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For much of the world, the biggest conversations about breaking still seems to begin — and end — with Raygun. But there’s a much bigger story worth paying attention to. This episode is part essay, part on-the-ground reporting from the 2026 Red Bull BC One U.S. Finals, where I spoke with with B-Boys and B-Girls Ronnie, Asia One, Victor Montalvo, Kid David, Strike, Lev, Magic, and A+ about the culture behind the competition: how breaking grows, how knowledge gets passed forward, what happens when an underground Hip Hop art form meets global platforms and the Olympics, and what may be gained — or lost — along the way. This isn’t a nostalgia piece, and it isn’t about pretending breaking was somehow purer before the spotlight. It’s about listening to the people who built, inherited, competed in, taught, protected, and continue to remix the culture. Because breaking is bigger than one Olympic controversy, one viral meme, or any single competition. --- If you’re looking for Hip Hop news with context, history, and care, you’re in the right place. 📬 Subscribe to the Hip Hop Can Save America! newsletter for curated Hip Hop journalism on culture, education, media, and social impact https://mannyfaces.substack.com 🎙️ Audio episodes & segments https://www.hiphopcansaveamerica.com ❤️ Support independent, culture-driven journalism https://www.patreon.com/mannyfaces About the series: Hip Hop Can Save America! explores Hip Hop as culture, history, journalism, and problem-solving — not just entertainment. Created, hosted, edited, everythinged by Manny Faces.

Two British outsiders found themselves in the middle of Hip Hop, just as it was exploding into a global force, capturing raw, unfiltered moments with legends like Ice Cube, Ice-T, the Wu-Tang Clan, and Snoop Dogg before they became household names. Discover how Martin Pearson and Deverill Weekes navigated wild photoshoots, uncovered hidden political commentary, and assembled their one-of-a-kind book from long ago archives. If you love music, nostalgia, or back stories behind hip-hop’s biggest names, you'll dig this conversation! --- If you’re looking for Hip Hop news with context, history, and care, you’re in the right place. 📬 Subscribe to the Hip Hop Can Save America! newsletter for curated Hip Hop journalism on culture, education, media, and social impact https://mannyfaces.substack.com 🎙️ Audio episodes & segments https://www.hiphopcansaveamerica.com ❤️ Support independent, culture-driven journalism https://www.patreon.com/mannyfaces About the series: Hip Hop Can Save America! explores Hip Hop as culture, history, journalism, and problem-solving — not just entertainment. Created, hosted, edited, everythinged by Manny Faces.

In this timely episode of "Hip Hop Can Save America!," Dr. Adia Winfrey dives deep into the chaos and injustice surrounding Alabama's recent redistricting battles. The founder of H.Y.P.E. Hip Hop Therapy and Transform Alabama breaks down how political maneuvers and Supreme Court decisions have affected Black voters and the broader fight for democracy. “Alabama is about 27% black. So you would think that a congressional map would represent such...but it didn’t do that,” she explains, highlighting the real-world consequences of these legal battles. Dr. Winfrey offers a front-row perspective on how grassroots organizers are using Hip Hop culture to inspire both dialogue and action at the community level. She reveals the power that music and culture have to ignite civic participation: “We use Hip Hop as a way to bring people together...when we draw people out, we just have conversations with people. Because everything is political, whatever you want to talk about, it goes back to some elected official doing something that impacted that." If you want unfiltered insights into how Hip Hop is mobilizing voters and shining a light on the future of democracy in the South, you won’t want to miss this powerful conversation. https://www.transformalabama.org https://www.instagram.com/transformalabama --- If you’re looking for Hip Hop news with context, history, and care, you’re in the right place. 📬 Subscribe to the Hip Hop Can Save America! newsletter for curated Hip Hop journalism on culture, education, media, and social impact https://mannyfaces.substack.com 🎙️ Audio episodes & segments https://www.hiphopcansaveamerica.com ❤️ Support independent, culture-driven journalism https://www.patreon.com/mannyfaces About the series: Hip Hop Can Save America! explores Hip Hop as culture, history, journalism, and problem-solving — not just entertainment. Created, hosted, edited, everythinged by Manny Faces.

