pieces there and then being able to say you're going to do that for the

[00:08:22] [SPEAKER_03]: rest of your life in your professional world and your personal world you're going to

[00:08:27] [SPEAKER_03]: have to learn how to you know make compromises that are still in alignment with who you

[00:08:32] [SPEAKER_03]: are and your values you know and the end goal you know so it might look a little

[00:08:37] [SPEAKER_03]: bit different the process of getting there just as long as the outcome is what you hope

[00:08:41] [SPEAKER_03]: for it to be and if you're lucky it'll be more you know what I mean so with that we have

[00:08:46] [SPEAKER_03]: breaking classes we have DJing classes so we foster workshops, programs, events all

[00:08:52] [SPEAKER_03]: under the umbrella of all the above hip hop academy no pun it is kind of doing all things

[00:08:57] [SPEAKER_03]: but we truly believe that you know much like the message that you share here hip hop

[00:09:03] [SPEAKER_03]: to save the world it's not alone America you know I mean but yeah yeah saving us

[00:09:07] [SPEAKER_01]: yeah indeed and I tell people all time I know I know the world too like let's do this show

[00:09:12] [SPEAKER_01]: first and then we'll branch out into that you know for sure actually I own the domain

[00:09:16] [SPEAKER_01]: so I'm already ahead of you yeah but indeed and I also want to shout out the

[00:09:21] [SPEAKER_01]: multi elemental you know focus the focus on making sure that all the elements of

[00:09:26] [SPEAKER_01]: hip hop are being represented as well as possible obviously we've seen a

[00:09:30] [SPEAKER_01]: surge in breaking lately because I don't know this thing that happened it's

[00:09:34] [SPEAKER_01]: olympics thing yeah but obviously we're doing that for quite some time in the

[00:09:38] [SPEAKER_01]: in the community and we'll continue to real quick aside we won't get into it

[00:09:43] [SPEAKER_01]: too much but how does the amplification of an aspect of the of the an element

[00:09:48] [SPEAKER_01]: rather so for example hip hop 50 last year big all the news local news I bet you

[00:09:53] [SPEAKER_01]: Lansing's news team was all about this year the 50th anniversary of hip hop

[00:09:58] [SPEAKER_01]: you know okay and then this year breaking in the olympics so they're all into it

[00:10:02] [SPEAKER_01]: yeah and then they forget about it and go back to whatever but how does that help

[00:10:05] [SPEAKER_01]: an organization like yours because it does there is that public interest increase in

[00:10:10] [SPEAKER_01]: public interest does that help does it hurt or does it is it a wash when these

[00:10:15] [SPEAKER_01]: giant milestones happen that that touch the public site guys and of course

[00:10:19] [SPEAKER_01]: you're a nonprofit you have to get funding you have to get donors you

[00:10:21] [SPEAKER_01]: have to get buy-in from the community do these things help or hurt or

[00:10:25] [SPEAKER_03]: or neither I think it's what you do with the opportunity what you do at the platform

[00:10:29] [SPEAKER_03]: right if I use hip hop at 50 to then talk about me and mine and what I'm doing

[00:10:35] [SPEAKER_03]: how long I've been doing hip hop blah blah blah that's that's in and out

[00:10:38] [SPEAKER_03]: you know I mean like that's right but when you when you anchor it to a purpose

[00:10:42] [SPEAKER_03]: right you anchor it to the humanity that it impacts the people the

[00:10:47] [SPEAKER_03]: communities the philosophy right we always talk about hip hop culture and hip

[00:10:52] [SPEAKER_03]: hop of more of a philosophy and a way of being the way of suing the world than just

[00:10:57] [SPEAKER_03]: its expressions right those are the manifestations of philosophy you know

[00:11:02] [SPEAKER_03]: um but when you anchor it in those pieces it has so much more longevity right

[00:11:06] [SPEAKER_03]: because yeah you're right they're talking about breaking this year but

[00:11:08] [SPEAKER_03]: not sure they won't be we still will because we've been doing it you know

[00:11:12] [SPEAKER_03]: we understand it's uh it's important but I think when you make it bigger

[00:11:17] [SPEAKER_03]: than hip hop as the popular media sees it right which they can reduce it to whatever

[00:11:22] [SPEAKER_03]: they can reduce it to a rap song they can reduce it to you know hip hop

[00:11:27] [SPEAKER_03]: choreography we're lucky that yeah right you know lucky yeah but I think when you

[00:11:31] [SPEAKER_03]: when you blow it up and bring people into the world into what you mean when

[00:11:37] [SPEAKER_03]: you use phrases like hip hop culture or terms like hip hop culture what you

[00:11:41] [SPEAKER_03]: are actually saying I think it becomes more intriguing I think it's a great

[00:11:44] [SPEAKER_03]: opportunity for folks to actually make those connections to um to people opposed

[00:11:50] [SPEAKER_01]: to just artistic expressions you know I mean got it we have to continue the work

[00:11:55] [SPEAKER_01]: of the mainstream media if it's brought it to the attention of the mainstream

[00:11:59] [SPEAKER_01]: public that's nice but there's a lot there's always teaching that has to be

[00:12:02] [SPEAKER_01]: done to to the general public how do we balance that how do you balance that

[00:12:05] [SPEAKER_01]: there's always that balance of we don't need y'all validation we don't care

[00:12:09] [SPEAKER_01]: you know what you think about us but again to be able to get these programs

[00:12:13] [SPEAKER_01]: going to be able to do things you kind of do want to invite them in so that they

[00:12:16] [SPEAKER_01]: can authentically connect and understand the value and importance of what we

[00:12:21] [SPEAKER_01]: all kind of you know do to use it pop in ways that can uplift lives and

[00:12:26] [SPEAKER_01]: livelihoods and communities how do you balance that yeah you know in the

[00:12:30] [SPEAKER_03]: beginning I felt like locally and Lansing we were doing a lot of

[00:12:33] [SPEAKER_03]: explaining right we're doing a lot of explaining like verbally like oh well

[00:12:38] [SPEAKER_03]: hip hop you know whatever um it's not this is doing up low you know

[00:12:42] [SPEAKER_03]: but there's so much nuance to it right we've we've kind of pivoted away from the

[00:12:48] [SPEAKER_03]: conversation what's hip hop what's not hip hop hip hop is like this is us it's

[00:12:51] [SPEAKER_03]: people it's our expression right it's the reflection of lived realities

[00:12:58] [SPEAKER_03]: perspectives philosophy you know and so what we the balance is just

[00:13:03] [SPEAKER_03]: continuing to show improve you know that we live that you know we live that

[00:13:07] [SPEAKER_03]: each one teach for a model we just continue to show up and

[00:13:11] [SPEAKER_03]: make explicit the connections that are undeniable to

[00:13:15] [SPEAKER_03]: to the advancement of society you know what I mean like

[00:13:19] [SPEAKER_03]: now in Lansing Michigan which is kind of like the most unlikely place to run

[00:13:24] [SPEAKER_03]: a hip hop centered nonprofit organization that's not just

[00:13:29] [SPEAKER_03]: you know you know giving you transfer you know like out here for the

[00:13:33] [SPEAKER_03]: like you know we'll teach you how to break and that's about it we'll teach you how to rap that's about it

[00:13:36] [SPEAKER_03]: but really going deeper with it um this is kind of an unlikely place for it to exist because

[00:13:41] [SPEAKER_03]: we don't really have an industry you know or even a strong night life for that

[00:13:45] [SPEAKER_03]: matter to support you know the rationale in the general public's mind

[00:13:49] [SPEAKER_03]: so prior to the pandemic we were being looked at as this

[00:13:53] [SPEAKER_03]: oh it's cool we got this really sweet organization that does some after school programming

[00:13:57] [SPEAKER_03]: centered around hip hop that's cool we love that but as soon as the pandemic had

[00:14:01] [SPEAKER_03]: they were talking about resources being allocated to organizations and

[00:14:05] [SPEAKER_03]: systems and spaces that were essential

[00:14:08] [SPEAKER_03]: we became secondary we were not essential we weren't looked at as an essential

[00:14:13] [SPEAKER_03]: mechanism in our city until the world was on fire right

[00:14:17] [SPEAKER_03]: so that same summer right and they're talking about yo why is

[00:14:21] [SPEAKER_03]: folks are building their burning buildings down right you know we're right in in

[00:14:25] [SPEAKER_03]: streets and DI and DEI became a thing

[00:14:28] [SPEAKER_03]: a trend right and a focus people start looking at the work that we did

[00:14:33] [SPEAKER_03]: way different it's like oh so this can be like

[00:14:37] [SPEAKER_03]: real essential to our community in terms of like

[00:14:39] [SPEAKER_03]: working with young people keeping them out of trouble you know

[00:14:42] [SPEAKER_03]: um investing into the understanding

[00:14:46] [SPEAKER_03]: of our community and participants in terms of this

[00:14:49] [SPEAKER_03]: this rich history narrative and legacy that you get to be a part of

[00:14:53] [SPEAKER_03]: not just in the expression part but this philosophy this philosophical piece

[00:14:56] [SPEAKER_03]: um we can start looking this way different and then we started getting real funding

[00:15:00] [SPEAKER_03]: all through the pipeline of DEI but

[00:15:03] [SPEAKER_03]: what we've seen is it hasn't let up it's just kind of

[00:15:07] [SPEAKER_03]: gotten more intense which has been really really exciting

[00:15:10] [SPEAKER_03]: because again to the point of when the door is open show and prove

[00:15:13] [SPEAKER_03]: and make it not about you and your raps

[00:15:16] [SPEAKER_02]: you know what I mean don't make it about your DJ show

[00:15:19] [SPEAKER_03]: don't make it about what you're about to do as a rapper or a DJ or a B-boy whatever

