How Has Hip Hop Helped: How One Genre of Music has Affected

“Hip-hop has done more than any leader, politician, or anyone to improve race relations,”  - Jay Z.  This quote was made during his Oprah’s Master Class episode, and it really gets you to thinking.  How has Hip Hop truly affected our culture?  We hear about all of the negatives, but what about the positives?  Do they balance out how our society has changed since its’ birth? 

Tonight, we’re going to discuss both sides of the scale.  We’re gonna open the phone lines and chat room up for a debate to determine if Hip Hop has helped or hindered our society in numerous ways. We’ll also hear from Dr. James Braxton Peterson, Director of Africana Studies and Associate Professor of English at Lehigh University, and founder of Hip Hop Scholars, LLC, as he’ll contribute to this thought-provoking discussion.  All of this, as we go “Live in the Vocal Booth”.

Special Guest:

James Braxton Peterson (Duke ’93, UPENN 2003) is the Director of Africana Studies and Associate Professor of English at Lehigh University.  He has been Associate Professor of English at Bucknell University, a visiting lecturer and preceptor in African American Studies at Princeton University and the Media Coordinator for the Harvard University Hip Hop Archive.