Renowned beatboxer, theater artist, and Princeton professor Chesney Snow joins Manny Faces for an inspiring episode of "Hip Hop Can Save America!" diving deep into topics like Hip Hop at Princeton University, the evolution of beatboxing, and the role of Hip Hop activism in community building. Discover how Hip Hop culture’s influence now extends into Ivy League academia, community activism, and creative arts therapy, as they discuss the groundbreaking Women in Hip Hop course at Princeton and the impact of programs like Beat Rockers at the Lavelle School for the Blind in the Bronx. This conversation highlights the importance of honoring Hip Hop’s roots while reimagining its place in diverse spaces from education to social justice. Whether you’re a Hip Hop head, aspiring educator, or activist, this episode uncovers how the music and the culture can be a force for innovation, hope, and real-world change. Listen for practical insights on using Hip Hop arts in education, building community-based theater, and creating sustainable activism. Don’t miss out on exclusive reflections about legendary figures, grassroots organizing, and how each of us — through creativity, empathy, and action — can harness Hip Hop to impact our world. --- If you’re looking for Hip Hop news with context, history, and care, you’re in the right place. 📬 Subscribe to the Hip Hop Can Save America! newsletter Curated Hip Hop journalism on culture, education, media, and social impact https://mannyfaces.substack.com 🎙️ Audio episodes & segments https://www.hiphopcansaveamerica.com ❤️ Support independent, culture-driven journalism https://www.patreon.com/mannyfaces About the series: Hip Hop Can Save America! explores Hip Hop as culture, history, journalism, and problem-solving — not just entertainment.

Enjoy this exclusive preview of the 2026 Trinity International Hip Hop Festival on "Hip Hop Can Save America!" --- Subscribe to our companion newsletter: https:/www.hiphopcansaveamerica.com/newsletter --- In this episode, host Manny Faces is joined by Professor Seth Markle, Andreia Soares, and Taris "Bboy Poptart" Clemons to break down what's in store for the 20th edition of this iconic event, put on by Trinity College in association with The Temple of Hip Hop. Discover why the festival is a cornerstone for the Hartford scene and an international force bridging generations, elements, and communities. Get the inside scoop on headliners, the international lineup, breaking battles, and the festival’s powerful "Voices of Freedom" theme, connecting 20 years of hip hop to 250 years since the American Revolution. This episode highlights how hip hop continues to uplift communities and drive social change. Seth Markle explains, "The festival is all about diverse representation, showing the five elements of the culture and really showing the Hartford hip hop community and the ways in which it really uplifts the culture and our festival" Soares adds, "There is a generational trajectory right now... it's social justice, it's the common good. It's important" Poptart shares his passion as both a former competitor and the current breaking event coordinator: "All I hope to do is just keep shedding light on our B boy scene and giving them the highest level of competitors we can have here... bringing them what they see on TV right to their backyard." Whether you’re an artist, academic, organizer, or fan, this focused conversation will get you ready for Trinity’s can’t-miss blend of battles, panels, live shows, and community celebration. Tune in to understand why this festival holds a unique space—locally and globally—in keeping Hip Hop’s revolutionary spirit alive! For more on the conference, visit https://www.instagram.com/trinityhiphop --- If you’re looking for Hip Hop news with context, history, and care, you’re in the right place. 📬 Subscribe to the Hip Hop Can Save America! newsletter Curated Hip Hop journalism on culture, education, media, and social impact https://mannyfaces.substack.com 🎙️ Audio episodes & segments https://www.hiphopcansaveamerica.com ❤️ Support independent, culture-driven journalism https://www.patreon.com/mannyfaces About the series: Hip Hop Can Save America! explores Hip Hop as culture, history, journalism, and problem-solving — not just entertainment.