[00:15:23] [SPEAKER_03]: make it about the community and make it about how this

[00:15:27] [SPEAKER_03]: influences and impacts the community if that's the time you're on

[00:15:30] [SPEAKER_03]: you know what I mean and that's been pivotal for us

[00:15:33] [SPEAKER_01]: yeah that's brilliant actually and it covered some of the

[00:15:36] [SPEAKER_01]: I was gonna say what were some of the challenges in funding

[00:15:39] [SPEAKER_01]: but you're saying like sort of that public perception does affect

[00:15:42] [SPEAKER_01]: how you're perceived and therefore how you're

[00:15:46] [SPEAKER_01]: you know uh welcomed or how easy it is

[00:15:49] [SPEAKER_01]: easy as a relative it's never easy to get you know things like funding and buying

[00:15:52] [SPEAKER_01]: right but when it's interesting you say

[00:15:56] [SPEAKER_01]: for me not

[00:15:58] [SPEAKER_01]: having to sort of explain it but by showing it

[00:16:01] [SPEAKER_01]: you do it enough people do recognize its value

[00:16:04] [SPEAKER_01]: like people will kind of make the connection

[00:16:07] [SPEAKER_01]: unless they're just dead set against it there's nothing you can do about folks like that

[00:16:10] [SPEAKER_01]: so I appreciate that yeah no doubt

[00:16:12] [SPEAKER_01]: I asked you you know you describe some of the programs some of the work I always love to tell folks

[00:16:15] [SPEAKER_01]: we never know who's listening or watching maybe it's somebody that uh runs a program similarly

[00:16:19] [SPEAKER_01]: or it's thinking about doing such a thing

[00:16:22] [SPEAKER_01]: or it's never thought about doing such a thing and so I like to drill down a little bit

[00:16:25] [SPEAKER_01]: and try to get a couple of success stories or something that you know really went well for y'all

[00:16:29] [SPEAKER_01]: couldn't been way early could have been just recently young people especially

[00:16:33] [SPEAKER_01]: what are some anecdotes or you know just proof

[00:16:37] [SPEAKER_01]: of the concept uh this is really helping

[00:16:40] [SPEAKER_01]: change lives and livelihoods and communities

[00:16:42] [SPEAKER_01]: and power youth etc give me a couple of good ones

[00:16:45] [SPEAKER_03]: yeah I'll give you a couple our programs are free right so we try to make them as barrier free as possible

[00:16:50] [SPEAKER_03]: and philosophy behind that is that like

[00:16:52] [SPEAKER_03]: it's not that there's a there's a limited amount of resources out there

[00:16:56] [SPEAKER_03]: kind of in the ecosystem

[00:16:58] [SPEAKER_03]: so it's usually the cases folks are spinning

[00:17:01] [SPEAKER_03]: an absorbent amount of money not getting the results they want

[00:17:05] [SPEAKER_03]: and even putting on like real

[00:17:08] [SPEAKER_03]: expensive pizza parties you know I mean like

[00:17:10] [SPEAKER_03]: I've sat places like this is a couple thousand dollars for you to feed everybody in this room

[00:17:15] [SPEAKER_03]: with pizza check it out right give us a couple thousand

[00:17:18] [SPEAKER_03]: dollars and we will we will change lives you know what I mean

[00:17:21] [SPEAKER_03]: and so that is that and that's how we move right

[00:17:24] [SPEAKER_03]: so we're not charging students we're not charging families

[00:17:27] [SPEAKER_03]: we are charging other organizations or companies

[00:17:30] [SPEAKER_03]: you know I'm saying our institutions you know and then

[00:17:33] [SPEAKER_03]: getting grants but you know with that we just get

[00:17:36] [SPEAKER_03]: a variety of different kind of students coming in our part in our

[00:17:39] [SPEAKER_03]: program from folks who have and for those who have not

[00:17:43] [SPEAKER_03]: you know and and we love that right we like with the

[00:17:46] [SPEAKER_03]: the story is still the same we're giving you the history we're giving you the context

[00:17:49] [SPEAKER_03]: we're giving you the game we're giving you the instruction

[00:17:52] [SPEAKER_03]: on how to but the most important piece is that

[00:17:55] [SPEAKER_03]: context as to why we believe hip hop is so powerful and how it can be powerful for the individual

[00:17:59] [SPEAKER_03]: so we had a young man come in he was

[00:18:02] [SPEAKER_03]: on on the on the spectrum

[00:18:05] [SPEAKER_03]: and also had some some brain trauma

[00:18:09] [SPEAKER_03]: some head trouble being bullied at school

[00:18:11] [SPEAKER_03]: wasn't really fitted in but he had like this affinity for classic

[00:18:14] [SPEAKER_03]: hip hop I'm like oh man this is like

[00:18:17] [SPEAKER_03]: this is an easy one right like you already we're kind of speaking the same language

[00:18:20] [SPEAKER_03]: um yeah yeah you know but it's not that's not

[00:18:24] [SPEAKER_03]: always the case and I will just

[00:18:25] [SPEAKER_03]: opinion that part of making it about people

[00:18:28] [SPEAKER_03]: we've had to challenge a lot in being from

[00:18:31] [SPEAKER_03]: a different era we've had to challenge that

[00:18:34] [SPEAKER_03]: like early on we were like we could either get with it

[00:18:37] [SPEAKER_03]: or become irrelevant in the conversation to these young

[00:18:40] [SPEAKER_03]: people we're trying to connect with right so just

[00:18:43] [SPEAKER_03]: opinion that we can revisit but anyway with this particular

[00:18:45] [SPEAKER_03]: young man he was already speaking the language for us

[00:18:48] [SPEAKER_03]: as older folks I remember like he was with us

[00:18:51] [SPEAKER_03]: for about you know three or four months and we got this letter

[00:18:54] [SPEAKER_03]: from his mom was like look what you've been able to do for my son

[00:18:58] [SPEAKER_03]: has has changed not only his life but our family's

[00:19:01] [SPEAKER_03]: life where he has a place where he can go

[00:19:03] [SPEAKER_03]: and be himself he's getting the mentorship

[00:19:06] [SPEAKER_03]: he's getting the time he's he's being validated

[00:19:09] [SPEAKER_03]: he's being seen at school is not the case he's being

[00:19:12] [SPEAKER_03]: bullied he's being ostracized he's being you know

[00:19:15] [SPEAKER_03]: so they it was just like you know thank you for holding

[00:19:17] [SPEAKER_03]: the space for my son to come and have this

[00:19:20] [SPEAKER_03]: this positive experience that is having a ripple effect

[00:19:23] [SPEAKER_03]: in his overall attitude and the way he's living

[00:19:27] [SPEAKER_03]: and carrying out his life at school at home

[00:19:29] [SPEAKER_03]: and it makes it just provided this additional resource

[00:19:32] [SPEAKER_03]: the family didn't even know they needed through hip-hop

[00:19:35] [SPEAKER_03]: for their son you know what I mean and those

[00:19:38] [SPEAKER_03]: stories are regular for us but that was a

[00:19:41] [SPEAKER_03]: that was a particular one because there was a challenge

[00:19:43] [SPEAKER_03]: there right where okay he was neurodivergent right

[00:19:47] [SPEAKER_03]: and he had he had some other complications we had

[00:19:50] [SPEAKER_03]: to work with but we were willing to work with it

[00:19:52] [SPEAKER_03]: and he continued to show up you know I'm saying

[00:19:55] [SPEAKER_03]: and even without even being able to verbally process

[00:19:57] [SPEAKER_03]: or verbally explain how thankful he was

[00:20:00] [SPEAKER_03]: he just kept showing up kept putting in the work

[00:20:03] [SPEAKER_03]: and his family was able to articulate the difference

[00:20:06] [SPEAKER_03]: they saw you know so again that's a particular

[00:20:09] [SPEAKER_03]: situation but those kind of sentiments are the norm

[00:20:11] [SPEAKER_03]: in the work that we do where the family is reaching back

[00:20:14] [SPEAKER_03]: and being like yo thank you we've been looking for this

[00:20:17] [SPEAKER_03]: it's it's it we want you gonna open are you

[00:20:19] [SPEAKER_03]: gonna have adult classes because we want to learn now

[00:20:21] [SPEAKER_03]: you know which with our new space we are gonna

[00:20:24] [SPEAKER_03]: you know we're gonna we're gonna do it but up until this point

