Waiting on Reparations

Knowledge is Power Jun 09, 2022

Our hosts Dope Knife & Linqua Franqa will discuss the reality of health risks and disparities in the marginalized communities that make up the majority of their audience. They will touch on mental health issues, particularly about the ways that health knowledge can empower mental wellbeing as well as physical wellbeing. Additionally, the two will examine how issues of health are treated in the scene/culture of hip hop.

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Afrofuturism and Academia with Sammus, PhD Apr 14, 2022

LF and DK are joined by Brown professor and afrofuturist rapper/producer Sammus (aka Dr. Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo to discuss the relationship of lyric-craft to beatmaking, surviving academia, creative and emotional revelations during the Covid pause, and Dr. Lumumba-Kasongo's upcoming tour.

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Crashing the (Democratic) Party Apr 07, 2022

This week, LF and DK are joined by democratic operative John Jackson to discuss his work infiltrating the democratic party.

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Rich People Doing Goofy Sh*t, Part 23213 Mar 31, 2022

This week the hosts take a gander at some gems from the newsweek, from the Unite Here picketing rich people at Jay-Z's Oscar party to Madison Cawthorn snitching on rich people in Congress and Eric Adams (net worth: $5 million) defunding errybody except the police.

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Friends of Gadsden Creek Mar 24, 2022

This week, LF & DK are joined by activist and Twitch streamer Tamika Gadsden to discussion the intersections of racial and environmental justice in Charleston, South Carolina.

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Hammer & Flows Mar 17, 2022

As they depart for their respective tours, LF & DK kick off a three-part series on liberation movements born and bred in Birmingham, Alabama, this time discussing the alliance between the Alabama Communist Party and poor Black folks during the Great Depression era.

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In Honor of Breonna Mar 10, 2022

"This week, the hosts visit the Breonna Taylor case, just shy of two years after her death and a week after Brett Hankison, one of the officers involved, was acquitted of his remaining charges. They also discuss increased police militarization, no-knock raids, and overcoming "revolution fatigue" that has caused such stories to fade from public view since the Uprising."

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Attack on the Alphabet Mafia Mar 03, 2022

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Higher Learning Feb 24, 2022

This week, DK & LF take a look back at John Singleton's 1995 film Higher Learning and discuss the sociopolitical implications of it's major themes of political awakening.

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Turf War Feb 17, 2022

"This week DK & LF discuss the implications of Coach Brian Flores' lawsuit against the NFL for alleged racial discrimination on the fight for racial equity and labor rights more broadly."

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How to be White Feb 10, 2022

This week, DK & LF talk briefly discuss how not to be white, as recently illustrated by Joe Rogan. LF also speaks with Joan Mulholland, a white Freedom Rider and steadfast civil rights icon, and Loki Mulloholand, her son, about the role of art in movement-making and the lessons of the civil rights struggle-- in essence, the best way to be white.

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Family Ties Feb 03, 2022

This week, the hosts chat with Walter English, aka Former Love Poet, about the power of discovering one's genealogy and how he's giving that power to the people.

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The Unsent Tweet Folder Jan 27, 2022

"This week, Linqua Franqa dishes about the decennial redistricting process, all the local political dirt in their unsent tweet folder, and their implications for politics of various scales and contexts.

Check out LF's new music video for WURK & preorder the album here: bit.ly/LFBELLRINGER"

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N*ggas Be Wildin Jan 20, 2022

This week, Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa examine all kind of wildness happening in our musicopolitical landscape: Young Dolph's alleged killer dropping a music video on the day of his arrest; Kanye meeting with Putin, and liberal Russiagate hysteria; and a police officer choking a fellow officer in the line of duty in Sunrise, Florida.

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The Young Lords Jan 13, 2022

This week, Myke C-Town of Dead End Hip Hop joins LF and DK to discuss the infamous Young Lords, a Puerto Rican street gang-turned-human rights organization that started a nationwide movement in the 1960s. In chatting about the group's tactics, philosophy, and successes, they consider the revolutionary potential of modern gangs and if the work of the Young Lords could be replicated today.

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Hip Hop Hooray! It's Insurrection Day! Jan 06, 2022

This week, Dope KNife chats with antifascist Iraq War veteran Kristopher Goldsmith about his experiences infiltrating and sabotaging right-wing extremist groups. As well, he and Linqua speak their thoughts on how to prevent the collapse of democracy.

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The End of the World As We Know It Dec 30, 2021

This week, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa kiss 2021 goodbye with a look back at the year's wins and losses, from the suckerpunches of the faux-end of the pandemic in early summer, the assassination of Haitian president Jovenel Moise, and the electoral defeats of Nina Turner and India Walton, to the uplifting victories Senators Warnock and Ossoff and Minneapolis city councilperson Robin Wonsley Worlobah, as well as fire albums from Little Simz, Mach-Hommy and Goldlink.

