Episode notes

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Phillip Schlies.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

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In this episode of Uncommon Naledge, Dr. Jabari Evans is joined by Dr. Zari A. Taylor, critical cultural studies scholar and Assistant Professor at NYU, whose work explores how race, beauty, celebrity culture, and the creator economy intersect in digital and popular culture. Dr. Taylor, a core member of the Content Creator Scholar Network (CCSN) and Global Member of the TikTok Cultures Research Network, brings an incisive lens to how marginalized communities both shape and are shaped by the evolving dynamics of media and identity.

Dr. Taylor unpacks themes from her published work in Social Media + Society, Information, Communication & Society, and the International Journal of Communication—and offers reflections on how power and aesthetics operate within the influencer space, particularly for Black women and femmes online.

Together, they discuss the politics of beauty algorithms, the labor of digital visibility, and the risks and rewards of scholarly engagement in public-facing platforms. It’s a wide-ranging and timely conversation about digital culture’s most pressing questions.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Phillip Schlies.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

In this episode of Uncommon Naledge, Dr. Jabari Evans sits down with Dr. Kareem Edouard, assistant professor at Drexel University’s School of Education and a leading researcher at the Expressive and Creative Interaction Technologies (ExCITe) Center. Dr. Edouard is also the founder of the ILLEST Lab—a research space dedicated to designing Inclusive Learning environments and Leveraging Equitable STEM Technologies for students of color.

Together, they explore how culturally responsive pedagogy, informal learning environments, and maker spaces can be used to reframe STEM education for underserved communities. Dr. Edouard breaks down his work on integrating digital video, social networks, and virtual reality into STEM learning—and why honoring students' racial and cultural identities is essential for sustainable engagement.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Phillip Schlies.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

In this episode of Uncommon Naledge, Dr. Jabari Evans sits down with Justin Walters, ESPN broadcaster and sports journalist, to talk about his journey through the fast-paced world of sports media. From covering some of the biggest moments in professional and collegiate sports to navigating the evolving landscape of digital and on-air journalism, Walters shares his insights on breaking into the industry, the challenges Black journalists face in sports media, and the importance of storytelling in shaping athlete narratives.

We also dive into his experiences at ESPN, the future of sports broadcasting, and how young journalists can prepare for success in an increasingly digital-first media environment.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Phillip Schlies.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

In this episode of Uncommon Naledge, Dr. Evans sits down with SJMC alumna Dr. Christina L. Myers, assistant professor at Michigan State University’s School of Journalism, for a powerful conversation on Black representation, media narratives, and racial bias. Drawing from her background as both a journalist and scholar, Dr. Myers shares insights on how Critical Race Theory and Mass Communication intersect in her work, shedding light on the implicit racial biases that shape portrayals of Blackness in music, sports, and news.

The conversation also explores Dr. Myers’ personal journey from reporting on politics and policy for outlets like The State Newspaper, The Associated Press, and NBC News Channel to now producing critical scholarship that confronts systemic racism in media. She offers thoughtful reflections on the responsibilities of journalists, the complexities of Black storytelling, and the need for more authentic and nuanced media representations of marginalized communities.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Phillip Schlies.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

In this special monologue, Dr. Jabari Evans provides an in-depth primer on The Future of Hip-Hop Studies Symposium at Harvard University. Reflecting on the event’s key themes, Dr. Evans unpacks the evolving role of Hip-Hop in academia, its intersections with technology, AI, and digital culture, and the urgent conversations shaping the next frontier of Hip-Hop scholarship. From the genre’s continued impact on social justice movements to its influence on emerging creative industries, this episode sets the stage for a deeper discussion on where Hip-Hop is headed and why it remains a crucial site of study. Whether you're a scholar, artist, or fan, this monologue offers an essential perspective on the state and future of Hip-Hop research.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Phillip Schlies.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

In this special episode of Uncommon Naledge, Dr. Jabari Evans sits down with Dr. AD Carson, award-winning scholar, artist, and professor at the University of Virginia, to unpack the evolving landscape of Hip-Hop scholarship. Fresh off his return from The Future of Hip-Hop Studies symposium at Harvard University, Dr. Evans reflects on key takeaways from the event, exploring the intersections of academia, artistry, and activism in Hip-Hop research.