[00:20:27] [SPEAKER_03]: decade it's just been all about kids and I worry

[00:20:29] [SPEAKER_03]: about adults and just giving kids space you know

[00:20:32] [SPEAKER_01]: you said something really profound right there

[00:20:35] [SPEAKER_01]: you said it was something that the family didn't

[00:20:37] [SPEAKER_01]: know that he needed yeah yeah yeah you know I mean like

[00:20:40] [SPEAKER_01]: they didn't they didn't think of here's the void

[00:20:43] [SPEAKER_01]: and here's the way to fill it they're just

[00:20:45] [SPEAKER_01]: they're probably looking for ways to you know

[00:20:48] [SPEAKER_01]: connect with their kid but then they've been thinking

[00:20:49] [SPEAKER_01]: like you know his love for classic hip hop

[00:20:53] [SPEAKER_01]: help him you know no one's making those connections

[00:20:56] [SPEAKER_02]: that's so real man in fact you know a lot of the

[00:20:58] [SPEAKER_02]: times they come in like really apprehensive like

[00:21:01] [SPEAKER_02]: yo this is about to be a mess right like I don't

[00:21:04] [SPEAKER_02]: even know like I don't know about it because we're

[00:21:06] [SPEAKER_02]: looking at like some of some of these parents are my

[00:21:08] [SPEAKER_03]: age right I'm 42 you know so they have teenage

[00:21:11] [SPEAKER_03]: teenage kids and they're like maybe they don't

[00:21:13] [SPEAKER_03]: even know how to have the conversation around

[00:21:15] [SPEAKER_03]: hip hop and music this is usually that's the

[00:21:18] [SPEAKER_03]: gateway right it's like my kids really into Eminem

[00:21:20] [SPEAKER_03]: or my kids really into like you know J Cole

[00:21:23] [SPEAKER_03]: or my kid relax Kendrick and I grew up on such

[00:21:26] [SPEAKER_03]: and such and I'm trying to have the conversation

[00:21:27] [SPEAKER_03]: and usually most adults aren't willing to admit

[00:21:30] [SPEAKER_03]: that they're hypocrites in the conversation like

[00:21:33] [SPEAKER_03]: yeah our beats were different but the content

[00:21:35] [SPEAKER_03]: was a lot of the same you know I'm saying we were

[00:21:38] [SPEAKER_03]: shooting kids and selling stuff too you know

[00:21:40] [SPEAKER_03]: just the beats were a little different they had

[00:21:41] [SPEAKER_03]: Primo they have Zatehogan whoever you know

[00:21:45] [SPEAKER_03]: but you know it stops there but when they

[00:21:48] [SPEAKER_03]: come in and they see that this is this is like

[00:21:50] [SPEAKER_03]: multi-generational like really healthy space

[00:21:54] [SPEAKER_03]: where the conversations are rich the engagement

[00:21:58] [SPEAKER_03]: is high the intent is really focused

[00:22:02] [SPEAKER_03]: they come out as believers like yo I didn't

[00:22:04] [SPEAKER_03]: realize they weren't looking under hip hop rocks

[00:22:06] [SPEAKER_03]: to say like what's gonna help our family you know

[00:22:08] [SPEAKER_03]: let's check this rock over here break it

[00:22:10] [SPEAKER_03]: you know and find or wrap it and they lift it

[00:22:14] [SPEAKER_03]: up and they're like oh you know this is

[00:22:16] [SPEAKER_03]: changing things that were worse how can we

[00:22:18] [SPEAKER_03]: support you know even beyond bringing our kids

[00:22:20] [SPEAKER_01]: I love that is bringing it back home to the family

[00:22:23] [SPEAKER_01]: like the household you know whatever the household

[00:22:24] [SPEAKER_01]: dynamic might be that there's it's spilling back over

[00:22:28] [SPEAKER_01]: yeah you know we talk about all the time here

[00:22:30] [SPEAKER_01]: the folks that I talked to the importance of that

[00:22:31] [SPEAKER_01]: multi-generational outlook obviously teaching the history of it

[00:22:34] [SPEAKER_01]: you know we always say they don't respect the you know

[00:22:37] [SPEAKER_01]: the the crap they don't respect the culture they would

[00:22:39] [SPEAKER_01]: but I mean we got to teach them we got to show them

[00:22:41] [SPEAKER_01]: like they're not there's no hip hop history class

[00:22:44] [SPEAKER_01]: in their schools like we have to do this and we

[00:22:46] [SPEAKER_01]: have to find the locations and the initiatives

[00:22:49] [SPEAKER_01]: that can help do that but at the same time

[00:22:51] [SPEAKER_01]: we have to be open and welcoming to how they

[00:22:54] [SPEAKER_01]: perceive hip hop as it has evolved dramatically

[00:22:57] [SPEAKER_01]: since since our day you know but that

[00:23:01] [SPEAKER_01]: combination seems to be really really successful

[00:23:04] [SPEAKER_01]: you you can't just be into all the you know hello fellow