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From Chile to Illinois Dec 23, 2021

This week, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa are joined by ex-army ranger John Hanna to discuss the week's happenings, from Obama's 2021 playlist and Chile's presidential election to the latest wackiness over at Fox News and Drakeo the Ruler's tragic passing.

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Gregory the Great Dec 16, 2021

This week, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa discuss the illustrious life of comedian and activist Dick Gregory, from the incisive racial commentary in his stand up and ensuing legal struggles to his runs for office, relationship with Medgar Evers, opposition to the Vietnam War, and his allyship with the feminist movement.

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Furious Footwork Dec 09, 2021

This week, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa recap the results of last week's municipal elections across Georgia, from the trouncings of pro-cop candidates all across Atlanta, to the election of a Democratic Socalist mayor on its outskirts; and what all this might mean for next year's midterm elections-- with a hat tip to Ludacris at the end, of course.

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Licensed to Ill Dec 02, 2021

"This week, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa consider illness from a social perspective. In conversation with public health practitioner and emcee Demonte Dismuke, host of A Dope Public Health Podcast, LF explores the relationship between physical, mental, and social health as determined by access to supports and opportunity. As well, the hosts discuss some of the latest news, from Lauren Boebert's islamophobia to Chris Cuomo's corruption."

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Judged by Twelve, Carried by Six Nov 18, 2021

This, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa take a look at McMichael trial for the killing of Ahmaud Arbery as well as the murder trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, discussing highlights from both trials, their implications, as well as some lesser known legal cases of self-defense in the Hip Hop community and what it all means about who's allowed to defend themselves.

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The GOP's New Boogeyman Nov 11, 2021

This week, Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa dive into the CRT controversy. Where does it come from and where is it going? As well, they take a good hard look at the real conditions in schools as told by Black Thought, Yasiin Bey, Propaganda and others.

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Sounds of Sudan Nov 04, 2021

This week, Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa discuss last week's military coup in Sudan, giving background on the history and tactics of nonviolent struggle against military control in the African nation and reflection on the lessons they may hold for us stateside.

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Check Ya Mental Oct 28, 2021

"This week, Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa discuss mental health: manifestations of its lack in the music of Geto Boys, Lil Wayne, Dave and Aesop Rock, as well as institutional and cultural barriers to healthcare access that make it necessary for emcees to find therapy in their music."

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Chat with Heroes Oct 21, 2021

This week Linqua Franqa sits down with lawyer, emcee, and community organizer Travis Williams in a ranging discussion on everything from their orientations toward modern Hip Hop, their views on education, and building power in marginalized communities.

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This Week with WOR Oct 14, 2021

The Department of Justice dunks on the Texas GOP! The internet dunks on Meek Mill! Dave Chappelle dunks on queer folks and is himself dunked on by our hosts! In this week's episode, Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa give a round-up of recent news and pop culture from Squid Game to Senator Warnock.

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Bolsonaro Trumps Brazil Pt. 2 Oct 07, 2021

Linqua Franqa chats with Sao Paolo-based writer and researcher Alex Hochuli about the anti-Bolsonaro movement and the state of fascism and democracy in Brazil. Plus: Indigenous People's Day, the fresh Facebook debacles, and more.

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Bolsonaro Trumps Brazil Pt. 1 Sep 30, 2021

"This week, Linqua Franqa is back on the scene to discuss the ""Trump of the Tropics,"" Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, comparing and contrasting the far-right leader with his North American counterpart and Brazilian Hip Hop's various takes on his administration."

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The Reminders Sep 23, 2021

This week, the hosts chop it up with Colorado-based hip hop duo The Reminders, made up of Brussels-born emcee Big Samir and Queens-native emcee/vocalist Aja Black. They discuss their musico-political roots, the influences of their diasporic experiences on their ideology and aesthetics, and unpack the impacts of colonization, sexism, and other systemic forces on their lyrical stylings.

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What's the Biz Sep 16, 2021

This week, host Dope KNife delves into the plight of black entrepreneurs in the south, particularly in times of pandemic protocols and chats with Elbi Elm, a Small business owner in Georgia, about navigating that very issue.