Together, they discuss the institutionalization of Hip-Hop in higher education, the role of AI and digital platforms in shaping contemporary rap narratives, and the broader implications of Hip-Hop as a cultural force beyond music. Dr. Carson—whose own work seamlessly fuses scholarship with lyricism—offers his insights on the ways Hip-Hop challenges traditional academic norms and what the future holds for Hip-Hop Studies as a legitimate field of inquiry.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Phillip Schlies.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

In this episode of Uncommon Naledge, I sit down with journalist, author, and educator Arionne Nettles, who currently serves as the Garth C. Reeves eminent scholar chair at Florida A&M University. Arionne’s work sits at the intersection of culture, race, and media, and she’s spent her career telling the stories of Black Chicago—its influence, its challenges, and its undeniable contributions to the world.

We dive into her journey from the historic Chicago Defender to shaping the next generation of journalists in the classroom. We’ll discuss her acclaimed book We Are the Culture: Black Chicago’s Influence on Everything, the power of storytelling through audio, and what it means to cover topics like gun violence and racial disparities with nuance and care. Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Phillip Schlies.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

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In this engaging episode, Dr. Jabari Evans is joined by Dr. Charisse L'Pree Corsbie-Massay, a scholar whose groundbreaking work bridges social psychology, critical media studies, and communication research. Dr. L’Pree delves into how media shapes identity, attitudes, and behaviors, and how diverse media platforms help us connect and express ourselves in an increasingly digital world.

They explore her books 20th Century Media and the American Psyche: A Strange Love and Diversity and Satire: Laughing at Processes of Marginalization, unpacking themes of media intimacy, the power of satire in addressing marginalization, and the evolving role of representation in media. Dr. L’Pree also discusses her innovative podcasts, Critical and Curious and SNL101, and the ways they intersect academic theory with popular culture and education.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Phillip Schlies.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

In this episode, Dr. Jabari Evans sits down with Dr. Antoine Haywood, a leading scholar and advocate for community participation in local media. With over 15 years of experience directing public engagement programs and youth media initiatives, Haywood brings a wealth of knowledge about how communities utilize local communication tools—such as community-made video, radio, and digital publications—to articulate regional identity, build social capital, and address local news and information gaps.

Together, they explore the role of participatory storytelling in fostering civic engagement, the challenges and opportunities in rebuilding trust in local media, and the importance of representation in amplifying marginalized voices. Haywood also shares insights from his work with the News Futures network and reflects on how diverse, community-driven media projects can shape healthier civic participation.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Phillip Schlies.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

In this episode, Dr. Tyler Bunzey, Assistant Professor of Cultural Studies, shares his experience teaching courses on hip-hop feminism and Black womanhood at Johnson C. Smith University. Dr. Evans and Dr. Bunzey discuss how hip-hop serves as a site of critical inquiry into race, gender, and identity, particularly through the lens of artists like Rapsody. Bunzey also touches on the importance of diversifying hip-hop scholarship and creating space for marginalized voices within academia and the larger hip-hop discourse.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Phillip Schlies.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Chicago journalist Evan F. Moore joins the podcast to discuss his work covering the intersection of sports, race, and culture. Moore reflects on how hip-hop has shaped the world of sports, from athlete activism to the influence of rap music on athletes' public personas. He also dives into his experience reporting on police violence, urban life, and the complexities of being a Black journalist in Chicago. This episode offers a compelling conversation on the media’s role in shaping narratives about race and resistance in urban America.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Phillip Schlies.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Renowned media scholar Dr. David Hesmondhalgh sits down with Dr. Evans to explore the political economy of the cultural industries. The two discuss the origins of hip-hop within the contexts of race, gender, and class, referencing Tricia Rose’s claim that hip-hop was initially a rehabilitative force within Black communities. Hesmondhalgh shares his insights on the commercialization of hip-hop, the challenges of maintaining authenticity in the mainstream, and how music continues to be a powerful force for social change.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Phillip Schlies.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Dr. Chelsea Peterson-Salahuddin, a scholar of media and technology, joins the conversation to talk about the impact of digital media on Black identity and culture. She discusses her work on how Black creators navigate online platforms, the tensions between representation and commodification in digital spaces, and the influence of social media on movements like #BlackLivesMatter. Dr. Peterson-Salahuddin offers a thought-provoking look at the future of Black cultural production in an era shaped by algorithms and surveillance.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Phillip Schlies.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Dr. Geoff Harkness joins Dr. Evans to discuss his research on global hip-hop culture, youth movements, and the ways in which marginalized communities across the world use music as a tool of resistance. From Chicago to the Middle East, Harkness sheds light on how young people employ hip-hop to challenge authority, construct identity, and build solidarity. This episode unpacks hip-hop’s global reach, while also touching on gender, race, and class in the spaces where hip-hop thrives.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Phillip Schlies.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

