On July 7th, Jay Z did something out of character: He released a protest song. The rapper had reportedly wired tens of thousands of dollars to bail protesters…
Songs in the Key of Life
Songs in the Key of Life was the culmination of a historic period of creativity for Stevie Wonder. Its ambition and scope were unprecedented, and…
From Urban Planning to Hip Hop
Life in the so-called inner city has always been a major theme in hip-hop. From the desolate state of the Bronx Projects described in Grandmaster…
I. Reed on the Untold History of Ali
We talk about the life and legacy of boxing champion and activist Muhammad Ali with educator and writer Ishmael Reed, author of the book, “The…
Rapping, deconstructed:
hat makes lyricists like Rakim, MF DOOM, Notorious B.I.G. and others stand out? For Heads, reasons can vary but it’s a generally accepted tenet that…
Un tributo a Ishamel Reed
Istituito tre anni fa, il Premio Alberto Dubito di Poesia con Musica si propone di valorizzare e stimolare la produzione artistica giovanile nel campo della…
Protest Music Playlist
Di seguito le canzoni, gli artisti e i video dei pezzi che costituiscono l’ossatura del Protest Music Live Set. Nel 2014-15, la musica rap impegnata…
Larry Levan & the Paradise Garage
Larry Levan was the first superstar DJ. The first to really convince the world that there was more to DJing than just playing one record after…
Take The Power Back
At the height of their careers, Sam Cooke, Curtis Mayfield, James Brown, George Clinton and Prince all formed their own imprints. Michael Gonzales tells the…