Soul Sessions: The Heart, Mind & Soul of Tank and the Bangas Join us for an intimate conversation with Grammy winners Tank and the Bangas, as they take us on a journey through the streets of New Orleans that shaped their groundbreaking album "The Heart, The Mind, The Soul."

In this episode, frontwoman Tank opens up about her time in the Midwest, sharing personal stories and emotional truths that transformed into their genre-defying sound. 

From the vibrant energy of Super Sunday celebrations to electrifying performances like their recent stop at Milwaukee's Turner Hall, discover how this extraordinary band blends soul, funk, hip-hop, and spoken word into a spiritual offering that carries the essence of New Orleans to every stage they grace.

Bathe: Inside Voices Journey into the soulful world of genre-blending duo Bathe as they transform personal struggles into art with their latest album "Inside Voices." Join Devin Hobdy and Corey Smith-West as they candidly explore vulnerability, identity, and mental health through their unique fusion of indie, R&B, and alternative sounds.

Discover how late-night conversations about masculinity and societal pressures evolved into deeply moving tracks like "Here" and "Capsized" – musical diaries that capture the experience of navigating internal storms while finding ways to stay afloat.

This episode unveils how friendship, personal pain, and even anime influence shaped an album that serves as both artistic expression and emotional refuge.

Join Tarik Moody as he explores how AI’s bold ideas measure up against real-world constraints in Milwaukee County’s budget crisis. Hear insights from Rob Henken of the Wisconsin Policy Forum, and discover why technology alone can’t solve deeply human civic challenges.

Join us as we dive into the vibrant world of South African artist Moonchild Sanelly, creator of "future ghetto funk." In this exclusive interview, Moonchild opens up about her musical journey from jazz kid to global collaborator with Beyoncé and Diplo. Discover how her family's diverse musical background shaped her unique sound, her philosophy on authenticity, and why she describes her aesthetic as "Snow White turns 21 and the seven dwarfs become her strippers." From her fearless approach to taboo topics to finding humor in darkness, Moonchild shares the stories behind her colorful videos and reveals why she's currently "dating for content."

Join HYFIN's HYFINated Conversations for an intimate dialogue with jazz virtuoso Wynton Marsalis. Recorded before his captivating Milwaukee performance, this episode unveils the layers behind the nine-time Grammy winner's artistic evolution. From the vibrant streets of 1960s New Orleans to leading the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Marsalis shares profound insights about family influence, musical mentorship, and cultural preservation.

Listen as he explores the delicate balance between tradition and innovation, revealing how his mother's wisdom and early jazz club experiences shaped his approach to music education and artistic expression. Through personal stories and reflections, Marsalis illuminates jazz's transformative power and its role in bridging generations. T

his conversation celebrates not just musical excellence, but the deep cultural roots and ongoing evolution of America's most distinctive art form.

In this episode of HYFINated Conversations, host Tarik Moody sits down with Jeffrey Coleman and Tim Cole, founders of Milwaukee Wine Academy (MWA). Launched in September 2023, this groundbreaking venture is reshaping Milwaukee's wine culture through education and inclusion.

The conversation traces MWA's origins from a pandemic wine certification study group to its evolution as a force for diversifying Milwaukee's wine scene. Coleman and Cole share candid insights about navigating predominantly white spaces, breaking down wine stereotypes, and creating welcoming environments for wine education.

In a lively 'quick pairing round,' the founders offer unexpected wine recommendations for everything from lemon pepper wings to chitlins, demonstrating their mission to make wine accessible while maintaining educational rigor.

They also discuss their upcoming Black Wine Producers celebration on February 16th at Radio Milwaukee, featuring wines from Dusty Baker's vineyard, Andre Houston Mack's MY0 Noir, McBride Sisters, and Mary J. Blige's Sun Goddess label.

Through personal anecdotes, industry insights, and practical wine wisdom, this conversation reveals how Milwaukee Wine Academy is transforming the city's relationship with wine, one glass at a time.

Tune in to hear how these entrepreneurs are creating culture and community in Milwaukee's evolving culinary landscape.