In this episode, Dr. Evans speaks with Maco Faniel, author of Hip-Hop in Houston: The Origin and the Legacy. Together, they explore the rich history of Houston's hip-hop scene and its unique contributions to Southern rap culture. Faniel offers insight into the social and political forces that shaped the Houston sound, the legacy of artists like DJ Screw, and how the city's hip-hop culture has influenced broader cultural movements. Tune in for a deep dive into the intersection of hip-hop, regional identity, and Black entrepreneurship in the South.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Phillip Schlies.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Toby Jenkins is an Associate Professor of Higher Education and Director of the Museum of Education at the University of South Carolina. With a focus on cultural inclusion and belonging in higher education, Jenkins is a national expert on using culture as a tool for social change within educational settings. Having authored five books on the evolving ideologies of culture, family, and education, including "My Culture, My Color, My Self" and "Family, Community, & Higher Education," Jenkins brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. Her and Dr. Evans discuss her journey in writing her new book “The Hip-Hop Mindset,” how Hip-Hop influences her current role as an academic and an administrator, and explore the transformative power of cultural inclusion in shaping the educational landscape.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Phillip Schlies.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Meredith D. Clark, Ph.D. (@MeredithDClark; she/her/hers), is an associate professor at Northeastern University in the School of Journalism and the Department of Communication Studies, and director of the Center for Communication, Media Innovation, and Social Change. Her first book, “We Tried to Tell Y’all: Black Twitter and Digital Counternarratives” is forthcoming from Oxford University Press. During this episode, Dr. Clark and Jabari discuss the recent Black Twitter Summit held at the Craig Newark School of Journalism at CUNY, her unconventional journey in pursuing a dissertation based on digital black communication as a graduate student, the importance of hashtag activism to spreading information to the Black community, the future of Twitter post-Elon Musk and the potential role of Black voices in rebooting social media as we know it.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Connor Bird.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

LaCharles Ward is an interdisciplinary scholar of black visual and cultural studies. He received his Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Public Culture from Northwestern University’s School of Communication, where he also had a graduate affiliation in the Department of African American Studies. His research spans the areas of Black visual culture as theory and method, art and aesthetic practices, film and media, history and theories of photography, and law. Ward’s book project, Black Forensics: Evidence, Visuality, and the Aesthetics of Black Life, examines the seemingly fixed but mercurial notion of “evidence” as it is brought into relation with anti-Blackness, Black Death, and Black life, arguing that our extant understanding of the evidence is not only inadequate to the task of comprehending Blackness as evidence but also ill-equipped to account for profound ways in which Black people are theorist of evidence.  Dr. Evans and LaCharles discussed their love for their hometown of Chicago, the influence of digital Black feminists on their current work, and Dr. Ward's upcoming book project.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Connor Bird.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

Chris Molanphy is a chart analyst and pop critic who writes about the intersection of culture and commerce in popular music. For Slate, he hosts the Hit Parade podcast and writes their “Why Is This Song No. 1?” series. His work has also appeared in Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Vulture, NPR Music’s The Record, The Village Voice, Billboard, and CMJ. Chris is also a frequent guest on National Public Radio (Soundcheck, All Things Considered, Planet Money, On the Media) and on Slate’s podcasts The Gist and the Culture Gabfest.  The conversation between Chris and Dr. Evans was recorded live during Dr. Evans' Hip-Hop, Media and Society (Jour 309) class during the fall of 2022.  Their conversation centered on Lil Nas X, homophobia in Hip-Hop music, and the future prospects of Black queerness in pop music.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Connor Bird.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