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Worldwide Always Sep 09, 2021

Our hosts have a chat with Professor Mark Katz of the US State Departments "Next Level" initiative, about using Hip Hop in the world of diplomacy

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Endless WOR Sep 02, 2021

This week Dope KNife chats with a former Army Ranger about his experience in Afghanistan and what's next for the country and America's Foreign policy. Also, the pair discuss there reactions to Kanye West's album 'Donda'

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Keep Fighting Aug 26, 2021

Our Hosts Linqua Franqa and Dope KNife have a chat with Democratic Socialist candidate for Minniapolis city council, Robin Wonsley Worlobah about their journey to running for office, police brutality and the need for rent control

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WOR on the environment Aug 19, 2021

This week we our hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa discuss the UN climate change report, it's implications for our furture and environment and what action is being taken to prevent impending doom. They also check out some environmentally conscious rap tunes and talk about "Eco-Rap"

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Leave it to Cleveland Aug 12, 2021

"This week, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa break down the results of special Democratic primary in Ohio's 11th Congressional District, largely seen as a proxy fight between the left flank of the Democratic party, represented by Bernie Sanders surrogate Nina Turner, and its center, represented by Councilwoman Shontel Brown. LF and DK also survey the musical landscape of the congressional district as well as its political contours, with selections from Kid Cudi, Bizzy Bone and Lil Cray among the highlights."

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Stop Cop City Aug 05, 2021

Evictions! Voting rights! DaBaby! The Olympics! This week, hosts Dope KNife and LInqua Franqa dip their toes into current events of the week before bringing on Jasmine from DARC (Defund Atlanta Police, Refund Communities) to discuss the #StopCopCity movement.

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The Cray of Ye Jul 29, 2021

"With Kanye West back in the news for his forthcoming album and erratic antics in Atlanta, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa take a look back at and unpack some of the icon's controversial political stances and alliances, from his questionable comments on slavery and abortion to his team-ups with right-wing talking heads like Candace Owens and Alex Jones. Their walk down memory lane includes stops along various points of West's discography, with discussion of both its sociopolitical content and its impacts on the Hip Hop genre."

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What if? Jul 22, 2021

This Week our hosts Linqua Franqa and Dope KNife dive into the issue of succession and Americas growing political divide. To do so, they do an in depth review of the 2004 Spike Lee produced film 'CSA: Confederate States of America' and see how well the mockumentary predicted things to come

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Heavy is the Crown Jul 15, 2021

This Week, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa discuss the origins, aims, and contours of The CROWN act, recently reintroduced in the House by Rep. Ayanna Pressley and in the Senate by Cory Booker. They take a gander, too, at how a group of middle and high school aged emcees used hip hop and TikTok to lobby for passage of a municipal version of the bill in Louisville, Kentucky and how their predecessors India Arie, Akon, and Mario addressed hair discrimination and the centrality of hairstyle to Black culture in some of their hit singles.

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Riding the Crime Wave Jul 08, 2021

This week, Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa take a data dive into recent nationwide crime statistics and put them into historical context, unpacking how both the left and right spin these numbers towards political ends and examining the roots of violent crime as explored in the lyricism of Nas, Murs and Big L.

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A Little of What's Poppin Jul 01, 2021

This week, the hosts recap recent happenings in the worlds of rhyme and government, from the losses of legendary Blackalicious emcee Gift of Gab and anti-war icon Mike Gravel to the controversy-stirring bars of right-wing rhymesmith Tom McDonald. They also speak with Amazonians United founder and AOC campaign alumnus Jonathan Bailey about the outcomes of the New York Democratic primary and, surprisingly, the professional ballroom dancing scene.

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Down with the Queens Jun 24, 2021

"This week, Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa discuss the women in Hip Hop. The contributions, the struggle and the outlook for the future. Speciall guest interview with journalist and hip hop historian, Kathy Landoli"

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The New York Mayor's Race Jun 17, 2021

Ahead of next week's Democratic primary for the New York mayor's race, Linqua Franqa and Dope KNife take a look at some of the top candidates for Gotham's highest office and two polar-opposite representations of the Big Apple in Hip Hop-- Nas's NY State of Mind and Jay-Z's Empire State of Mind.

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The Art of War Jun 10, 2021

This week, Dope KNife chops it up with leftist activist and battle rapper extrordinaire Soul Khan and discusses the roots and ethics of battle rap culture with cohost Linqua Franqa, reflecting on famous rap battles of history-- Kool Moe Dee vs. Busy Bee, Boogie Down Productions vs. Juice Crew, as examples -- in the closeout.

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Bars and Sentences Jun 03, 2021

This week, Linqua Franqa and Dope KNife break down the role of the district attorney and discuss the "progressive prosecutor" movement with focus on one of its figureheads, Larry Krasner, who two weeks ago faced off with police-union backed, law-and-order challenger Carlos Vega in the Democratic primary for District Attorney of Philadelphia. They discuss what these election results mean for the progressive prosecutor movement in the wake of the George Floyd uprising as well as how DAs shape the lives of rappers from Meek Mill to Biggie and more.

