Hip-Hop Can Save America The Center for Hip-Hop Advocacy / Manny Faces Media

Long time listeners of the award-winning social justice meets music podcast News Beat will certainly recognize https://www.iamlikwuid.com/ (LiKWUiD) as one of the show's "Artist in Residence." She has been featured on several important episodes delivering compelling, often heart wrenching lyrics that compliment our social justice reporting in a truly powerful way.
Find out a little bit more about this prolific Hip-Hop artist, DJ, educator and mentor as we share LiKWUiD's interview on the News Beat Cypher, in this special cross-feed episode drop.
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Visit https://mannyfaces.substack.com/ (https://mannyfaces.substack.com) for more smart, innovative, insightful and inspirational Hip-Hop related content.

LeBrandon Smith is the Manager, Social Impact Programs for Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute which serves more than 800,000 young people, families, students, community members, aspiring artists, and educators in New York City, across the United States, and around the globe each season. He’e been with the venerable institution since 2017, helping curate programs, events, and initiatives that benefit a wide range of NYC youth and artists.
We spoke on the verge of the second iteration of School of Thought, the second series of free workshops for rising and professional MCs led by the inimitable Black Thought, of the mighty Roots crew -- and the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
This masterclass is going on from April 4-7 and culminates in a public showcase at the Hall, followed the next day by Black Thought in conversation with young artists and fans. is just one of the many ways that Smith and the Weill Institute are emphatically, respectfully, and authentically incorporating Hip Hop into the programming at Carnegie Hall.
Now, before we get into it, more content like this is yours -- for free -- simply by signing up to my free Substack newsletter. Curated links to stories like these, innovative and inspiring examples of how Hip Hop culture can improve society, smart editorials, updates about my speaking calendar and more. Please sign up for the ‘Words I Mannyfest’ newsletter on substack, at mannyfaces.substack.com. Again, it’s free, but if you do choose to support my independent, high-level Hip-Hop related journalism, you have that option there as well.
Now, let’s get into it. Here’s my talk with LeBrandon Smith from Carnegie Hall.
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Visit https://mannyfaces.substack.com (https://mannyfaces.substack.com) for more smart, innovative, insightful and inspirational Hip-Hop related content.

Peace and love, friends, neighbors, supporters and haters, welcome back to Hip-Hop Can Save America! aka 'the world’s smartest Hip-Hop podcast.'
I’m https://www.mannyfaces.com (Manny Faces). Fans and friends know that whenever I’m presented with a societal issue, problem or disturbing trend, any suggestion I have as to how to solve it will include, in some form or fashion, Hip-Hop.
Those who know we VERY well, also know that through my years on the planet, finance hasn’t always been my strong suit.
Similarly, financial literacy isn’t something that schools, or even families tend to focus on. Our relationship with money can be overwhelming, and this is especially true in communities that have been denied access to financial services, generational wealth, and overall financial opportunity.
https://www.pocketschange.com (Pockets Change) exists to change ALL of that, helping young and old alike, from all walks of life, get a better understanding of money, how it shapes our behavior, how to conquer our fears, and work toward a stronger financial future.
And of course, they wouldn’t be on THIS show if there wasn’t a Hip Hop angle in the mix.
Now, before we get into it, I just want to let you all know that I’m making it easier for you to follow the Hip-Hop related content I produce, whether it’s this podcast, curating links to stories of interest, editorials, announcing speaking engagements and more. I’m putting that all under one roof so to speak -- Please sign up for the Words I Mannyfest newsletter on Substack, at https://mannyfaces.substack.com (mannyfaces.substack.com). It’s free, but if you do choose to support my independent, high-level Hip-Hop related journalism, you can do that there as well.
Now, let’s get into it. Here’s my talk with Andrea Ferrero of Pockets Change.

On this episode of Hip-Hop Can Save America!, aka, ‘the world’s smartest Hip-Hop podcast,” improving youth literacy, one book at a time -- with a little Hip-Hop added to the mix. We hear from Jonathan Beatty aka the “Chief Bookman,” founder of I LOVE BOOKS, an apparel startup on a mission to end illiteracy.
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HHCSA! is a https://www.mannyfacesmedia.com/ (Manny Faces Media) production.

We often talk about the intersection of Hip-Hop and education on this show -- and for good reason. It’s an area that has produced a ton of receipts showing the effectiveness of merging these two worlds for the good of our young people. This was perfectly exemplified when we covered the Can’t Stop Hip-Hop: The Education Movement conference at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education and first heard form today’s guest. And while we sometimes get lost in the pedagogical weeds, I am so excited to kick it with Aysha Upchurch because not only does she expertly navigate those weeds, but her Hip-Hop spirit is always on full display -- and it is that dance and movement-inspired lens through which she views her work, approaches the world, inspires and empowers others, and sparks radical change -- that sits at the heart of the very concept of this show, and all my work. That Hip-Hop can save America! And most likely, all of humanity. Aysha Upchurch, I promise you, is part of that blueprint..
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Follow on social media @hiphopadvocacy
Email us at hiphopadvocacy@gmail.com
Support the show at https://www.patreon.com/hiphopadvocacy (www.patreon.com/hiphopadvocacy)
Book a speaker - https://www.hiphopspeaker.com/ (www.hiphopspeaker.com)
Sign up for the free newsletter https://www.hiphopadvocacy.org/newsletter (www.hiphopadvocacy.org/newsletter)
HHCSA! is a https://www.mannyfacesmedia.com/ (Manny Faces Media) production.

On this episode, Manny Faces speaks with Junious Brickhouse, internationally established educator, choreographer, cultural preservationist, Founder/Executive Director, https://urbanartistry.org/ (Urban Artistry Inc). and director of acclaimed international diplomacy and cultural exchange program, https://www.nextlevel-usa.org/ (Next Level).
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Follow on social media @hiphopadvocacy
Email us at hiphopadvocacy@gmail.com
Support the show at https://www.patreon.com/hiphopadvocacy (www.patreon.com/hiphopadvocacy)
Book a speaker - https://www.hiphopspeaker.com (www.hiphopspeaker.com)
Sign up for the free newsletter https://www.hiphopadvocacy.org/newsletter (www.hiphopadvocacy.org/newsletter)
HHCSA! is a https://www.mannyfacesmedia.com (Manny Faces Media) production.