Books, Beats & Beyond

Today I’m talking with Shani Robinson and Anna Simonton about their book, “None of the Above: The Untold Story of the Atlanta Public Schools Cheating Scandal, Corporate Greed, and the Criminalization of Educators”.

In March of 2013, 35 educators in the Atlanta Public Schools were charged with racketeering and conspiracy—the same charges used to bring down the American mafia—for allegedly changing students’ answers on standardized tests. The youngest of the accused, Shani Robinson, had taught for only 3 years and was a new mother when she was wrongfully convicted and faced up to 25 years in prison.

Critics framed the cheating scandal as one of the worst crimes to be perpetrated against students. In “None of the Above”, Shani Robinson and journalist Anna Simonton, look back to show how black children in Atlanta were being deprived long before some teachers allegedly changed the answers on their students’ tests.

Examining the corporate-led education reform movement, hyper-policing in black communities, cycles of displacement and gentrification, and widening racial and economic disparities in Atlanta, they show how the financially powerful have profited from privatization and the dismantling of public education.

Shani Robinson is an alumna of Tennessee State University and taught in Atlanta Public Schools for 3 years. She’s currently a supporter of social justice causes.

Anna Simonton is an independent journalist and an editor for Scalawag magazine. Her work has been published by The Nation, In These Times, and AlterNet, among others.

You can help Shani fight her case, and speak out about the real issues at the root of the scandal. Please visit the website, https://teacherontrial.com (www.teacherontrial.com).

Amazon:

Click link to purchase his book,https://amzn.to/2ZReB4V (“None of the Above: The Untold Story of the Atlanta Public Schools Cheating Scandal, Corporate Greed, and the Criminalization of Educators”).

iTunes:

Here is a chronological list of the songs played on the episode. Click to purchase, below.

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/beautiful-city/1165776329?i=1165776797andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Beautiful City) – The Black Opera

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/gentrification/1179541445?i=1179541501andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Gentrification) – Deniro Farrar

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/youth-dem-cold/309136984?i=309137045andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Youth Dem Cold) – Richie Spice

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/eat-to-live/261634389?i=261634544andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Eat To Live) – Talib Kweli

https://soundcloud.com/thedrazeexperience/10-draze-the-hood-aint-the (The Hood Ain’t the Same) – Draze [Not in iTunes. Available on SoundCloud]

https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=13028033 (Become a Patron!)

Please click on the icon to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.

Social Media

Shani Robinson

https://twitter.com/ShaniAuthor (Twitter )

https://m.facebook.com/ShaniAuthor/ (Facebook)

Anna Simonton

https://www.scalawagmagazine.org (www.scalawagmagazine.org)

Intro/Outro theme music produced my http://www.cosmiqsound.com/ (Cosmiq).

Lak is a hip hop educator and emcee. He is also the CEO and founder of Smart Hiphop Global. We will be talking about his album titled, “Lesson 2: Hip Hop and Education”.

Visit Lak’s https://www.smart-hiphop.com (Smart Hiphop Global) website.

iTunes:

Here is a chronological list of the songs played on the episode. Click to purchase, below.

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/artist/lak/206472964?mt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Run America) – (feat. Talib Kweli, DJ Jay Ski and Jai-sun)

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/artist/lak/206472964?mt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Redemption) – (feat. Cheri Pye)

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/artist/lak/206472964?mt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (God’s in the Motive) – (feat. NYCE and Jaq Sparrow)

https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=13028033 (Become a Patron!)

Please click on the icon to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.

Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/smarthiphop/ (Instagram)

https://www.facebook.com/smarthiphopglobal/ (Facebook)

https://twitter.com/smarthiphop (Twitter)

Intro/Outro theme music produced my http://www.cosmiqsound.com/ (Cosmiq).

Today I’m talking with Jeanne Theoharis about her book, “A More Beautiful and Terrible History: The Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights History”.

The civil rights movement has become national legend, lauded by presidents from Reagan to Obama to Trump, as proof of the power of American democracy. This fable, featuring dreamy heroes and accidental heroines, has shuttered the movement firmly in the past, whitewashed the forces that stood in its way, and diminished its scope. Historian Jeanne Theoharis dissects this national myth-making, teasing apart the accepted stories to show them in a strikingly different light.

By showing us the complex reality of the movement, the power of its organizing, and the beauty and scope of the vision, Theoharis reveals that there was nothing natural or inevitable about the progress that occurred. In unearthing our civil rights legacy, “A More Beautiful and Terrible History”, holds an uncomfortable mirror to the nation, underscoring the crucial work that remains to be done.

Jeanne Theoharis is Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Brooklyn College of City University of New York. She is author or co-author of seven books, including the New York Times best-selling and 2014 NAACP Image Award-winning, The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks.