[00:23:06] [SPEAKER_01]: kids and like you rockin they're rockin but you

[00:23:09] [SPEAKER_01]: also can't just be like it's this way or the highway

[00:23:13] [SPEAKER_01]: you know boom bap and you know and golden era

[00:23:16] [SPEAKER_01]: or or die you know you can't it's that it's that

[00:23:20] [SPEAKER_01]: middle ground I think that's where the sweet spot is

[00:23:22] [SPEAKER_03]: you'd agree I would agree 110% man I mean

[00:23:26] [SPEAKER_03]: yeah we have this philosophy at AOT it's

[00:23:29] [SPEAKER_03]: it's it's it would rather be somebody's

[00:23:33] [SPEAKER_03]: OG right than to be an old head you know

[00:23:35] [SPEAKER_03]: and it's kind of philosophy that we was like

[00:23:37] [SPEAKER_03]: okay what's the difference right and I

[00:23:39] [SPEAKER_03]: was working at a school for adjudicated youth

[00:23:41] [SPEAKER_03]: where the common narrative was that at least

[00:23:44] [SPEAKER_03]: among the staff right as the behavior treatments

[00:23:46] [SPEAKER_03]: specialist staff there and they were

[00:23:48] [SPEAKER_03]: you know the the false narrative was that

[00:23:50] [SPEAKER_03]: yeah kids don't want to listen to adults

[00:23:52] [SPEAKER_03]: you know but you start digging a little bit

[00:23:53] [SPEAKER_03]: and it's like every kid has some adults in

[00:23:55] [SPEAKER_03]: their life they're listening to it's rather than

[00:23:57] [SPEAKER_03]: not what they're bringing to the table is

[00:23:59] [SPEAKER_03]: relevant or pertinent information right so

[00:24:02] [SPEAKER_03]: what's the difference between the OG and an old

[00:24:04] [SPEAKER_03]: head right the OG on the block right is

[00:24:06] [SPEAKER_03]: giving you information on how to navigate

[00:24:08] [SPEAKER_03]: your community how to navigate getting

[00:24:10] [SPEAKER_03]: from school to home safely or how to

[00:24:13] [SPEAKER_03]: make money you know to support whatever

[00:24:15] [SPEAKER_03]: you know or how to fill in the blank but

[00:24:17] [SPEAKER_03]: the blank is whatever is relevant gems

[00:24:19] [SPEAKER_03]: right the blank is whatever is whatever

[00:24:22] [SPEAKER_03]: is relevant to the individual right that

[00:24:25] [SPEAKER_03]: person gets the honor of being the OG to

[00:24:28] [SPEAKER_03]: that person that's a honorable position so

[00:24:31] [SPEAKER_03]: it wasn't an issue about you know kids don't

[00:24:34] [SPEAKER_03]: listen to adults it's just a we're so busy

[00:24:35] [SPEAKER_03]: talking about yeah you're doing the wrong

[00:24:37] [SPEAKER_03]: I'm guilty right I'm the first one we

[00:24:40] [SPEAKER_03]: started at and I was like yeah you're

[00:24:42] [SPEAKER_03]: gonna learn this big daddy came you're

[00:24:44] [SPEAKER_03]: gonna learn this rock him and you're

[00:24:45] [SPEAKER_03]: gonna learn this cuz this is real rhyming

[00:24:47] [SPEAKER_03]: you're gonna learn this you're gonna

[00:24:48] [SPEAKER_03]: learn this you know I'm saying and like yeah

[00:24:50] [SPEAKER_03]: that's cool I appreciate it but what about

[00:24:52] [SPEAKER_03]: this what about this and I was quick to

[00:24:53] [SPEAKER_03]: be like that's not it as you're missing

[00:24:56] [SPEAKER_03]: it and your pants are too tight you know

[00:24:58] [SPEAKER_03]: I mean so right and real quickly had to

[00:25:01] [SPEAKER_03]: switch that tone really you know like

[00:25:03] [SPEAKER_03]: nobody's it's like college you want

[00:25:05] [SPEAKER_03]: nobody's dealing with somebody who can't

[00:25:07] [SPEAKER_03]: even validate or see them in there who

[00:25:09] [SPEAKER_03]: they are as they're showing up in their

[00:25:11] [SPEAKER_03]: authentic selves you know so now the

[00:25:13] [SPEAKER_03]: challenges for us as older heads in

[00:25:15] [SPEAKER_03]: the room to to begin to really appreciate

[00:25:19] [SPEAKER_03]: what young people are bringing to the

[00:25:21] [SPEAKER_03]: table and make ourselves available to

[00:25:23] [SPEAKER_03]: give them the tools of resource the

[00:25:25] [SPEAKER_03]: backing the support in the community and

[00:25:28] [SPEAKER_03]: the context and the challenge to move

[00:25:31] [SPEAKER_03]: forward take it further than we ever

[00:25:32] [SPEAKER_03]: could have taken it because it's the

[00:25:34] [SPEAKER_03]: world we're living in and to be there

[00:25:36] [SPEAKER_03]: in their corner for it I think that's

[00:25:37] [SPEAKER_03]: the difference like we're not going

[00:25:38] [SPEAKER_03]: to just harp on what you are doing

[00:25:40] [SPEAKER_03]: wrong not even knowing the truth

[00:25:42] [SPEAKER_03]: about that we're just like so so so

[00:25:44] [SPEAKER_03]: biased and committed to our opinions

[00:25:46] [SPEAKER_03]: that we missed opportunities to really

[00:25:48] [SPEAKER_03]: make a difference you know I mean so that

[00:25:50] [SPEAKER_03]: was a big pivot for us but yeah we're all

[00:25:52] [SPEAKER_03]: in we're all in pursuit of being young

[00:25:54] [SPEAKER_03]: people's oh gee you know I'm saying like

[00:25:56] [SPEAKER_03]: when you go wherever you're going to go

[00:25:58] [SPEAKER_03]: you'll look back be like yeah but I had

[00:25:59] [SPEAKER_03]: this focus I had this dude in my corner

[00:26:01] [SPEAKER_03]: had this guy on my corner had these

[00:26:02] [SPEAKER_03]: folks in my corner really pushing me

[00:26:04] [SPEAKER_03]: and challenging me in a way that I can

[00:26:06] [SPEAKER_03]: receive and I think that's that's the

[00:26:08] [SPEAKER_03]: important piece yeah that's brilliant

[00:26:10] [SPEAKER_01]: I love the OG old-head you know

[00:26:12] [SPEAKER_01]: analogy and also this is the same

[00:26:14] [SPEAKER_01]: thing that we hear from educators all

[00:26:16] [SPEAKER_01]: time as and as you will attest to because

[00:26:18] [SPEAKER_01]: we all will attest to there was that one

[00:26:20] [SPEAKER_01]: teacher right you know that was that

[00:26:22] [SPEAKER_01]: we actually listened to our paid attention

[00:26:23] [SPEAKER_01]: to and they were like sort of the mentor

[00:26:25] [SPEAKER_01]: or that you know they gave us something different

[00:26:27] [SPEAKER_01]: and that's what it was they were tying

[00:26:28] [SPEAKER_01]: into that way of saying nah man I want

[00:26:31] [SPEAKER_01]: to hear from you I want to know what

[00:26:32] [SPEAKER_01]: helps you it's an individualized approach

[00:26:35] [SPEAKER_01]: in some ways and I always say when

[00:26:37] [SPEAKER_01]: we throw the hip-hop baby out with

[00:26:39] [SPEAKER_01]: the mumble wrap bathwater

[00:26:41] [SPEAKER_01]: we miss that

[00:26:43] [SPEAKER_01]: the mumble wrap bathwater

[00:26:46] [SPEAKER_01]: that's a way

[00:26:50] [SPEAKER_01]: so we're speaking in a same language and I

[00:26:51] [SPEAKER_01]: appreciate that insight I know how important it is

[00:26:53] [SPEAKER_01]: a couple more questions for you go

[00:26:55] [SPEAKER_01]: and this one ties into that a little bit

[00:26:57] [SPEAKER_01]: you're an artist you're a DJ you're

[00:26:59] [SPEAKER_01]: an emcee you know you're not only a cultural

[00:27:01] [SPEAKER_01]: participant but artistic you know participant

[00:27:04] [SPEAKER_01]: how has being a practitioner

[00:27:05] [SPEAKER_01]: helped shape how you

[00:27:07] [SPEAKER_01]: have designed the programs and

[00:27:09] [SPEAKER_01]: carried on your nonprofit work and how

[00:27:11] [SPEAKER_01]: important is that and

[00:27:13] [SPEAKER_01]: and at the same time tell me who else

[00:27:15] [SPEAKER_01]: maybe in your in the staff

[00:27:17] [SPEAKER_01]: or you know how do practitioners fit

[00:27:19] [SPEAKER_01]: into the mission yeah I think

[00:27:21] [SPEAKER_03]: as a practitioner you

[00:27:23] [SPEAKER_03]: have a you have a competence

[00:27:25] [SPEAKER_03]: that you are the specialist

[00:27:27] [SPEAKER_03]: in the room in regards to the practice

[00:27:29] [SPEAKER_03]: right and I think

[00:27:31] [SPEAKER_03]: what happens more often than not well

[00:27:33] [SPEAKER_03]: in every scenario with with

[00:27:35] [SPEAKER_03]: AOTAs that this person may

[00:27:37] [SPEAKER_03]: or this individual may be really proficient at teaching

[00:27:39] [SPEAKER_03]: or producing

[00:27:41] [SPEAKER_03]: or you know carrying out

[00:27:43] [SPEAKER_03]: their practice you know as an emcee

[00:27:45] [SPEAKER_03]: as a writer as a DJ whatever

[00:27:47] [SPEAKER_03]: and they haven't always made the connection to what's

[00:27:49] [SPEAKER_03]: happening while they do

[00:27:51] [SPEAKER_03]: in the process is that they're experiencing

[00:27:53] [SPEAKER_03]: right and so we kind of serve as that

[00:27:55] [SPEAKER_03]: that mediator or that

[00:27:57] [SPEAKER_03]: that reference or that I guess that

[00:27:59] [SPEAKER_03]: that guide or

[00:28:00] [SPEAKER_03]: you know light to expose

[00:28:02] [SPEAKER_03]: like hey you know you're doing this but check it out

[00:28:04] [SPEAKER_03]: this is what's really happening

[00:28:06] [SPEAKER_03]: oh should I really think about like that

[00:28:07] [SPEAKER_03]: and this is what our students are getting out of you

[00:28:10] [SPEAKER_03]: intentionally teaching that or making those

[00:28:12] [SPEAKER_03]: points in that process that

[00:28:14] [SPEAKER_03]: while they're learning how to program

[00:28:16] [SPEAKER_03]: drums they are also learning this

[00:28:18] [SPEAKER_01]: Dr. Bettina Love the first guest

[00:28:20] [SPEAKER_01]: on this show ever is just brilliant at

[00:28:22] [SPEAKER_01]: this and taught me the idea

[00:28:24] [SPEAKER_01]: of you know when you say I want to bring

[00:28:26] [SPEAKER_01]: this hip hop program to the you know to that to the school

[00:28:28] [SPEAKER_01]: and the school's like what no hip hop rap no

[00:28:30] [SPEAKER_01]: no no it teaches social emotional intelligence

[00:28:32] [SPEAKER_01]: what you're doing in the cipher is

[00:28:34] [SPEAKER_01]: social emotional so

[00:28:36] [SPEAKER_01]: as practitioners as hip hop heads we

[00:28:38] [SPEAKER_01]: we know what we're doing is instructive and it's

[00:28:40] [SPEAKER_01]: it's helpful but we don't actually

[00:28:42] [SPEAKER_01]: know what what we're doing

[00:28:44] [SPEAKER_01]: with this inherent we don't and you're saying like there's a way

[00:28:46] [SPEAKER_01]: of pull that out of somebody and say no

[00:28:48] [SPEAKER_01]: no here's how you focus it or at least be

[00:28:50] [SPEAKER_01]: knowledgeable of what you're doing and that makes a big difference