What happens when Hip Hop’s brilliant and powerful women take center stage at an Ivy League university? In this exclusive episode, Manny Faces sits down with Eternia, acclaimed MC and guest artist lecturer, and Dr. Francesca D'Amico-Cuthbert, leading Hip Hop historian, to dive into Princeton’s trailblazing course, “Miss-Education: The Women of Hip-Hop.” Discover how this never-before-seen course blends live performance, deep cultural history, and raw creativity to shatter old stereotypes and rewrite what academia -- and Hip Hop -- can be. We discuss the ways women MCs and culture-shapers have left their mark on Hip Hop around the world, how inviting actual pioneers into academic spaces is a game-changer, and what this shift could mean for Hip Hop’s next chapter. If you care about Hip Hop, innovation in education, or the stories that have been left out, you can’t afford to miss this conversation. Class is in session… Follow Eternia: https://www.instagram.com/TheRealEternia Follow Dr. D'Amico-Cuthbert: https://www.instagram.com/artefactsbyfrancesca Special shouts to professor Chesney Snow for making this course possible. --- My book: "Hip Hop Can Save America! Inspiration for the Nation from a Culture of Innovation" - https://www.mannyfaces.com/book The Hip Hop Can Save America! media ecosystem (podcast, newsletter, Discord, and more): https://www.hiphopcansaveamerica.com Support this important, independent cultural journalism: https://www.patreon.com/mannyfaces

This excerpt from the Hip Hop Can Save America! livestream show -- "Hip Hop News That Isn’t About Dumb Sh*t" -- features host Manny Faces and guest co-host Silent Knight discussing the meaningful ways Hip Hop is intersecting with education, activism, community work, and more. The conversation highlights research on how Hip Hop DJing and production can help with ADHD, the debut of the "Young John Lewis: Prodigy of Protest" Hip Hop musical, and celebrations of the legacy of underground icon Mr. Complex. If you think Hip Hop has lost its depth, its politics, or its power — this segment helps make the case that you’re just not looking in the right places. (Excerpted from the weekly "Hip Hop Can Save America!" livestream.) --- My book: "Hip Hop Can Save America! Inspiration for the Nation from a Culture of Innovation" - https://www.mannyfaces.com/book The Hip Hop Can Save America! media ecosystem (podcast, newsletter, Discord, and more): https://www.hiphopcansaveamerica.com Support this important, independent cultural journalism: https://www.patreon.com/mannyfaces

This excerpt from the Hip Hop Can Save America! livestream show -- "Hip Hop News That Isn’t About Dumb Sh*t" -- features host Manny Faces and guest co-host Keisha "TK" Dutes discussing the meaningful ways Hip Hop is intersecting with education, activism, community work, and more. The conversation highlights a Princeton University course on women in Hip-Hop, rapper Nur-D's stand against ICE in Minneapolis, the legacy of Houston's Michael "5000" Watts, and the GRAMMY win for Fyutch and his daughter Aura V in the children's music category. If you think Hip Hop has lost its depth, its politics, or its power — this segment helps make the case that you’re just not looking in the right places. (Excerpted from the weekly "Hip Hop Can Save America!" livestream.) --- My book: "Hip Hop Can Save America! Inspiration for the Nation from a Culture of Innovation" - https://www.mannyfaces.com/book The Hip Hop Can Save America! media ecosystem (podcast, newsletter, Discord, and more): https://www.hiphopcansaveamerica.com Support this important, independent cultural journalism: https://www.patreon.com/mannyfaces