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Empire State of the South May 27, 2021

This week, Linqua Franqa is joined by journalist Matt Pulver to discuss the impacts of neoliberalism on the city of Atlanta, touching on housing, water privatization, the rise of the police state and how the neoliberalization of these facets of life in Atlanta shows up in the music of T.I., Gucci Mane, Denzel Curry, Goodie Mob and others.

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From Ferguson to Palestine May 20, 2021

This week, Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa take a look back at the historical and material ties between Black liberation movements and the Palestinian liberation struggle, tipping their hats to Palestinian emcees DAM and Belly along the way.

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The Shakurs May 13, 2021

This week, Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa shake the Shakur family tree, probing the revolutionary lives of Tupac's godmother, Assata Shakur, his mother, Afeni Shakur, and his stepfather, Mutulu Shakur. In the music discussion, they examine how these black revolutionary influences are found in Pac's catalogue as well as rap writ large, from Pac's own "White Manz World" and his collection of poetry, "The Rose That Grew from Concrete" to Common's biographical track, "Song for Assata."

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Haitian Spring May 06, 2021

This week, Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa explore Haitian unrest past and present, from the Haitian Revolution of the 1790's today's uprising against president Jovenel Moise. Linqua Franqa speaks with journalist and activist Eugene Puryear about his recent travels to Haiti and coverage of the most recent popular uprising against authoritarianism and government corruption that has taken the country by storm in recent months. And in closing, the rappers introduce rappers to the Rap Kreyol stylings of Izolan and Yani Martelly.

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Spitting Images: Immortal Technique Apr 29, 2021

And we're back! This week, Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa resurface to address the Derek Chauvin verdict before turning to their main feature: a conversation with activist and underground Hip Hop legend Immortal Technique about his community organizing, the roots of his revolutionary views, his anti-imperialist political praxis and his long awaited, forthcoming album "The Middle Passage."

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Why's It Always Gotta Be Georgia Apr 01, 2021

This week, Linqua Franqa speaks with Atlanta city council candidate, community organizer, and Black Futurist Group co-founder Devin Barrington Ward about the odious recent work of the Georgia state legislature, from the infamous voter suppression bill that saw Representative Park Cannon arrested last Thursday and to efforts to roll back progress around reimagined public safety, as well as what these pieces of legislation tell us about the state of white supremacy and the future of organizing in the South.

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Back That Vax Up Mar 25, 2021

This week, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa explore the history of vaccine hesitancy and today's sources of skepticism around getting the Covid jab, beginning way back in the largely forgotten era of smallpox and bringing us into the contemporary discussion around vaccine education, access, and weariness, weaving together the voices of artists from MIA to Royce Da 5'9 and Nas as they explore the range of perspectives around inoculation.

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"U Want Another President?" Mar 18, 2021

Hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa continue their recent globetrotting with a trip to Uganda, where last week opposition presidential candidate and rapper Bobi Wine was arrested for protesting the detention of supporters who called into question the results of January's Ugandan presidential election. They discuss the slow rise of multiparty politics in Uganda, Wine's personal rise to political power, the appeal of liberal democratic politics among the fed-up Ugandan youth, and the ncumbent president Yoweri Museveni's attempts to co-opt Hip Hop as a cover for his regime's repressive malfeasance.

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Hip-Propaganda Mar 11, 2021

This week, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa explore Hip Hop's weaponization as propaganda in response to the recent musical clash between a team of anti-communist, Cuban-exiled emcees and their homeland government's defensive line of patriotic salseros. They then globetrot to examine other examples of rap used to further political agendas, from the jihadist rap of Deso Dogg and Salah Edin, raising eyebrows in Germany and the Netherlands, respectively, to CD Rev's state-sanctioned ode to their native Chinese soil.

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Home Is Where The Bars Is Mar 04, 2021

This week, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa unbundle the issues of homelessness and housing precarity, examining their intersection with mental health, substance abuse, poverty wages, and the cascading effects of capitalist pressures on the housing market. DK speaks with Xulu Jones, speaker and frontman for the Savannah-based psychedelic rock group Xulu Prophet, about his personal experiences of the unseen realities of living on the street. And the hosts explore Hip Hop depictions of society's down-and-out, from Arrested Development to Kendrick Lamar.

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The Life of Pablo Feb 25, 2021

This week, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa cast a spotlight on last week's riots in Spain in response to the incarceration of Marxist-Leninist rapper Pablo Hasel over controversial tweets and song lyrics in support of armed revolutionary groups and calling out the Spanish crown. They discuss the way free speech concerns in Spain can reframe our understanding of the first amendment and the rise of fascism in the United States and unpack some of the spicier bars that landed Hasel in the clink.