Amazon:

Click link to purchase his book, https://amzn.to/2IuXL5y (“A More Beautiful and Terrible History: The Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights History”).

iTunes:

Here is a chronological list of the songs played on the episode. Click to purchase, below.

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/which-side-are-you-on-feat-tef-poe-kendra-ross/1045652954?i=1045652957andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Which Side Are You On? )– Tef Po

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/in-the-name-of-mlk/1451861732?i=1451861743andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (In the Name of MLK) – Lak

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/black-panther-party/1329122629?i=1329123354andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Black Panther Party) – Griot B

https://soundcloud.com/jperiod/rise-up (Rise Up!) – Black Thought https://soundcloud.com/jperiod/rise-up ([Not on iTunes. Only on SoundCloud])

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/uncle-ben-single/1450768516?mt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Uncle Ben) – NOWDAZE

https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=13028033 (Become a Patron!)

Please click on the icon to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.

Social Media

https://twitter.com/JeanneTheoharis (Twitter )

Intro/Outro theme music produced my http://www.cosmiqsound.com/ (Cosmiq).

Jabee is an Emmy-Award winning emcee, representing Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His rhymes have been recognized by Chuck D of Public Enemy and Sway Calloway on Sway In The Morning. In 2014, his commercial work earned Jabee a regional Emmy. We will be talking about his EP titled, “Thy Will Be Done”

iTunes:

Here is a chronological list of the songs played on the episode. Click to purchase, below.

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/some-love-some-fight-feat-chopps/1450322544?i=1450322966andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Some Love, Some Fight) (feat. Chopps)

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/school-song-feat-murs/1450322544?i=1450322968andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (School Song) (feat. Murs)

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/believe-who-you-want-feat-a-billi-free/1450322544?i=1450322969andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Believe Who You Want) (A. Billie Free)

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/die-with-dignity-feat-blu/1450322544?i=1450322974andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Die With Dignity) (feat. Blu)

https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=13028033 (Become a Patron!)

Please click on the icon to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.

Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/mynameisjabee/ (Instagram)

https://www.facebook.com/jabeemusic/ (Facebook)

https://twitter.com/mynameisJabee (Twitter)

Intro/Outro theme music produced my http://www.cosmiqsound.com/ (Cosmiq).

RJ PAYNE is a phenomenal emcee, representing Philadelphia, PA. He has attracted the attention of numerous well-respected emcees/producers like Lord Jamar, Pete Rock, Erick Sermon, Black Thought, and that’s just a few. We will be talking about tracks from his extensive discography and much more.

Click here to visit RJ Payne’s https://iamrjpayne.com/home (website).

iTunes:

Here is a chronological list of the songs played on the episode. Click to purchase, below.

https://iamrjpayne.com/music (Mental Slaves)

https://iamrjpayne.com/music (Drums of War)

https://iamrjpayne.com/music (Can’t Do It No More)

https://iamrjpayne.com/music (Educated Ignorance)

https://iamrjpayne.com/music (Frankie Needles)

https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=13028033 (Become a Patron!)

Please click on the icon to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.

Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/iamrjpayne/ (Instagram)

Intro/Outro theme music produced my http://www.cosmiqsound.com/ (Cosmiq).

In this ground-breaking work, “The Science of Melanin”, perhaps the first full-length scientific analysis of the substance found in practically all living organisms and inanimate objects, Dr. T. Owens Moore attempts to dispel the myths and rectify the common misconceptions associated with melanin.

Dr. T. Owens Moore, is trained as a Physiological Psychologist. He is a graduate of Lincoln University in PA, and he has an M.S. and a Ph.D. from Howard University. For more than twenty years, he has served as a college professor, a biomedical researcher, and an African-centered scholar/activist, at Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA. And also Fayetteville State University in North Carolina.

Click here to visit Dr. T. Owens Moore’s http://www.drtmoore.com (website).

Click link to purchase his book,http://www.drtmoore.com/shop/ (“The Science of Melanin”).

iTunes:

Here is a chronological list of the songs played on the episode. Click to purchase, below.

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/ya-momma-so-black/1090262730?i=1090263482andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Ya Momma So Black) – J-Live

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/melanin-man-feat-masego/1299931850?i=1299931864andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Melanin Man) – Brasstracks (feat. Masego)

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/royalty-remix/1083679762?i=1083679776andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Royalty) – Nick Grant (feat. Big K.R.I.T. and Killer Mike)

https://patrzl.bandcamp.com/track/melanin (Melanin) – Pat Rzl

https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=13028033 (Become a Patron!)

Please click on the icon to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.

Social Media

https://www.facebook.com/timothy.o.moore (Facebook)

https://www.instagram.com/drtmoorecom/ (Instagram)

https://twitter.com/drtimothyowens1 (Twitter)

Intro/Outro theme music produced my http://www.cosmiqsound.com/ (Cosmiq).