Explore how grassroots journalism and community storytelling are shaping narratives from the ground up in this powerful excerpt from Hip Hop Can Save America! Host Manny Faces is joined by radio and podcasting veteran Keisha "TK" Dutes, to discuss her work connecting directly with Minneapolis residents amid social upheaval and media spotlight. Listen as Keisha "TK" Dutes shares her perspective on amplifying community voices outside of mainstream media: "You don't have to have a [particular] job to be an activist… you don't even have to be an activist to be an activist... These people are just "regular." And they all my homies." This focused conversation dives deep into the power of local journalism, how stories are told and heard beyond corporate filters, and why hearing directly from residents and grassroots leaders in places like Minneapolis is crucial. If you're interested in citizen journalism, the intersection of Hip Hop, activism, and authentic reporting, this clip offers actionable insights and relatable stories you won't hear anywhere else. Follow TK: https://www.instagram.com/tastykeish Follow C: https://www.instagram.com/agtraphaus Follow BondfireRadio: https://www.instagram.com/bondfireradio --- My book: "Hip Hop Can Save America! Inspiration for the Nation from a Culture of Innovation" - https://www.mannyfaces.com/book The Hip Hop Can Save America! media ecosystem (podcast, newsletter, Discord, and more): https://www.hiphopcansaveamerica.com Support this important, independent cultural journalism: https://www.patreon.com/mannyfaces

Dive into the heart of Hip Hop, Black artistry, and activism with this powerful excerpt from the “Hip Hop Can Save America” weekly livestream show, featuring international award-winning spoken word poet, Imani J. Wallace (Lyrical Faith), and host Manny Faces. In this segment, they break down the mission and impact of the Black Artistic Freedom Conference (Black AF) at UMass Amherst (https://www.bit.ly/BLACKAF2026RSVP), a “dynamic experience centering education and activism through the arts.” Whether you’re an artist, educator, or advocate, this conversation is a must-watch for anyone interested in how Hip Hop culture can drive social change and foster community. FOR INFO: https://www.bit.ly/BLACKAF2026RSVP TO DONATE: https://www.bit.ly/BLACKAFDONATE TO VOLUNTEER: www.bit.ly/BLACKAFVOLUNTEER (Excerpted from the weekly Hip Hop Can Save America! livestream.) --- My book: "Hip Hop Can Save America! Inspiration for the Nation from a Culture of Innovation" - https://www.mannyfaces.com/book The Hip Hop Can Save America! media ecosystem (podcast, newsletter, Discord, and more): https://www.hiphopcansaveamerica.com Support this important, independent cultural journalism: https://www.patreon.com/mannyfaces

This week, Manny Faces highlights Hip Hop stories that actually matter — from tributes to John Forte and the legacy of Cornbread, to groundbreaking Hip Hop programming at universities, museums, and community spaces across the country. We spotlight women in Hip Hop, youth-driven creative spaces, father-daughter Grammy nominees, Hip Hop’s growing role in mental health conversations, and the cultural impact of artists pushing beyond music into television, activism, and education. If you think Hip Hop has lost its depth, its politics, or its power — this episode makes the case that you’re just not looking in the right places. (Excerpted from the weekly Hip Hop Can Save America! livestream.) --- My book: "Hip Hop Can Save America! Inspiration for the Nation from a Culture of Innovation" - https://www.mannyfaces.com/book The Hip Hop Can Save America! media ecosystem (podcast, newsletter, Discord, and more): https://www.hiphopcansaveamerica.com Support this important, independent cultural journalism: https://www.patreon.com/mannyfaces

Hip Hop already teaches social emotional learning — we just don’t always recognize it as such. In this long-overdue conversation, Manny Faces sits down with David Spellmon, educator, speaker, and author of "Just Like Music: Social Emotional Learning Inspired by Hip-Hop," to explore how Hip Hop culture naturally builds emotional intelligence, self-awareness, communication, and resilience — often more effectively than traditional systems. ---- Follow the guests: David Spellmon - https://positivearchersolutions.com My book: "Hip Hop Can Save America! Inspiration for the Nation from a Culture of Innovation" - https://www.mannyfaces.com/book The Hip Hop Can Save America! media ecosystem (podcast, newsletter, Discord, and more): https://www.hiphopcansaveamerica.com Support this important, independent cultural journalism: https://www.patreon.com/mannyfaces