Kyra Kyles is a multi-platform senior-level media executive, award-winning writer, and public speaker on issues of diversity and representation. In 2020, she was named CEO at YR Media (formerly Youth Radio), an award-winning national network of young multicultural creators who develop content—including music, investigative journalism, design/interactive, and documentaries— for this generation. Prior to joining YR Media, Kyra worked in philanthropy at Field Foundation, where she oversaw the organization’s inaugural Media & Storytelling portfolio, granting funds to journalism and filmmaking organizations engaged in fact-based storytelling with a lens on racial equity.  Kyra joined Field following a position as EBONY Editor-in-Chief and Senior Vice President, Head of Digital Editorial.  She originally joined the historic Black-owned brand as a Senior Editor for JET magazine in 2011 before jet-setting over to run the site, launching it into all-digital form as an app and eventually helming EBONY.com and the print media mothership itself.  Kyra and Dr. Evans shared an intimate conversation about their career paths meeting in Chicago, the evolution of Chicago's music scene, and the current state of racial politics in major news media organizations.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Connor Bird.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

Mireille Miller-Young, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Feminist Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The former UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellow researches and teaches about race, gender, and sexuality in US history, popular and film cultures, and the sex industries. Her groundbreaking book, A Taste for Brown Sugar: Black Women in Pornography (Duke University Press, 2014), was awarded the Sara A. Whaley Prize for Best Book on Women and Labor by the National Women’s Studies Association and the John Hope Franklin Prize for Best Book by the American Studies Association. Dr. Miller-Young is co-convener of the New Sexualities Research Initiative as well as the Black Sexuality Studies Collective at UC Santa Barbara, and she is a former convener of the Black Sexual Economies Project at Washington University School of Law. Serving on the editorial boards of journals like Porn Studies and Signs, as well as book series like Screening Sex (Edinburgh University Press) and Feminist Media Studies (University of Illinois Press), Miller-Young has won prizes for her research and teaching, including UCSB’s Distinguished Teaching Award. Dr. Miller-Young has been featured in many news outlets like The Washington Post, The New York Times, and $pread, a sex worker magazine. Dr. Miller-Young and Dr. Evans share a lively conversation about Black sex work in digital spaces, how the cultural phenomenon of OnlyFans was bolstered by Hip-Hop culture, and how Black sex work serves as Black feminist work, even when the actors don't consider themselves feminists.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Connor Bird.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

SAMMUS (Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo) is a rap artist and producer from Ithaca, NY with Congolese and Ivorian roots. She received her Ph.D. in science and technology studies from Cornell University in 2019. From 2019 to 2022 she received a postdoctoral fellowship at Brown University, initially appointed as a Cogut Postdoctoral Fellow in International Humanities from 2019 to 2020 and as a Mellon Gateway Postdoctoral Research Associate from 2020 to 2022. She is currently the David S. Josephson Assistant Professor of Music in the music and multimedia composition program where she teaches courses on rap songwriting, feminist sound studies, and Black feminist sonic practices. She and Dr. Evans discussed their love for Hip-Hop culture but also it's potential in shaping afro-futurist and afro-optimist perspectives within media studies.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Connor Bird.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

Dr. Catherine Knight Steele is an Associate Professor of Communication at the University of Maryland, College Park, where she directs the Black Communication and Technology _(BCaT) _lab and the graduate program in Digital Studies in the Arts and Humanities. Dr. Steele studies race and media, specifically focusing on the Black discourse, technology, the Black blogosphere, digital discourses of resistance and joy, and digital Black feminism. She is the author of Doing Black Digital Humanities with Radical Intentionality (forthcoming April 2023, Routledge) and Digital Black Feminism (NYU Press 2021), which examines the relationship between Black women and technology as a centuries-long gendered and racial project in the U.S and was the 2022 winner of the Association of Internet Research Nancy Baym Book Award and Diamond Anniversary Book Award for the National Communication Association. In this episode, Dr. Steele and Dr. Evans share a moment to not only discuss love for their shared hometown of Chicago but also how her experiences growing up served as the impetus for her work’s focus on digital Black feminism and how this work has shaped her work within her BCaT lab at the University of Maryland.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Connor Bird.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