[00:28:52] [SPEAKER_03]: indeed we didn't have the language we did

[00:28:54] [SPEAKER_03]: we there was no language the social emotional

[00:28:57] [SPEAKER_03]: intelligence like what is that

[00:28:58] [SPEAKER_03]: you know I'm saying I'm my emcee I don't know

[00:29:00] [SPEAKER_03]: I can try to break on the breakdown

[00:29:03] [SPEAKER_03]: social emotional intelligence I get it but

[00:29:05] [SPEAKER_03]: where where does that apply and how is that

[00:29:07] [SPEAKER_03]: applied through what I'm doing so there's so

[00:29:09] [SPEAKER_03]: many so many there's a lot of nuance

[00:29:11] [SPEAKER_03]: there and so we internally

[00:29:13] [SPEAKER_03]: are like just exposing the nuance like this

[00:29:15] [SPEAKER_03]: is what you're doing you know

[00:29:17] [SPEAKER_03]: and you're doing it naturally you're not

[00:29:19] [SPEAKER_03]: you're not having to like

[00:29:21] [SPEAKER_03]: add to it's like in hip hop

[00:29:23] [SPEAKER_03]: in these practices

[00:29:25] [SPEAKER_03]: they're just occurring because

[00:29:27] [SPEAKER_03]: they're connected to our needs

[00:29:29] [SPEAKER_03]: as in the you think about the first

[00:29:30] [SPEAKER_03]: bead boy or be a DJ

[00:29:32] [SPEAKER_03]: I mean they were really

[00:29:34] [SPEAKER_03]: advocating on behalf of

[00:29:36] [SPEAKER_03]: them getting their voice out

[00:29:38] [SPEAKER_03]: their expression out through a medium

[00:29:41] [SPEAKER_03]: that was interesting to them and that

[00:29:42] [SPEAKER_03]: they were helping to pioneer and to develop

[00:29:44] [SPEAKER_03]: but there is so many connections

[00:29:46] [SPEAKER_03]: to who they are what they're about

[00:29:48] [SPEAKER_03]: and what they're trying to achieve as an individual

[00:29:51] [SPEAKER_03]: as a human and what they're advocating

[00:29:52] [SPEAKER_03]: for as a human that is being expressed

[00:29:54] [SPEAKER_03]: through you know the work they're

[00:29:57] [SPEAKER_03]: doing with their practice and so

[00:29:58] [SPEAKER_03]: we just make those those connections

[00:30:01] [SPEAKER_03]: explicit and

[00:30:02] [SPEAKER_03]: it's not hard and just allow

[00:30:04] [SPEAKER_03]: for our artists to keep on on rockin but

[00:30:06] [SPEAKER_03]: as an artist myself like you know I don't

[00:30:08] [SPEAKER_03]: have a lot of time to write rhymes or

[00:30:10] [SPEAKER_03]: anymore now I'm running out of proper organizations

[00:30:13] [SPEAKER_03]: right and I'm the

[00:30:15] [SPEAKER_03]: ED so I'm in spreadsheets

[00:30:17] [SPEAKER_03]: way more than I am my my my rhyme

[00:30:19] [SPEAKER_03]: book you know I'm saying I got two kids

[00:30:20] [SPEAKER_03]: then you know I mean I

[00:30:22] [SPEAKER_03]: DJ a lot more because that's you know

[00:30:24] [SPEAKER_03]: listening to music all the time so I'm creating

[00:30:27] [SPEAKER_03]: playlists and crates and

[00:30:28] [SPEAKER_03]: digging all the time so that's a little

[00:30:30] [SPEAKER_03]: bit easier but you know it's

[00:30:32] [SPEAKER_03]: slower for me to put out records and do

[00:30:34] [SPEAKER_03]: collaborations or even songs for myself

[00:30:36] [SPEAKER_03]: so I do I wrestle with that

[00:30:38] [SPEAKER_03]: I know it's a season of life but what I

[00:30:40] [SPEAKER_03]: get in exchange is

[00:30:43] [SPEAKER_03]: paying it forward

[00:30:44] [SPEAKER_03]: to the next generation of

[00:30:46] [SPEAKER_03]: aspiring artists to have the space

[00:30:48] [SPEAKER_03]: and time and resources they need to build

[00:30:50] [SPEAKER_03]: what they want I had that early on

[00:30:52] [SPEAKER_03]: not in not in a space like

[00:30:54] [SPEAKER_03]: AOTA but just in the

[00:30:56] [SPEAKER_03]: community right so um just

[00:30:58] [SPEAKER_03]: quick little anecdote um from Seattle

[00:31:00] [SPEAKER_03]: I moved to Portland I was a part of a crew called

[00:31:02] [SPEAKER_03]: Lightheaded me my man Omega Watts

[00:31:04] [SPEAKER_03]: another cat named Braille we were in the

[00:31:06] [SPEAKER_03]: Portland scene connected with lifesavers

[00:31:08] [SPEAKER_03]: one of my OG's is

[00:31:10] [SPEAKER_03]: is versatile from the lifesavers and I

[00:31:12] [SPEAKER_03]: remember moving into the community

[00:31:14] [SPEAKER_03]: and uh you know

[00:31:15] [SPEAKER_03]: we did a show together caught me and I just

[00:31:18] [SPEAKER_03]: was like you know I was kind of hungry to

[00:31:19] [SPEAKER_03]: learn more from somebody who I want to

[00:31:21] [SPEAKER_03]: steam as a dope MC

[00:31:23] [SPEAKER_03]: but also just want to pick up some

[00:31:25] [SPEAKER_03]: game and be like dude this wordplay is

[00:31:27] [SPEAKER_03]: crazy your knowledge on anything you're

[00:31:29] [SPEAKER_03]: talking about is crazy I was like

[00:31:32] [SPEAKER_03]: so what does a 21 22 year

[00:31:33] [SPEAKER_03]: old MC have to do to level up and

[00:31:35] [SPEAKER_03]: grow and develop as an artist and

[00:31:38] [SPEAKER_03]: he caught up with me it's like

[00:31:39] [SPEAKER_03]: meet me at Pal's books

[00:31:41] [SPEAKER_03]: that's a weird place to go as a rapper

[00:31:43] [SPEAKER_03]: like a bookstore cool you know I said

[00:31:45] [SPEAKER_03]: I'm gonna see the hell when I go to the studio

[00:31:47] [SPEAKER_03]: like right but no he's like meet me at

[00:31:49] [SPEAKER_03]: Pal's books and then he just laid on

[00:31:51] [SPEAKER_03]: me the importance you know at my role

[00:31:53] [SPEAKER_03]: my job you know as

[00:31:55] [SPEAKER_03]: the information bearer as the communication

[00:31:57] [SPEAKER_03]: specialist as the

[00:31:59] [SPEAKER_03]: as the newscast

[00:32:01] [SPEAKER_03]: the news broadcast you know what I'm saying it's like

[00:32:03] [SPEAKER_03]: yeah I do a whole program but

[00:32:05] [SPEAKER_01]: as as journalist man

[00:32:07] [SPEAKER_01]: that's you know yeah he just

[00:32:09] [SPEAKER_03]: he just he exposed me to the

[00:32:11] [SPEAKER_03]: importance of I think his his terminology

[00:32:13] [SPEAKER_03]: was in information in information

[00:32:15] [SPEAKER_03]: out information in information

[00:32:17] [SPEAKER_03]: that you can be you should be continually

[00:32:18] [SPEAKER_03]: reading yourself with reliable

[00:32:21] [SPEAKER_03]: information reading you should

[00:32:23] [SPEAKER_03]: be reading so you have perspective

[00:32:25] [SPEAKER_03]: and ideas and things that makes you more

[00:32:27] [SPEAKER_03]: interesting interesting as a

[00:32:29] [SPEAKER_03]: communicator more interesting as a

[00:32:31] [SPEAKER_03]: artist and the vocal piece for this

[00:32:33] [SPEAKER_03]: culture and for the art form so that

[00:32:34] [SPEAKER_03]: was something that translated quite

[00:32:36] [SPEAKER_03]: direct through my experiences

[00:32:39] [SPEAKER_03]: as an artist moving into this

[00:32:41] [SPEAKER_03]: academic space educator space into the

[00:32:43] [SPEAKER_03]: nonprofit space and and

[00:32:45] [SPEAKER_03]: running the organization developing curriculum and what

[00:32:47] [SPEAKER_03]: not was those kind of exchanges where it's like

[00:32:49] [SPEAKER_03]: ah I had a mentor

[00:32:51] [SPEAKER_03]: I understand the importance of having mentors

[00:32:53] [SPEAKER_03]: you know so yeah

[00:32:55] [SPEAKER_01]: practitioners should be in education spaces

[00:32:57] [SPEAKER_01]: should be in nonprofits but we need the

[00:32:59] [SPEAKER_01]: practitioners of the culture in the mix but

[00:33:01] [SPEAKER_01]: what you're also providing is the tools and

[00:33:03] [SPEAKER_01]: the techniques and the language

[00:33:05] [SPEAKER_01]: to be able to maximize

[00:33:06] [SPEAKER_01]: the chances of getting into those spaces

[00:33:08] [SPEAKER_01]: because it's still gate kept and it's still

[00:33:10] [SPEAKER_01]: very you know Eurocentric and westernizing

[00:33:12] [SPEAKER_01]: all that jazz they don't always look at

[00:33:14] [SPEAKER_01]: practice and they'll help that oh we're going to

[00:33:16] [SPEAKER_01]: introduce a hip hop class we'll bring someone from

[00:33:18] [SPEAKER_01]: the African studies department so like

[00:33:20] [SPEAKER_01]: you know it doesn't always translate you know to

[00:33:22] [SPEAKER_01]: hip hop but also providing

[00:33:24] [SPEAKER_01]: the tools so that we know when

[00:33:26] [SPEAKER_01]: we're going into those spaces how to connect those dots

[00:33:28] [SPEAKER_01]: how to connect the language like Dr. Love

[00:33:30] [SPEAKER_01]: and how you were talking about I think is

[00:33:32] [SPEAKER_01]: noble working in itself so I get the

[00:33:34] [SPEAKER_01]: trade off you know you have to put a little bit

[00:33:36] [SPEAKER_01]: more into the teaching part of

[00:33:38] [SPEAKER_01]: the teaching artist than the artist part

[00:33:40] [SPEAKER_01]: sure but it's important and then

[00:33:42] [SPEAKER_01]: what you do is you like as you bring up the next generation

[00:33:44] [SPEAKER_01]: and we can continue this kind

[00:33:46] [SPEAKER_01]: of work there can be more organizations and

[00:33:48] [SPEAKER_01]: more access to folks

[00:33:50] [SPEAKER_01]: of the culture in these

[00:33:52] [SPEAKER_01]: spaces and I think that's valuable work and we don't see