[In collaboration with the News Beat Podcast] Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy encompasses so much more than simply his 'I Have a Dream' speech, and his mission is as imperative today as it was then. We republish “MLK: What They Won’t Teach in School”—our 2017 inaugural episode—each MLK Day as a reminder of the civil rights leader’s lasting impact, the movement’s ongoing struggle, and still unrealized goals. Learn some of what the history books left out. Featuring interviews with Pastor Roger C. Williams of the First Baptist Church of Glen Cove, NY and Larry Hamm of the Newark, NJ-based social justice group People's Organization for Progress; original verses performed by hip hop artist Silent Knight; and King’s own words, listeners learn about MLK’s Poor People’s Campaign, which he believed would be his true legacy. More than likely, it was this that got him killed. --- 📬 Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.hiphopcansaveamerica.com/newsletter 📘 Read the book: *Hip Hop Can Save America!* https://www.mannyfaces.com/book 📺 Watch the videos/livestream: https://www.youtube.com/mannyfaces 🎤 Watch my TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/5rRxG1i5iRo?si=jOkW43tVbrYeqdIT

This week on Hip Hop News That Isn’t About Dumb Sh*t, Manny Faces breaks down several stories shaping Hip Hop beyond the headlines — including the narrative around rap’s so-called 2025 “comeback,” the passing and legacy of James Bernard, and the quieter ways Hip Hop continues to evolve across music, journalism, performance, and community. This segment is excerpted from the weekly Hip Hop Can Save America! livestream, airing Mondays at 9pm ET on YouTube - SUBSCRIBE TODAY at https://www.youtube.com/mannyfaces --- 📬 Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.hiphopcansaveamerica.com/newsletter 📘 The book: *Hip Hop Can Save America!* https://www.mannyfaces.com/book 🎤 Watch my TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/5rRxG1i5iRo?si=jOkW43tVbrYeqdIT

📬 Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.hiphopcansaveamerica.com/newsletter 📘 The book: *Hip Hop Can Save America!* https://www.mannyfaces.com/book 🎤 Watch my TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/5rRxG1i5iRo?si=jOkW43tVbrYeqdIT --- Discover how Hip Hop and DJ culture are revolutionizing education and support for neurodivergent youth in this powerful episode of "Hip Hop Can Save America." Host Manny Faces sits down with Courtney Willis and JAY*CLIPP, co-founders of Spin the Spectrum, as well as educator Andrew Wang, to discuss how neurodivergent children — including those on the autism spectrum — find connection and empowerment through music production, DJing, beatboxing and more. The conversation taps into the heart of inclusive teaching, showing why Hip Hop’s routines, cyphers, and creative self-expression are a natural fit for autistic and neurodivergent learners. Spin the Spectrum, based in Dallas, brings together professional DJ training and clinically informed support to create safe, engaging environments for young people with unique communication and sensory needs. Courtney Willis, a seasoned speech-language pathologist, and JAY*CLIPP, a master DJ and instructor, explain how their interdisciplinary approach equips students with social, emotional, and career-building skills—whether they dream of rocking the crowd or simply mastering self-regulation. Real-world student stories illustrate transformative outcomes and highlight how this innovative model builds community, self-confidence, and career opportunities for those historically left out of mainstream music education. Rounding out the episode, Andrew Wang shares his personal journey as a neurodivergent music educator and researcher, spotlighting the broader movement to incorporate Hip Hop into neuroinclusive classrooms nationwide. If you’re searching for fresh perspectives on music, disability advocacy, or the intersection of Hip Hop and mental health, hit play now! Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share — this is a must-watch for educators, parents, advocates, and anyone who believes in the power of Hip Hop to uplift and transform lives. --- Follow the guests: Spin the Spectrum — https://www.spinthespectrum.org Andrew Wang — https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-wang-942138228/ My book: Hip Hop Can Save America! Inspiration for the Nation from a Culture of Innovation" - https://www.mannyfaces.com/book The Hip Hop Can Save America! media ecosystem (podcast, newsletter, Discord, and more): https://www.hiphopcansaveamerica.com Support this important, independent cultural journalism: https://www.patreon.com/mannyfaces