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Land, Bread, Housing: Fred Hampton and the Chicago Black Panthers Feb 18, 2021

Fresh on the heels of the streaming debut of the new Fred Hampton biopic, Judas and the Black Messiah, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa explore the revolutionary organizing and public policy demands of Chairman Hampton and the Chicago chapter of the Black Panther party in the late 1960s and how their vision for Black socialist self-determination and cross-cultural coalition building compares with today's demands, tactics, and struggle. They also give the film's soundtrack a spin and elevate its bangers, including offerings by H.E.R., JID, and Smino.

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For Dilla Feb 11, 2021

Honoring the 15th anniversary of J Dilla's iconic instrumental masterpiece, Donuts, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa pour one out for the master beatsmith with a look back at Dilla's impacts on Hip Hop culture, discussion the medical struggles that lead to his premature death, and analysis of what these struggles and the struggles of those like him tell us about the healthcare system in the United States.

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Curious Incidents in Cancel Culture Feb 04, 2021

This week, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa trade takes on cancel culture, from the current calls to censure Republican lawmakers responsible for stoking the January 6th insurrection to Lin Manuel Miranda's criticisms of whitewashing US history to the blowback experienced by rappers Trina, for her comments on the George Floyd protests, and Lil Boosie, for allegedly arranging the statutory rape of his teenaged son. Along the way, they speak with Hip Hop artist and Buffalo-based English professor Chuckie Campbell, about his newest album “Curious Incidents in Cancel Culture."

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Keep Your Pardon -- Run Us Our Checks! Jan 28, 2021

This week, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa unpack the whirlwind week of transition between the 45th and 46th presidencies, detailing the nature and history of the presidential powers to pardon and enact executive orders as well as their most recent uses: pardoning Kodak Black, Lil Wayne and others, on the DJT side of things, and rejoining the Paris climate accord and doing immigrants a solid, on the Joe Biden end of the spectrum. LF goes off for a minute about $2k checks from her perspective having canvassed for newly-sworn in Senators Ossoff and Warnock. The hosts also review the latest tracks from the newly sprung jailbirds Kodak and Wayne, give Macklemore a chance to speak his piece on "Trump's Over Freestyle" and recommend this week's new Talib Kweli to listeners.

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The Other N Word (Nerd, Of Course) Jan 21, 2021

It's been a heavy couple weeks-- months?-- and as such, Hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa take this episode to indulge in some nerdy escapism, detailing the relationship between nerd culture, from comic books to video games to science fiction, and Hip Hop, touching upon the roots of all this in afrofuturist aesthetics and philosophy. Along the way, they speak with nerdcore rap icon MegaRan about his unique niche, and the importance of Black representation, within video game subculture. And they wrap up the week with a survey of nerdiness within Hip Hop stylings from Wu Tang to the late MF Doom and beyond.

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Fash Backlash and How We Save our Democracy Jan 14, 2021

Hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa are joined once again by powerhouse organizer Paul Glaze to discuss last week's attempted coup at the Capitol and what's next for our country in the fight against fascism, dipping their ears into the insurrectionist musical fair of Ice Cube, DJ Green Lantern and Geto Boys.

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Georgia's Blue Part Two Jan 07, 2021

In the wake of the stunning and historic elections of Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock to the United States Senate in their home state, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa take a deep dive into the community organizing that brought Georgia to this moment, what these wins mean for the Democratic Party, and what's next for their newly Blue state, joined by Paul Glaze, long-time Northeast Georgia organizer and former Deputy Campaign Manager for the Daniel Blackman campaign for Public Service Commissioner.

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The Best of Rhymes, The Worst of Times Dec 31, 2020

This week, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa draw 2020 to a close with a recap on the biggest stories in politics and hip hop, from the assassination of Qasem Soleimani and the portents of war that kickstarted January to the spring's presidential primary ups-and-downs, to the summer's twin detonations of Covid and Black Lives Matter to where we are now: still in lockdown, still fighting for Black Life, still spittin' mad bars. Along the way, they revisit some of the year's tragic losses, buzziest headlines, and best albums, including Eminem's latest drop, RTJ's hat-tip to the BLM movement, and Benny the Butcher's Burden of Proof. They close with a few predictions for the year to come and wish you a very safe and happy New Year -- thanks for hanging with us in 2020!

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Stolen People on Stolen Land Dec 24, 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage underresources indigenous communities across the United States, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa consider the ways our country's Eurocentric obsession with quantification and categorization have fed the marginalization of Native peoples and African Americans alike, and how the historical undercounting of Native populations has led to the COVID crisis our indigenous brothers and sisters are experiencing today. They speak with activist, hip hop artist, and former state house candidate Lyla June about our shared struggles for sovreignty and how Native wisdom informs her environmental justice advocacy. And they honor Native hip hop from various corners of North America, from the boujee stylings of Haisla duo Snotty Noz Rez Kids to a pride in tradition seen in Dreezus' Warpath to the poetic resilience of JB the First Lady's Still Here.