How do you build a new digital home for Black culture? In this episode, we talk with Rudy Fraser, the creator of Blacksky, a rapidly growing community on the Bluesky social network. As Black users leave Twitter/X in unprecedented numbers, Fraser shares how his background in mutual aid and community organizing shaped his vision for a different kind of social platform.

Fraser breaks down how Blacksky works, from its innovative use of the AT Protocol to its community-led approach to content moderation. He explains why he chose to make Blacksky open-source rather than seeking venture capital, and how the platform grew to over 750,000 users without any promotion or funding.

We dig into the technical details of how Blacksky protects its community from harassment while preserving authentic cultural expression, and discuss the challenges of scaling from 10 moderation reports per week to over 500 daily. Fraser also shares his vision for the future of Black social media spaces and how decentralized technology could help preserve Black digital culture.

Key topics:

• How mutual aid principles influenced Blacksky's development
• The technical architecture behind Blacksky's custom feeds
• Community-based approaches to content moderation
• Balancing rapid growth with community safety
• The future of Black social media communities
• Why open source matters for cultural preservation

Follow the conversation with Rudy on Bluesky @rudy.fraser, and stay connected with us at @tarikmoody.com and @hyfin.org. Check out Tarik's starter pack on Bluesky for a curated list of Black thought leaders and creators to follow."

In this episode, we dive deep into the untold story of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the revolutionary guitarist who helped birth rock 'n' roll, through an intimate conversation with actor Bethany Thomas. Currently starring in Milwaukee Repertory Theater's "Marie and Rosetta," Thomas shares powerful insights about portraying the legendary "Godmother of Rock 'n' Roll." Learn how this groundbreaking production takes on new meaning with the revelation that Tharpe's family lives in Milwaukee and regularly attends performances. Thomas discusses the responsibility of portraying a historical figure whose relatives are in the audience, while exploring the parallels between Tharpe's boundary-breaking career and today's conversations about Black musicians in rock. We explore:

• The challenge of capturing Tharpe's revolutionary guitar style
• The powerful partnership between Tharpe and Marie Knight
• How two Black women toured the Jim Crow South
• The ongoing struggle for recognition of Black artists in rock music
• The show's relevance to contemporary discussions about representation in music

Whether you're a music history buff, theater enthusiast, or simply love stories about pioneering artists, this episode offers a fascinating look at how the past continues to resonate with present-day conversations about music, race, and representation.

Hey everyone, it’s Kim Shine from the HYFIN team – doing something a little different. I’m hoping on a story!

One of HYFIN's freelancers, Joy Boyd, visited the Uplifting Mansion in Milwaukee to cover the open house of Nkenge’s gallery, a fantastic showing of nearly 100 pieces of historic African artifacts. The owner is Kenge Adams, a proud woman of African American decent who's also a former IT project manager turned entrepreneur. Being a collector wasn’t exactly part of her plan; that is until leaders at St. Augustine Preparatory Academy reached out. They’d purchased the old Cardinal Stritch University campus and found the pieces there. 

If you haven’t already, you can read Joy’s write-up on the open house and the Uplifting Mansion, or you can keep listening for my interview with Kenge about her mission to now share these invaluable pieces with others and how she’s using AI technology to connect to past and the present.

Read Joy's article on HYFIN.org 
Learn more about Nkenge's Gallery: https://www.nkengegallery.com/
Learn more about the Uplifting Mansion: https://www.upliftingmansion.com/

Anthony Foster sits down with Byron Stripling, the new Stein Family Foundation Principal Pops Conductor of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. In this captivating episode, Stripling shares his musical journey from childhood inspirations to conducting one of America's premier orchestras.

Discover how Stripling plans to infuse the Milwaukee Symphony with diverse genres, from classical to jazz and gospel. Learn about his vision for community outreach and bringing music to underserved areas. Stripling's passion for mentorship and education shines through as he discusses the transformative power of live music.

This episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at the changing face of classical music, with anecdotes about jazz legends, personal triumphs, and the enduring influence of icons like Louis Armstrong. Stripling's infectious enthusiasm and innovative approach to orchestral music will inspire you whether you're a classical music aficionado or a casual listener.