[00:33:54] [SPEAKER_01]: enough people doing it so just kudos that you recognize

[00:33:56] [SPEAKER_03]: the importance of that yeah you know when we started

[00:33:58] [SPEAKER_03]: this we thought we were going to like you know

[00:34:00] [SPEAKER_03]: franchise it in kind of along with all these

[00:34:02] [SPEAKER_03]: cities and do the same thing right

[00:34:04] [SPEAKER_03]: ended up realizing that this is just

[00:34:06] [SPEAKER_03]: this is a lancing thing you know this is what

[00:34:08] [SPEAKER_03]: lancing needed I another philosophy

[00:34:10] [SPEAKER_03]: of ours is you know hip hop is best served

[00:34:12] [SPEAKER_03]: locally you know I'm saying like there's

[00:34:14] [SPEAKER_03]: there's certain ingredients there's certain

[00:34:16] [SPEAKER_03]: flavors and textures and certain things that

[00:34:18] [SPEAKER_03]: if you dig into the soil of your local

[00:34:20] [SPEAKER_03]: community it's not going to be like

[00:34:22] [SPEAKER_03]: other communities and you need to you know

[00:34:24] [SPEAKER_03]: take in consideration those pieces as

[00:34:26] [SPEAKER_03]: you're building whatever you're doing in

[00:34:28] [SPEAKER_03]: your community so we're way more

[00:34:30] [SPEAKER_03]: interested in the consulting capacity

[00:34:32] [SPEAKER_03]: of saying hey this is what we did

[00:34:34] [SPEAKER_03]: how we organize artists together how we

[00:34:37] [SPEAKER_03]: show improved and continuous not it's

[00:34:39] [SPEAKER_03]: not an overnight thing you know I'm saying

[00:34:40] [SPEAKER_03]: either right but there is a way to organize

[00:34:42] [SPEAKER_03]: folks to have a platform

[00:34:44] [SPEAKER_03]: and system by which they can

[00:34:46] [SPEAKER_03]: carry out this work in the context

[00:34:48] [SPEAKER_03]: of their own local community and we're

[00:34:50] [SPEAKER_03]: way more interested in that than franchising

[00:34:52] [SPEAKER_03]: AOTA I think all the above hip hop

[00:34:54] [SPEAKER_03]: academy will continue to be a lancing

[00:34:56] [SPEAKER_03]: Michigan thing and hopefully we can

[00:34:58] [SPEAKER_03]: be a resource to other folks doing similar

[00:35:00] [SPEAKER_03]: work in their own you know respective

[00:35:02] [SPEAKER_03]: communities yeah absolutely I mean

[00:35:04] [SPEAKER_01]: it's just in this talk it's

[00:35:06] [SPEAKER_01]: certainly can provide inspiration for folks

[00:35:08] [SPEAKER_01]: who might hypothetically I'm just saying

[00:35:10] [SPEAKER_01]: might be trying to also do some things

[00:35:12] [SPEAKER_01]: I appreciate that insight personally

[00:35:14] [SPEAKER_01]: I know that others will too there's a lot

[00:35:16] [SPEAKER_01]: of folks like we're all doing

[00:35:18] [SPEAKER_01]: some of the same things and I think that's valuable

[00:35:20] [SPEAKER_01]: it is the each one teach one philosophy

[00:35:22] [SPEAKER_01]: to eat those of hip hop and we don't

[00:35:24] [SPEAKER_01]: we don't get keep these things we want everyone

[00:35:25] [SPEAKER_01]: everyone can eat and everyone can feed

[00:35:27] [SPEAKER_01]: so yeah so just

[00:35:29] [SPEAKER_01]: matter of fact that say we is nicely

[00:35:31] [SPEAKER_01]: aware we should take it land this plane as they say

[00:35:33] [SPEAKER_01]: and that's you know what's the future

[00:35:35] [SPEAKER_01]: look like what are your plans what's your

[00:35:37] [SPEAKER_01]: organization's plans for

[00:35:39] [SPEAKER_01]: the academy in the future and how does

[00:35:41] [SPEAKER_01]: having a home base change things

[00:35:43] [SPEAKER_01]: you know what's coming up what should people know

[00:35:45] [SPEAKER_03]: about yeah we've been

[00:35:47] [SPEAKER_03]: we've been a real transient

[00:35:50] [SPEAKER_03]: organization for that game you know

[00:35:52] [SPEAKER_03]: if you have a wreck if you have a wreck

[00:35:53] [SPEAKER_03]: room or

[00:35:55] [SPEAKER_03]: you know a sanctuary

[00:35:57] [SPEAKER_03]: you know a cafeteria

[00:35:59] [SPEAKER_03]: wherever you know that we

[00:36:01] [SPEAKER_03]: can pull up set up and

[00:36:03] [SPEAKER_03]: facilitate that's been great

[00:36:06] [SPEAKER_03]: uniquely you know

[00:36:07] [SPEAKER_03]: and I don't know I can always speak from Lansing but

[00:36:09] [SPEAKER_03]: last doesn't have like a centralized

[00:36:11] [SPEAKER_03]: location where young people kick it at you know

[00:36:13] [SPEAKER_03]: our go to or spend or even for that

[00:36:15] [SPEAKER_03]: matter the general public like we have like a few

[00:36:17] [SPEAKER_03]: different districts but it's really this is a

[00:36:20] [SPEAKER_03]: automotive town

[00:36:21] [SPEAKER_03]: where a lot of the folks like during the

[00:36:24] [SPEAKER_03]: the GM and automotive

[00:36:26] [SPEAKER_03]: industry

[00:36:28] [SPEAKER_03]: heyday you know they worked

[00:36:29] [SPEAKER_03]: made good money at the factories they

[00:36:31] [SPEAKER_03]: went home but they spent their money

[00:36:33] [SPEAKER_03]: usually like up north when I moved to

[00:36:35] [SPEAKER_03]: Michigan everybody's like what are you doing this weekend

[00:36:37] [SPEAKER_03]: like oh what a door is what's up north that's

[00:36:40] [SPEAKER_03]: everybody's leaving for the weekend

[00:36:41] [SPEAKER_03]: you know this is our beach house

[00:36:43] [SPEAKER_03]: you know I was like man people can have beach houses here

[00:36:45] [SPEAKER_03]: I mean you know you know the not that

[00:36:47] [SPEAKER_03]: you know you're not assuming everybody's

[00:36:49] [SPEAKER_03]: wealthy because in my mind you have a beach house

[00:36:51] [SPEAKER_03]: you're like yeah you're great but it's usually just

[00:36:53] [SPEAKER_03]: it was middle-class factory workers

[00:36:55] [SPEAKER_03]: who like were able to afford

[00:36:58] [SPEAKER_03]: property up north you know I'm saying so

[00:37:00] [SPEAKER_03]: every chance they got they were going up there

[00:37:01] [SPEAKER_03]: and hanging out like fishing and whatever

[00:37:03] [SPEAKER_03]: you know um

[00:37:05] [SPEAKER_03]: and so um just culturally

[00:37:09] [SPEAKER_03]: we've had

[00:37:09] [SPEAKER_03]: to move a certain way and these pieces

[00:37:11] [SPEAKER_03]: have played into the way in which we've

[00:37:13] [SPEAKER_03]: had to move right being really transient

[00:37:16] [SPEAKER_03]: having a space now where

[00:37:17] [SPEAKER_03]: we've been able to get around the whole city

[00:37:20] [SPEAKER_03]: east southwest side north side downtown

[00:37:21] [SPEAKER_03]: we've been able to like foster trust

[00:37:23] [SPEAKER_03]: and um notoriety

[00:37:26] [SPEAKER_03]: and the belief in our programs

[00:37:27] [SPEAKER_03]: of what we do by the whole community

[00:37:30] [SPEAKER_03]: you know so and what

[00:37:31] [SPEAKER_03]: we've noticed is as we've been transitioning

[00:37:33] [SPEAKER_03]: moving around you know we're constantly updating

[00:37:35] [SPEAKER_03]: our website it's like okay so practice classes

[00:37:37] [SPEAKER_03]: are gonna be here ah change that we're not there

[00:37:39] [SPEAKER_03]: anymore we're over here and what we notice is

[00:37:41] [SPEAKER_03]: that the same group of people and more

[00:37:43] [SPEAKER_03]: would just follow us wherever we were going you know I'm saying

[00:37:46] [SPEAKER_03]: for the younger kids

[00:37:48] [SPEAKER_03]: there's some nuance there like

[00:37:49] [SPEAKER_03]: younger kids teenagers not so much

[00:37:52] [SPEAKER_03]: younger kids and their families support

[00:37:53] [SPEAKER_03]: would just take them wherever programs were at

[00:37:55] [SPEAKER_03]: so we put a lot of emphasis on working with younger kids

[00:37:58] [SPEAKER_03]: high schoolers we go right to

[00:38:00] [SPEAKER_03]: the high school and do programming there right

[00:38:01] [SPEAKER_03]: but also those high schoolers like I would like to

[00:38:04] [SPEAKER_03]: do some stuff now that they know about us they're like

[00:38:05] [SPEAKER_03]: and we'd like to like connect with y'all outside

[00:38:07] [SPEAKER_03]: of the school too so

[00:38:09] [SPEAKER_03]: um having a brick and mortar

[00:38:11] [SPEAKER_03]: an HQ in which all of our

[00:38:14] [SPEAKER_03]: programming can be under one roof

[00:38:16] [SPEAKER_03]: um we're just hype

[00:38:18] [SPEAKER_03]: at what it can do I mean we're still trying to process

[00:38:19] [SPEAKER_03]: all of what it can do one of our newest things

[00:38:22] [SPEAKER_03]: that you know is offering adult classes

[00:38:24] [SPEAKER_03]: because we get a lot of requests for that you know

[00:38:26] [SPEAKER_03]: and that can be a way in which we subsidize

[00:38:28] [SPEAKER_03]: some of our free programming is we're not

[00:38:30] [SPEAKER_03]: giving adults free classes

[00:38:32] [SPEAKER_03]: you know

[00:38:34] [SPEAKER_03]: but um but yeah so

[00:38:35] [SPEAKER_03]: we're we're we're hype about

[00:38:37] [SPEAKER_03]: we're hyped about what that means would be some of

[00:38:40] [SPEAKER_01]: the things that you have adults same kind

[00:38:42] [SPEAKER_01]: of thing music making or you know

[00:38:44] [SPEAKER_01]: just I can see that as being

[00:38:46] [SPEAKER_01]: therapeutic for old folk

[00:38:48] [SPEAKER_01]: you know just getting always wanted to

[00:38:50] [SPEAKER_01]: or maybe get back into it you know as you

[00:38:52] [SPEAKER_01]: say you still DJ I still DJ like sometimes

[00:38:54] [SPEAKER_03]: that's church yeah man listen

[00:38:56] [SPEAKER_03]: bro I just had it this weekend

[00:38:58] [SPEAKER_03]: it was like I needed that I needed that more than

[00:39:00] [SPEAKER_03]: anything like just

[00:39:01] [SPEAKER_03]: just to play the refuge know you know

[00:39:03] [SPEAKER_03]: we have a lot of interest in DJing classes

[00:39:06] [SPEAKER_03]: you know they'll see us around town and a lot

[00:39:08] [SPEAKER_03]: of these a lot of folks they got kids too right

[00:39:10] [SPEAKER_03]: and they have kids like in our other programs

[00:39:11] [SPEAKER_03]: so they're like I wanna I want to train with

[00:39:13] [SPEAKER_03]: my with my daughter you know I want to train

[00:39:15] [SPEAKER_03]: with my with my son or dance with him

[00:39:18] [SPEAKER_03]: I like to at least a little know a little bit you know

[00:39:19] [SPEAKER_03]: yeah so there's interest in just

[00:39:22] [SPEAKER_03]: moving your body I think that's some of the motivation

[00:39:24] [SPEAKER_03]: for the adults and want to take a

[00:39:26] [SPEAKER_03]: break in class is like you're gonna

[00:39:28] [SPEAKER_03]: get the history you're gonna get the context

[00:39:29] [SPEAKER_03]: you're gonna get all those pieces you may

[00:39:32] [SPEAKER_03]: not be doing air flares you may not be

[00:39:33] [SPEAKER_03]: doing windmills you may not do has been you might

[00:39:35] [SPEAKER_03]: be it might be too late for that you know

[00:39:38] [SPEAKER_03]: but I guarantee you would get a couple

[00:39:40] [SPEAKER_03]: rounds of these six steps in you gonna

[00:39:42] [SPEAKER_03]: be sweating and your heart rate is gonna be up

[00:39:44] [SPEAKER_03]: and you will feel the

[00:39:46] [SPEAKER_03]: you'll feel that you know the

[00:39:48] [SPEAKER_03]: workout element you know and that might

[00:39:50] [SPEAKER_03]: just be where it starts and stops you

[00:39:52] [SPEAKER_03]: know for some of the adults but DJing

[00:39:53] [SPEAKER_03]: certainly I think some folks are interested in learning how to make beats