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Taking a Breather 2 Dec 17, 2020

The WOR crew is off this week, however Dope KNife sets the table for Next weeks episode and spits an exclusive freestyle

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The Green Dream or Whatever Dec 10, 2020

Baby, it's cold outside... And keeping it warm INSIDE is expensive as hell! This week, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa discuss the impacts and perceptions of climate change in the Black community and the link between climate and economic justice when it comes to renewable energy. They speak with Daniel Blackman, Democratic candidate for Public Service Commissioner in Georgia, the lesser-known of Georgia's January runoffs, about the implications of the Public Service Commission on climate justice, utilities rates, and how Hip Hop hustle inflects his style of political organizing. And they cap off the episode with shoutouts to indie artist-slash-activists from Markese to Xiuhtezcatl who have addressed environmental concerns within their music.

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Weed Everyday Dec 03, 2020

This week, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa discuss the true winner of the 2020 general election: weed. Now legalized in four more states and with one-third of the US population now living in a legal weed state, DK and LF discuss the history of cannabis prohibition and legalization, racially equitable policies around legal weed in various states and municipalities, as well as the roots of Hip Hop's sacred bond to sweet Cheeba, exploring under appreciated weed-wordsmthing from Ludacris, Cyprus Hill, D'Angelo and others.

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Mo Money, Mo Problematic Nov 26, 2020

This week Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa are having a discussion of the problematic aspects of the mainstream hip hop we can’t help but love and where, if at all, a line exists that we can’t cross. Myke C-Town of "Deadend Hip Hop" joins the convo to talk about problematic music that you can’t help but dance to nonetheless, about music too fye to turn off, even if the lyrics themselves are a turnoff.

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Marx Bars Nov 19, 2020

This week, Dope Knife and Linqua Franqa discuss the topic of Socialism. It's roll in American politics, black people's involement in socialist movements and they chat with Communist rapper and producer, Space Baby, about where hip hop fits in with these philosophies

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From Atlanta to Lekki Nov 12, 2020

Hosts Dope Knife and Linqua Franqa unpack the week's current events and newest music, from Georgia's stunning blue flip and their perceptions of this miracle from the ground, scored by Jim Jones' new track "Election"; to updates from the #EndSARS movement in Nigeria and the soulful tribute to those lost at the Lekki Toll Gate offered up by Burna Boy; to Drakeo the Ruler's release from jail, what it tells us about the prison industrial complex, and the feverish post-release studio time that gave birth to his new single "Fights Don't Matter." The hosts also speak with NPR music journalists Rodney Carmichael and Sidney Madden about their new podcast, Louder than a Riot, which explores the intersection between mass incarceration and Hip Hop.

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Get the Strap Nov 05, 2020

In the wake of a meteorically high number of gun sales since the pandemic and civil unrest hit, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa are joined by rapper and activist Squalle to discuss Hip Hop gun culture, the linkages between Black gun ownership and gun control policy, and rewind classic gun-slinging rhymes from Tupac, G-Unit, Gangstarr and Ludacris.

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The Choice is Yours Oct 29, 2020

Well it's here folks. With the election just days away, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa discuss their motivations for voting, chiefly their defiance in the face of the long and hairy history of voter suppression that unfurls still in the GOP's latest tactics in Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Texas. Along the way, they relay electoral takes from P Diddy to Blueface to Snoop Dogg as well as how electoralism has featured in the music of Eminem, YelloPain, and Dres from Black Sheep.

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Fallen Heroes Oct 22, 2020

This week, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa take a casual spin around the week's controversies surrounding Ice Cube and 50 Cent's support for the current president and evaluate the hypercapitalist tendencies of lyricists Jay-Z, Drake and Mace.

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Spitting Images: Paperboy Prince Oct 15, 2020

In part two of their series of interviews with rappers running for office, Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa sit down with hip hop artist and former Congressional candidate Paperboy Prince, who earlier this year challenged a 14-term New York incumbent with a platform of universal basic income, spreading love, and Paperboy Care (a version of Medicare for All). The emcees discuss Paperboy's early development as an activist, their music career, their policy positions and what's next for them in the electoral sphere.

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From Debt to Society Oct 08, 2020

Hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa got bills, y'all. We all do. Medical bills, student loans, car payments, carceral debts-- most of us know the dread of a letter from Navient or a phone call from Sallie Mae. So do rappers from indie heavy hitters Sammus and Blue Scholars to mainstream giants like J Cole. But what do we do with all this debt? Author, documentarian, and organizer Astra Taylor joins DK and LF to discuss a radical new organizing strategy to not only abolish debt but establish a new society where debt no longer needs to exist.