Dr. David Arditi is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Texas at Arlington. He also serves as the director of the Center for Theory. As a gigging drummer, David became interested in the livelihoods of musicians. His research is at the intersection of music, culture, and technology. David’s newest book is Streaming Culture: Subscription Platforms and the Unending Consumption, which explores the changing nature of capitalism in a society that places subscriptions above material commodities. David is the author of iTake-Over: The Recording Industry in the Streaming Era and co-editor of The Dialectic of Digital Culture. His research has appeared in Critical Sociology, Popular Music & Society, Journal of Popular Music Studies, Media Fields Journal, and Civilizations. He also serves as Editor of Fast Capitalism. In this episode, David and Dr. Evans will discuss his book, Getting Signed: Record Contracts, Musicians and Power in Society, which explores the way musicians’ dreams become their source of exploitation. Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Connor Bird.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

Lakeyta M. Bonnette-Bailey is an Associate Professor of African American Studies at Georgia State University. Adolphus G. Belk, Jr. is a Professor of Political Science and African American Studies at Winthrop University.  During this episode, they talk with Dr. Evans about their new book, For The Culture.  For the Culture: Hip-Hop and the Fight for Social Justice (the University of Michigan Press) documents and analyzes the ways in which Hip-Hop music, artists, scholars, and activists have discussed, promoted, and supported social justice challenges worldwide. Drawing from diverse approaches and methods, the contributors in this volume demonstrate that rap music can positively influence political behavior and fight to change social injustices, and then zoom in on artists whose work has accomplished these ends.  With Dr. Evans they discuss many topics from the book including (but not limited to) education and pedagogy; the Black Lives Matter movement; the politics of crime, punishment, and mass incarceration; electoral politics; gender and sexuality; and the global struggle for social justice. Ultimately, their book argues that Hip-Hop is much more than a musical genre or cultural form: Hip-Hop is a resistance mechanism.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Connor Bird.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

Dr.  A.D. Carson is an award-winning performance artist and educator from Decatur, Illinois. His work focuses on race, literature, history, rhetorics & performance. He received a Ph.D. in Rhetorics, Communication, and Information Design at Clemson University. His album, “I used to love to dream,” released with the University of Michigan Press is the first rap album peer-reviewed for publication with an academic press. This work extends from his doctoral dissertation, “Owning My Masters: The Rhetorics of Rhymes & Revolutions,” which he submitted in rap album form as the primary feature of a digital archive. A.D. and Dr. Evans discuss his latest musical offering, the state of Black rhetorical studies, Hip-Hop's 50th anniversary, and the current state of Hip-Hop culture.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Connor Bird.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for the introduction and outro was produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

This week Jabari speaks with Dr. James Peterson, a scholar, writer, educational consultant, and content creator. dedicated to researching and developing the cultural and educational potential of hip hop, urban, and youth cultures. Dr. Peterson, Is The Author Of Several Books, Including The Hip Hop Underground And African American Culture, Prison Industrial Complex For Beginners, And Hip-Hop Headphones: A Scholar’s Critical Playlist. He Is A Columnist For The Philadelphia Citizen And Has Written For Fortune.Com, Newsweek.Com, The Guardian, The LA Times, Reuters, The Huffington Post, The Daily Beast, And The Grio. Dr. Peterson And Dr. Evans Reflect On The Evolution Hip-Hop Scholarship, The Current State Of Hip-Hop As It Reaches Its 50 Year Anniversary And The Impact Of Rap Music On Representations Of Blackness In Media.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Connor Bird.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

This week, Jabari talked with Dr. Andre Brock, who is an Associate Professor in the School of Literature, Media & Communication at the Georgia Institute of Technology.  Dr. Brock is one of the preeminent scholars of Black Cyberculture. His work bridges Science and Technology Studies and Critical Discourse Analysis, showing how the communicative affordances of online media align with those of Black communication practices. His scholarship includes published articles on racial representations in video games, black women and weblogs, whiteness, blackness, and digital technoculture, as well as groundbreaking research on Black Twitter. His widely acclaimed book titled Distributed Blackness: African American Cybercultures was published in February 2020 by NYU Press, offering insights into understanding Black everyday lives mediated by networked technologies.  