[00:39:56] [SPEAKER_03]: and using the dolls that we that we work

[00:39:58] [SPEAKER_03]: with but yeah I think it's just more or less

[00:40:00] [SPEAKER_03]: hobby type stuff and exercise

[00:40:02] [SPEAKER_03]: really I think that's kind of the motivation

[00:40:04] [SPEAKER_03]: for some of the adults but I think more

[00:40:06] [SPEAKER_03]: than that even I think it's just being a part

[00:40:08] [SPEAKER_03]: of our ecosystem at

[00:40:10] [SPEAKER_03]: a participant capacity because a lot of these

[00:40:12] [SPEAKER_03]: same folks are just like I've been in your orbit

[00:40:14] [SPEAKER_03]: been around seeing what y'all do

[00:40:16] [SPEAKER_03]: how can I be involved I don't

[00:40:18] [SPEAKER_03]: make yeah I don't do this I don't know

[00:40:20] [SPEAKER_03]: how to do that I'll volunteer at one of your events

[00:40:22] [SPEAKER_03]: and they typically do that but then they want to go

[00:40:24] [SPEAKER_03]: deeper like you got classes I would love

[00:40:26] [SPEAKER_03]: to learn six step I see them that's fresh

[00:40:28] [SPEAKER_03]: like I want to can I you know and so

[00:40:30] [SPEAKER_03]: I think it's just pulling back these layers

[00:40:32] [SPEAKER_03]: of interest from you know

[00:40:34] [SPEAKER_03]: adults and from

[00:40:36] [SPEAKER_03]: grandmothers to aunties uncles you know

[00:40:38] [SPEAKER_03]: and caretakers yeah

[00:40:40] [SPEAKER_03]: yeah folks are just interested so we want to meet

[00:40:42] [SPEAKER_01]: them there here's why I think that that's

[00:40:45] [SPEAKER_01]: supremely valuable

[00:40:46] [SPEAKER_01]: older folks once they get a taste of

[00:40:49] [SPEAKER_01]: you know

[00:40:50] [SPEAKER_01]: get past that idea of hip-hop

[00:40:52] [SPEAKER_01]: today right you know that hip-hop today

[00:40:54] [SPEAKER_01]: you know which I understand

[00:40:57] [SPEAKER_01]: and makes sense

[00:40:58] [SPEAKER_01]: when you get them in this ecosystem even with

[00:41:00] [SPEAKER_01]: just having their kids involved they see

[00:41:02] [SPEAKER_01]: obviously the potential of

[00:41:04] [SPEAKER_01]: how hip-hop can you know uplift lives

[00:41:06] [SPEAKER_01]: and livelihoods and communities

[00:41:08] [SPEAKER_01]: and their adults they get to go

[00:41:10] [SPEAKER_01]: into their places of work

[00:41:12] [SPEAKER_01]: or their their organizations

[00:41:14] [SPEAKER_01]: or the rotary club or whatever

[00:41:16] [SPEAKER_01]: you know they might be involved with

[00:41:18] [SPEAKER_01]: and say hey

[00:41:20] [SPEAKER_01]: we need to be thinking about hip-hop

[00:41:22] [SPEAKER_01]: in our organization maybe they're an

[00:41:24] [SPEAKER_01]: educator maybe they're on the board of education maybe

[00:41:26] [SPEAKER_01]: they work for another nonprofit maybe

[00:41:28] [SPEAKER_01]: they just have a job where it's like

[00:41:30] [SPEAKER_01]: hey we want to expand our business

[00:41:32] [SPEAKER_01]: practices to include

[00:41:34] [SPEAKER_01]: new opportunities for young people we

[00:41:36] [SPEAKER_01]: want to you know I do a whole talk on

[00:41:38] [SPEAKER_01]: the tech industry on how hip-hop

[00:41:40] [SPEAKER_01]: like if you're if you're hiring tech

[00:41:42] [SPEAKER_01]: you need to be hiring hip-hop minded individuals because

[00:41:44] [SPEAKER_01]: we've been innovating and remixing and

[00:41:46] [SPEAKER_01]: smack and flipping around tech for

[00:41:48] [SPEAKER_01]: decades and nobody does it better than

[00:41:50] [SPEAKER_01]: hip-hop because of the way we see things

[00:41:52] [SPEAKER_01]: but it's hard to do that when they've got

[00:41:53] [SPEAKER_01]: that wall of hip-hop today

[00:41:55] [SPEAKER_01]: all they hear even from some of

[00:41:57] [SPEAKER_01]: you know folks that are you know even within

[00:42:00] [SPEAKER_01]: the culture you know this this we won't

[00:42:01] [SPEAKER_01]: go into in depth I'm just preaching a little bit

[00:42:03] [SPEAKER_01]: but when a quest love puts out a public statement

[00:42:06] [SPEAKER_01]: you know saying hip-hop is truly dead because

[00:42:07] [SPEAKER_01]: he wasn't happy with this particular so

[00:42:09] [SPEAKER_01]: you're outside you're hearing from voices inside

[00:42:12] [SPEAKER_01]: and you're believing that this is hip-hop

[00:42:14] [SPEAKER_01]: today you're showing that no hip-hop

[00:42:16] [SPEAKER_01]: today is this too yeah this is hip-hop

[00:42:18] [SPEAKER_01]: today it's all hip-hop

[00:42:19] [SPEAKER_01]: today and if you get them into that ecosystem

[00:42:21] [SPEAKER_01]: like you're talking about then they're able to

[00:42:23] [SPEAKER_01]: go out and help you know bridge those

[00:42:25] [SPEAKER_01]: gaps and connect those dots outside of

[00:42:28] [SPEAKER_01]: it's an extension of what you do it's

[00:42:30] [SPEAKER_01]: it's evangelism and that's how you do it

[00:42:32] [SPEAKER_01]: by bringing the people the the older

[00:42:34] [SPEAKER_01]: folks in and they're paying attention and

[00:42:36] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that's super valuable and I think

[00:42:38] [SPEAKER_01]: you know intentional or not or you know

[00:42:40] [SPEAKER_01]: yes but also it just you know happens

[00:42:42] [SPEAKER_01]: organically that work is super important

[00:42:44] [SPEAKER_01]: right on and overlooked I don't think

[00:42:45] [SPEAKER_01]: people look at bringing the bringing

[00:42:48] [SPEAKER_01]: us the older folks in to see

[00:42:51] [SPEAKER_01]: what this is all about so that they

[00:42:52] [SPEAKER_01]: then can help amplify it

[00:42:54] [SPEAKER_01]: and signal boost it outside of those walls

[00:42:56] [SPEAKER_03]: we are we are stronger as a community

[00:42:59] [SPEAKER_03]: thinking multi-generational

[00:43:00] [SPEAKER_03]: you know what I mean like it has to be

[00:43:02] [SPEAKER_03]: both and you know and I think when we

[00:43:04] [SPEAKER_03]: when we started like getting our

[00:43:06] [SPEAKER_03]: nonprofit chops and figuring out what that means

[00:43:08] [SPEAKER_03]: like how do we do all you know how do we

[00:43:10] [SPEAKER_03]: hold space for an authentic

[00:43:12] [SPEAKER_03]: representation and expression of hip-hop

[00:43:14] [SPEAKER_03]: culture while

[00:43:16] [SPEAKER_03]: being a nonprofit organization

[00:43:18] [SPEAKER_03]: the scare was

[00:43:20] [SPEAKER_03]: that because part of it is that you know we're a

[00:43:22] [SPEAKER_03]: crew too like like a OTA

[00:43:24] [SPEAKER_03]: as a creative like we're cruel like

[00:43:26] [SPEAKER_03]: we're we've been building our

[00:43:28] [SPEAKER_03]: a little networking system for the last

[00:43:30] [SPEAKER_03]: 12 years so we're fam outside

[00:43:32] [SPEAKER_03]: of the you know the teaching

[00:43:34] [SPEAKER_03]: space you know all organizing

[00:43:36] [SPEAKER_03]: and brother and I was like well how do

[00:43:38] [SPEAKER_03]: we do that has it get muddy with the nonprofits

[00:43:40] [SPEAKER_03]: like we have our program piece

[00:43:42] [SPEAKER_03]: the 5-1-c-3 but we also have the crew

[00:43:44] [SPEAKER_03]: piece how we merge that how do we build

[00:43:46] [SPEAKER_03]: that you know but I think

[00:43:48] [SPEAKER_03]: bringing them into an understanding

[00:43:50] [SPEAKER_03]: where a deeper awareness as to what

[00:43:53] [SPEAKER_03]: hip-hop can do for our community

[00:43:55] [SPEAKER_03]: and for people

[00:43:56] [SPEAKER_03]: I mean it's just exposure you got to

[00:43:58] [SPEAKER_03]: keep on showing folks that you could do

[00:44:00] [SPEAKER_03]: that and not having a blueprint

[00:44:03] [SPEAKER_03]: starting starting this thing out we didn't

[00:44:04] [SPEAKER_03]: really have like best practice but

[00:44:06] [SPEAKER_03]: we developed this mantra that there's no such thing

[00:44:08] [SPEAKER_03]: as best practice is only better practice

[00:44:10] [SPEAKER_03]: you know because we are evolving as

[00:44:12] [SPEAKER_03]: people society is changing

[00:44:14] [SPEAKER_03]: so better evolving

[00:44:16] [SPEAKER_01]: everything yeah so if you

[00:44:18] [SPEAKER_03]: are on course to

[00:44:20] [SPEAKER_03]: develop better practices along

[00:44:22] [SPEAKER_03]: the way you're not going to hold

[00:44:24] [SPEAKER_03]: so so tight to

[00:44:26] [SPEAKER_03]: things that you don't need to hold on to you know I'm saying