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This Land is My Land Oct 01, 2020

Hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa finally get around to what they've been waiting on: reparations. This go-round, they focus on the case for reparations as rooted in the history of land and housing policy in the United States. From the murder of the Walker family in Hickman, Kentucky to the use of eminent domain to seize the Espy fruit groves in Vero Beach, Florida to the recent struggle for justice for the descendants of Linnentown in their home base of Athens, GA, the hosts somberly recount the various kinds of land theft perpetrated by mobs, swindlers, judges and local governments since the antebellum era. Hip Hop has weighed in on the reparations debate, too, and the hosts allow the music T.I. and Killer Mike to make their respective cases for a past-due payout. Hip hop artist and city councilman elect Jecorey Arthur joins the hosts to make his own case for reparations as well as a Black agenda for local governments.

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Notorious RBG Sep 24, 2020

In light of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's passing, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa detail the history of Roe v. Wade and the implications of the nomination of a conservative judge to the Supreme Court for millions of women across America. Abortion, however, is a complex topic within the world of Hip Hop, as reflected in the lyrical stylings of emcess from Doug E Fresh to Butterfly of Digable Planets to Common, Noname, and Illogic, representations which the hosts explore in this week's episode.

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Taking a Breather Sep 17, 2020

Hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa are taking the week off, but not without leaving our esteemed guests a teaser for episodes to come and a few bars about self care and upcoming topics.

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From Lagos to DC Sep 10, 2020

This week, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa take a break from their historical deep dives to bring you the latest Hip Hop milestones, singles and music videos from this week and discuss their connections to current events and policy, from the late Eazy-E's birthday, early death from AIDS-induced pneumonia and its significance in the current conversation around an expedited coronavirus vaccine to the impact of Nigeria's response to the pandemic on Nigerian-Canadian rapper TOBi's latest visuals to the controversy eddying around Teyana Taylor's new video for "Still" and its depictions of slain Black figures.

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That's Racist pt. 2: The Worst Word Sep 03, 2020

Yes, THAT word. This week hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa discuss the etymology, usage, and controversy around the N-word, from the word's early advent in the Mountain Man Lexicon in the 1800s to its appearance in newspapers across the country in response to Booker T. Washington's White House visit at the turn of the 20th century to the battle between Nas and the NAACP over the title of Nas's 2008 album. The hosts allow the rap canon to weigh in as well, surveying discussion of the word on tracks from NWA's Niggaz for Lyfe to indie lyricist AllOne's Rush Hour '98.

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Portland on my Mind Aug 27, 2020

Portland held the national consciousness rapt earlier this summer as nightly protestors faced off with jackbooted federal troops. But even as tensions there have somewhat calmed, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa are left with lingering questions: How does the Portland Hip Hop community feel about the Portland Uprising, and how has it taken part? The hosts give account of the Portland City Council's budget deliberations, which culminated in cuts to the Portland Police Bureau and a windfall for Portland Street Response, the city's policing alternative, before speaking with Portland-based Hip Hop journalist and police abolitionist Mac Smiff about Hip Hop's role in the Portland Uprising. They close out by traipsing through the musical offerings of Portland's robust Hip Hop scene, from the antiracist anthems of Swiggle Mandela to the brooding stylings of Mic Crenshaw to the effervescent Black joy of Karma Rivera.

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Adult Content Aug 20, 2020

Hot on the heels of the controversy swirling around Cardi B and Meg thee Stallion's raunchy club banger "WAP", hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa examine the origins and history of obscenity law in the United States and apply these lenses to sexually explicit Hip Hop throughout the decades, from Blowfly's Rap Dirty in the 1970's to Oakland rapper Too Short's 1983 album Don't Stop Rappin' to 2 Live Crew's As Nasty as They Wanna Be from 1990 and Lil Kim's groundbreaking 1996 album Hardcore. This one is NOT for the faint of heart.

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Labor Days Aug 13, 2020

The word of the day is J-O-B. From the Wagner Act of 1935 to the Amazon workers' walk-out in April, hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa take a trip through the history of the labor movement in America during the twentieth century, what it has meant for Black folks, and what it could mean for Hip Hop. LF speaks with philosopher and host of the Black Athenians Irami Osei-Frimpong about the potential for labor organizing and a federal jobs guarantee and the hosts revisit tales of hustle -- both 9-to-5 and on the block -- spun by artists from Grandmaster Flash to Biz Markie.