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Connor Bird.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

This week Jabari speaks with Jamilah Lemieux, a renowned cultural critic and writer with a focus on issues of race, gender, and sexuality, Jamilah is a leading millennial feminist thinker and social influencer who has made a name for herself as a thought leader on social media.  Lemieux’s written work has been featured via a host of print and digital platforms, including_ the LA Times, the Nation, Essence, Playboy, the Cut, the Guardian, Colorlines, the Washington Post, Wired, Self, Inverse, Refinery 29, the Columbia Journalism Review, the Nation and the New York Times._ She has appeared as a commentator on various news programs for CNN, ABC, CBS, BET, Buzzfeed, MTV2, and MSNBC, as well as Comedy Central's 'The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore' and 'The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,' Vice’s 'Desus and Mero,' TMZ and The Breakfast Club, the popular nationally syndicated morning radio show. Jamiliah discusses Hip-Hop feminism, how she uses social media to push public discourse, and her recent Vanity Fair op-ed on the controversial LGBTQ jokes in  Dave Chapelle’s most recent comedy special.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Connor Bird.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

This week Jabari talked with author, storyteller, and fellow UofSC SJMC colleague Manie Robinson.  Manie joined UofSC's School of Journalism and Mass Communications in Spring 2020 as a Sports Media Instructor.  Over the previous 14 years, he served as a sports reporter, columnist, and video producer for The Greenville News and the USA Today Network.  Aside from landmark events related to social justice, his work largely examines the collegiate athlete compensation model, player safety issues, and athletic department finances. He also investigated issues of economic disparity, racial disharmony, and gender inequality. Jabari and Manie discuss race in sports, his pathway from journalism into filmmaking, and his first book, "Top of the Hill," which was released in 2018 and recounted the recent resurgence of the Clemson football program. 

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Connor Bird.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

This week, Jabari talks with Dr. Jeffrey Lane, Associate Professor of Communications at Rutgers University's College of Communication and Information. Jeff's research explores communication and technology as it relates to urban life, criminal justice, and social inequalities. He approaches these topics through ethnography in person and online. Lane is the author of The Digital Street (Oxford University Press, 2019), a neighborhood study of social media use in Harlem (NYC). His current streams of research include social media as evidence in criminal court, the role of gender in school discipline, and a visual study of perceptions of Harlem. Jabari and Jeff discuss the practice of ethnography, social media’s disruption of urban communication, and how it mediates racial identity in youth subcultures.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Connor Bird.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

This week, Jabari talks with David Dennis, Jr. a senior writer at The Undefeated and an American Mosaic Journalism Prize recipient. A journalist, cultural critic, and scholar, David has served as Visiting Professor of Journalism at Morehouse College, has written pieces for The Atlantic, Playboy Washington Post, and is a regular personality on ESPN’s sports debate show “Around the Horn.”  His recently released book, The Movement Made Us, explores the life of a prominent civil rights leader—his father.  Not so much a memoir but a sharing of stories between father and son, Something to Say details his father's journey leading civil rights efforts in Mississippi for the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). Jabari and David discuss the Brian Flores class action suit with the NFL, their shared roots in the Blog era of Hip-Hop, and David’s longtime friendship with Steph Curry.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Connor Bird.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

Today, Jabari talks with UofSC SJMC Assistant Professor Dr. Wesley Stevens.  Dr. Stevens’ research focuses on the regulation of Black identity on social media. Her recent work examines Instagram and how White social media influencers appropriate Black culture and aesthetics to build their brand and increase their following, rendering Black identity a lucrative commodity. She also looks at how consumer logics become accessible to individuals through digital platforms and is exacerbated by discriminatory algorithms. Jabari and Dr. Stevens discuss her recently completed dissertation, which explores how Black influencers navigate the highly competitive and commercialized field of influencing, a space characterized by hypervisibility and a fraught politics of representation.    

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Connor Bird.

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original music for introduction and outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar.

Dr. Aymar Jean Christian is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies at Northwestern University. As a scholar, media producer, and social practice artist, he explores the convergence of television, video art, and creative R&D (research and development). Dr. Christian is the founder of OTV, which defines itself as, “a platform for intersectional pilots and series.” He describes intersectionality as a quality that applies to “people who have multiple forms of marginalization.” In this episode, Dr. Christian and Jabari discuss how they first met, why intersectionality in Black representation on television has a long way to go, and the importance of creative scholarship and multi-modality in the study of media.

Uncommon Naledge is hosted by Dr. Jabari Evans and edited and produced by Connor Bird

@naledgesince82 on Twitter and Instagram

Original Music on Introduction and Outro produced by Michael "Double 0" Aguilar