[00:44:28] [SPEAKER_03]: that you can let go you know and

[00:44:30] [SPEAKER_03]: whether it be generational differences

[00:44:32] [SPEAKER_03]: you know for the sake of people

[00:44:34] [SPEAKER_03]: for the sake of the well-being of

[00:44:36] [SPEAKER_03]: humanity and our culture and community

[00:44:38] [SPEAKER_03]: we believe that we can hold hip-hop

[00:44:40] [SPEAKER_03]: tight we don't have to hold some of the

[00:44:42] [SPEAKER_03]: it so the massage and either whatever

[00:44:44] [SPEAKER_03]: people will say hip-hop is this hip-hop is this like it's not

[00:44:46] [SPEAKER_03]: it's not let's let's bear like it's a reflection

[00:44:48] [SPEAKER_03]: of people you know I'm saying if people are dealing

[00:44:50] [SPEAKER_03]: with that in their lives it's going to be reflected

[00:44:52] [SPEAKER_03]: in the music but let's get down to what it truly

[00:44:54] [SPEAKER_03]: is and it's about people and I think as long

[00:44:56] [SPEAKER_03]: as we continue to do that

[00:44:58] [SPEAKER_03]: that message is

[00:45:00] [SPEAKER_03]: shared and broadcasted

[00:45:02] [SPEAKER_03]: I think the communities and I think the

[00:45:04] [SPEAKER_03]: powers that be just it's undeniable

[00:45:06] [SPEAKER_03]: you know I'm saying you just can't you can't refute

[00:45:08] [SPEAKER_03]: the power of the culture when

[00:45:10] [SPEAKER_03]: you're able to make those connections

[00:45:12] [SPEAKER_03]: to our humanity despite

[00:45:14] [SPEAKER_03]: the way in which it shows up it's like

[00:45:16] [SPEAKER_03]: it is a reflection and it's an honest one

[00:45:18] [SPEAKER_03]: that's how I feel

[00:45:19] [SPEAKER_01]: yeah no I appreciate it

[00:45:21] [SPEAKER_01]: you know that kind of sums it up takes it out

[00:45:24] [SPEAKER_01]: it's almost as if it could save America

[00:45:25] [SPEAKER_01]: you know

[00:45:28] [SPEAKER_01]: for real though

[00:45:29] [SPEAKER_01]: and the world after as well

[00:45:31] [SPEAKER_01]: well listen we're on our way in no small part

[00:45:34] [SPEAKER_01]: to the work you're doing over there

[00:45:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Jose I've been really honored to hear you

[00:45:37] [SPEAKER_01]: kind of break it down run it down

[00:45:39] [SPEAKER_01]: it's like watching and

[00:45:41] [SPEAKER_01]: and you know the hip-hop non-profit

[00:45:42] [SPEAKER_01]: game is a weird space there's

[00:45:44] [SPEAKER_01]: some folks that are doing it and

[00:45:46] [SPEAKER_01]: some folks well some organizations that

[00:45:49] [SPEAKER_01]: you have to like look at

[00:45:50] [SPEAKER_01]: a long time before you

[00:45:52] [SPEAKER_01]: cosign what they're doing this is long

[00:45:55] [SPEAKER_01]: overdue it's clear that you've been doing this for quite

[00:45:57] [SPEAKER_01]: a long time and making it really real

[00:45:59] [SPEAKER_01]: impact great impact respectful impact

[00:46:00] [SPEAKER_01]: and so I thank you for your work

[00:46:02] [SPEAKER_01]: and I thank you for your time and actually like I said

[00:46:04] [SPEAKER_01]: personally I'm sure others will get this

[00:46:06] [SPEAKER_01]: you know for the inspiration for some of the gems

[00:46:09] [SPEAKER_01]: OG that you dropped about

[00:46:10] [SPEAKER_01]: non-profit game and how to do it

[00:46:12] [SPEAKER_01]: the right way so I appreciate your time

[00:46:14] [SPEAKER_01]: anything else for the people that I might not have covered

[00:46:16] [SPEAKER_01]: and then the end of interview thing

[00:46:18] [SPEAKER_01]: we tell everyone where they can find you and reach out

[00:46:20] [SPEAKER_03]: nothing nothing man we're here

[00:46:22] [SPEAKER_03]: we're not going anywhere and you can find this

[00:46:24] [SPEAKER_03]: online AOTA hip-hop on IG

[00:46:27] [SPEAKER_03]: all of the above hip-hop

[00:46:29] [SPEAKER_03]: dot org for more information

[00:46:31] [SPEAKER_03]: if you ever in the capital city

[00:46:32] [SPEAKER_03]: if you ever in Michigan pull up on us we actually

[00:46:34] [SPEAKER_03]: have a brick and mortar you could do that

[00:46:36] [SPEAKER_03]: but we're always open to field questions

[00:46:39] [SPEAKER_03]: and to hop on zooms

[00:46:41] [SPEAKER_03]: and rap I mean we had somebody reach out

[00:46:42] [SPEAKER_03]: from Minneapolis you know asking

[00:46:44] [SPEAKER_03]: you know do you some program I was like

[00:46:46] [SPEAKER_03]: you got folks in Minneapolis doing

[00:46:48] [SPEAKER_03]: programs here's their website check them out

[00:46:50] [SPEAKER_03]: you know what I mean like we're all about

[00:46:52] [SPEAKER_03]: that local love you know I'm saying so if

[00:46:54] [SPEAKER_03]: you ever in our neck of the woods pull up

[00:46:56] [SPEAKER_03]: we could grab coffee and

[00:46:58] [SPEAKER_03]: or whatever your tea and chop it up

[00:47:01] [SPEAKER_03]: about this work it is

[00:47:02] [SPEAKER_03]: again there's only better practice

[00:47:04] [SPEAKER_03]: so we're all learning from each other

[00:47:06] [SPEAKER_03]: and it's nice to have

[00:47:08] [SPEAKER_03]: so many folks interested in this

[00:47:10] [SPEAKER_03]: conversation at this point in time

[00:47:12] [SPEAKER_03]: in history I think that's one thing

[00:47:15] [SPEAKER_03]: that hip-hop at 50 is done

[00:47:16] [SPEAKER_03]: I think it's amplified the voices I think

[00:47:18] [SPEAKER_03]: even the Olympics really kind of shed some

[00:47:20] [SPEAKER_03]: light on the fact that we need

[00:47:22] [SPEAKER_03]: cultural institutions and we need

[00:47:24] [SPEAKER_03]: folks kind of dispelling some of the

[00:47:26] [SPEAKER_03]: the misunderstandings

[00:47:28] [SPEAKER_03]: and educating folks on what this culture

[00:47:30] [SPEAKER_03]: really is about who it's for what's

[00:47:32] [SPEAKER_03]: from what it's for what it does

[00:47:35] [SPEAKER_03]: you know what I mean I think that's really important

[00:47:36] [SPEAKER_03]: so yeah shout out to

[00:47:38] [SPEAKER_03]: everybody doing this work love

[00:47:40] [SPEAKER_03]: from Lansing it's Oze

[00:47:42] [SPEAKER_03]: LTA and I appreciate you made

[00:47:44] [SPEAKER_03]: the faces bro long time coming thank you for

[00:47:46] [SPEAKER_01]: the time bro that's all good

[00:47:48] [SPEAKER_01]: all right listen we'll do it again we'll get anything

[00:47:50] [SPEAKER_01]: updates you let me know we'll get it out to the people

[00:47:52] [SPEAKER_01]: and if I'm ever in town we'll link

[00:47:54] [SPEAKER_01]: up for sure I'm down in Atlanta now I did

[00:47:56] [SPEAKER_01]: the thing in New Yorkers doing I moved down to Atlanta

[00:47:58] [SPEAKER_01]: so if you're ever down this way you just highlight me let me know

[00:48:00] [SPEAKER_01]: we'll link up as well in the meantime in between time I wish you and your organization all the best and

[00:48:04] [SPEAKER_01]: we'll talk again thank you for your time

[00:48:06] [SPEAKER_01]: no please

[00:48:08] [SPEAKER_01]: once again thanks for listening to another episode

[00:48:10] [SPEAKER_01]: of hip hop can save America aka

[00:48:12] [SPEAKER_01]: the world's most important hip hop

[00:48:14] [SPEAKER_01]: podcast my name is Mandy faces you can find out more about the show at hiphop

[00:48:18] [SPEAKER_01]: can save America calm you can watch

[00:48:20] [SPEAKER_01]: the show now as a live stream on youtube hiphop

[00:48:22] [SPEAKER_01]: can save America calm slash watch check back for all the replays as

[00:48:26] [SPEAKER_01]: well the interviews from the live stream will be

[00:48:28] [SPEAKER_01]: brought here onto the audio feed so you always get the best of the live stream

[00:48:32] [SPEAKER_01]: you can also check out our sub stack newsletter it's free at many faces

[00:48:36] [SPEAKER_01]: dot sub stack dot com filled with stories of hip hop innovation

[00:48:39] [SPEAKER_01]: inspiration and in general hip hop news that isn't about dumb

[00:48:43] [SPEAKER_01]: sh** eternal shouts to our consulting producer

[00:48:47] [SPEAKER_01]: summer mccoy be sure to check out her dope initiatives hip hop hacks

[00:48:50] [SPEAKER_01]: and the mixtape museum we'll be back soon with another dope episode but

[00:48:54] [SPEAKER_01]: check us out on the live stream as well monday is 9 p.m eastern hip hop

[00:48:58] [SPEAKER_01]: can save america dot com slash watch until next time

[00:49:01] [SPEAKER_01]: it's many faces wishing peace and love to you and yours