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Gang Shit Aug 06, 2020

The idea that 'The police are the biggest gang in America' is almost a cliche at this point, and yet, it has never been more obvious than it is at this moment in history. In this episode, Linqua and KNife explore the formation of Americas police force, it's roots and it's original purpose. They are joined by the host of the "Hood Politics" and "Behind the Police" podcast, rap artist Propaganda to discuss how accurate that cliche really is.

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What's Law Got to Do With It? Jul 30, 2020

What do we mean when we say hip hop is political? This week, hosts Dope Knife and Linqua Franqa take a step back to frame the myriad ways that hip hop and politics collide. They journey through the transition from the Civil Rights and Black Power eras to the era of Hip Hop, the social forces that shaped early Hip Hop during the Reagan regime, and concrete illustrations of public policy's impact on the genre. They pick apart popular conceptions of "political hip hop" as a subgenre and take a look at some famed examples as well as some deeper cuts.

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Tha Don Jul 23, 2020

This week, hosts Dope Knife and Linqua Franqa discuss Donald Trump's decades of scoundrelism and his recent rise to power and dissect how and why Hip Hop has, by turns, embraced and rejected the oligarch, from the fawning reception to his appearance on an episode of the Fresh Prince in 1994 to YG and Nipsey Hussle's scathing "FDT" in 2016.

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Spitting Images: Shahid Buttar Jul 16, 2020

Beginning of a series on hip hop activists. This week we talk to Shahid Buttar, Democratic Socialist Congressional candidate taking on Nancy Pelosi in California's 12th Congressional district and long-time spoken word poet, MC and DJ. The gang discusses his early music career, his views on the War on Drugs, his goal of defunding the Pentagon, his plans to defeat Nancy Pelosi in November.

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Issue #0 Jul 09, 2020

Who are you, anyway? This week hosts Dope KNife and Linqua Franqa (finally) introduce themselves, discussing the story of how they met, a bit of background on their political views, and other lived experience.

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With Great Bars Come Great Responsibility Jul 02, 2020

What responsibility do artists have to amplify social movements in times like these? Building off last week's debate about Noname and J Cole, Dope Knife and Linqua Franqa address a few listener perspectives on this question before examining the roles Hip Hop artists and Hip Hop adjacent figures are playing in the George Floyd Uprising, from J Cole's physical solidarity in the streets of Fayetteville and YG's leadership in a recent LA march to Kanye's generous monetary contributions to the NBA's "More than a Vote" campaign. As well, they explore songs penned about or released for the cause from Conway the Machine and Lil Baby to CupcaKKe and Run the Jewels 4.

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Model Minorities Jun 25, 2020

What does it mean to be American? Violinist and composer Kishi Bashi joins hosts Dope Knife and Linqua Franqa to discuss the history and policy behind Japanese-American marginalization in the United States. They explore the parallels in experience and points of contention between Asian Americans and Black Americans, particularly during the Black Lives Matter era. DK and LF briefly discuss the recent Noname-J Cole controversy and tip their hats to Asian hip hoppers from Tyga (did you know his mom is Vietnamese?!) to Awkwafina and Dumbfoundead.

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That's Racist pt. 1 Jun 18, 2020

What's in a word? This week, hosts Dope Knife and Linqua Franqa explore definitions of the word 'racism,' and the ways that language inflects our political reality. They speak with 22-year-old Kennedy Mitchum, who recently and successfully petitioned Merriam Webster to change their definition of the term. And they react to an array of songs addressing the topic of racism from LL Cool J to Eminem.

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Wiretap Raps Jun 11, 2020

For nearly one hundred years, Black revolutionary and cultural organizations have been surveilled, infiltrated, and sabotaged by the United States government. But why? And how? In this weeks episode, hosts Dope Knife and Linqua Franqa discuss this seedy, largely untold history of FBI's entanglements with Black music and Black politics, from Nat King Cole and Martin Luther King Jr. to Tupac, Biggie, and the mysterious deaths of Ferguson activists. They also delve into the implications of government surveillance for the George Floyd uprising and explore the legacy of the FBI's history of covert violence in Hip Hop, from the Dayton Family to Kendrick Lamar.

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Emergency Jun 04, 2020

Civil unrest in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, by an officer of the Minneapolis Police Department, has forced to the surface a centuries old struggle. How can we protect and make our Black communities whole? How can we move towards a future where the police truly do "Protect & Serve" all citizens of this country; a future where the police employ mediation and deescalation, not lethal force; a future where instead of locking people in cages, we rehabilitate them and restore their rights. The hosts of Waiting on Reparations, Linqua Franqa (aka Mariah Parker) and Dope Knife (aka Kedrick Mack), share their personal experiences with these issues and a few ideas on how to get the process started.

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