Abasi Qadhafi is an emcee, representing New Orleans. We will be talking about his album, “The 411”, along with some tracks from his most recent album, “Unplugged”.

iTunes:

Here is a chronological list of the songs played on the episode. Click to purchase, below.

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/black-gizmo/1452018022?i=1452018023andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Black Gizmo)

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/balloons-in-the-sky/1364295166?i=1364295177andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Balloons In The Sky)

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/love-yourself/1364295166?i=1364295183andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Love Yourself)

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/spiritual-database/1439862267?i=1439862268andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Spiritual Database)

https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=13028033 (Become a Patron!)

Please click on the icon to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.

Social Media

https://www.facebook.com/abasi.qadhafi (Facebook)

https://twitter.com/abasiqadhafi (Twitter)

https://www.instagram.com/goodnewsbas/ (Instagram)

Today I’m talking with the New York hip hop duo, Armand Hammer, which consists of Billy Woods and ELUCID. We will be talking about their album titled, “Paraffin”.

iTunes:

Here is a chronological list of the songs played on the episode. Click to purchase, below.

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/no-days-off-feat-billy-woods-elucid/1428970777?i=1428971777andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (No Days Off)

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/fuhrman-tapes-feat-billy-woods-elucid/1428970777?i=1428971780andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Fuhrman Tapes)

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/ecomog-feat-billy-woods-elucid/1428970777?i=1428972660andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Ecomog)

https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=13028033 (Become a Patron!)

Please click on the icon to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.

Social Media

https://www.facebook.com/hammerandarm/ (Facebook)

Today I’m talking with William Loren Katz, about the updated version of his definitive book titled, “Black Indians: A Hidden Heritage”. Also, joining the conversation is Phil “Pompey” Wilkes Fixico. He is a direct descendent of the Seminole Maroons.

“Black Indians: A Hidden Heritage”, unveils how the first paths to freedom taken by runaway enslaved Africans led to Native American villages. There, black men and women found acceptance and friendship among our country’s original inhabitants. Though they seldom appear in textbooks and movies, these two heritages united in their struggle to gain freedom and equality in America.

Click here to visit William Loren Katz’s http://williamlkatz.com (website).

You can contact Phil “Pompey” Fixico at [email protected]

Amazon:

Click link to purchase his book, https://amzn.to/2WTzTxh (“Black Indians: A Hidden Heritage”).

iTunes:

Here is a chronological list of the songs played on the episode. Click to purchase, below.

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/idle-no-more-feat-charlie-fettah-wab-kinew-young-kidd-single/594055928?mt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Idle No More) – Boogey the Beat (feat. Charlie Fettah, Wab Kinew and Young Kidd)

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/freed0m/1201022927?i=1201023148andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Freedom) – Frank Castle

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/primero/1435239253?i=1435239572andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Primero) – Griot B

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/sila-feat-tanya-tagaq/1128841577?i=1128841741andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Sila) – A Tribe Called Red (feat. Tanya Tagaq)

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/r-e-d-feat-yasiin-bey-narcy-black-bear-single/1128854232?mt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (R.E.D.) – A Tribe Called Red (Yasiin Bey, Narcy, and Black Bear)

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/artist/joey-stylez/315430022?mt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Looking at the Devil) – Joey Stylez

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/crazy-baldhead/925056178?i=925056182andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Crazy Baldhead) – Bob Marley

https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=13028033 (Become a Patron!)

Please click on the icon to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.

Social Media

William Loren Katz

https://www.facebook.com/william.katz.7 (Facebook)

Phil “Pompey” Fixico

https://www.facebook.com/phil.fixico (Facebook)

Intro/Outro theme music produced my http://www.cosmiqsound.com/ (Cosmiq).

Sap is a Delaware-raised emcee/producer. He has produced for artists such as The Game, Rick Ross, Mac Miller, Schoolboy Q, Meek Mill, and Fat Joe, just to name a few. We will be talking about his album titled, “Self Improved”.

iTunes:

Here is a chronological list of the songs played on the episode. Click to purchase, below.

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/me-own-two-hands-feat-zookie/1446826395?i=1446826406andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Me Own Two Hands (feat. Zookie))

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/makes-you-wonder/1446826395?i=1446826397andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Makes You Wonder)

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/favors/1446826395?i=1446826400andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Favors)

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/backfire/1446826395?i=1446826402andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Backfire)

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/earned-that/1446826395?i=1446826405andmt=1andapp=musicandat=1010lsYg (Earned That)

https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=13028033 (Become a Patron!)

Please click on the icon to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.

Social Media

https://twitter.com/therealsap (Twitter)

https://www.facebook.com/TheRealSap/ (Facebook)

https://www.instagram.com/therealsap/ (Instagram)