In this deeply impactful episode, The Hip-Hop Scholar sits down with the incredibly talented Thembi Joy — widely known in music as Evrgreen, and now stepping boldly into her role as a filmmaker and visionary storyteller.

Her new short film, “The Only Way Out,” confronts the lingering impact of domestic abuse and the unspoken struggles survivors continue to carry long after they leave the relationship. Through the story of a woman who appears to be doing “just fine,” the film reveals how unresolved trauma lives in the body, in memory, and in silence — until truth makes its demand to be heard.

What begins as a simple coffee date becomes a breakthrough moment — one that reminds us that:
Healing does not begin by running away from the trauma… but by acknowledging its presence.

In this conversation, Thembi Joy opens up about:
▸ Transforming adversity in the acting world into creative leadership
▸ Why vulnerability makes storytelling more powerful than perfection
▸ How Kendrick Lamar’s “Mother I Sober” shaped the emotional heart of the film
▸ The courage it takes to prioritize your healing journey
▸ The responsibility artists carry when telling real stories that impact real lives

This episode is more than an interview — it’s a testament to survival, accountability, and art as liberation. For anyone who has ever struggled with hidden wounds or supported someone on their road to healing, Thembi Joy’s message will resonate deeply.

✨ Watch the short film “The Only Way Out” here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47qYvcp-KjA&t=256s

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence:
📌 National Domestic Violence Hotline — 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE)
📌 Text START to 88788
📌 Chat services available online 24/7

You are not alone.
You deserve safety.
You deserve healing.
You deserve peace.

Thank you, Thembi Joy, for using your voice, your artistry, and your courage to help others find theirs.

Subscribe to The Hip-Hop Scholar Podcast for more powerful conversations at the intersection of Hip-Hop, healing, and humanity.

#ThembiJoy #Evrgreen #TheOnlyWayOut #DomesticViolenceAwareness #HealingJourney #HipHopCulture #SurvivorStories #ArtToHeal #TheHipHopScholar

🎙️ The Hip-Hop Scholar Podcast with Special Guest LPTHERAPPER 🎙️

From the living room to the main stage — LPTHERAPPER embodies the next generation of Atlanta Hip-Hop. 💿🔥
In this full interview, she shares how dance first connected her to the rhythm of the culture, how her father’s movie nights with classics like You Got Served sparked her passion, and why music isn’t just her craft — it’s her breath.

LPTHERAPPER talks about balancing faith, focus, and fearlessness as an independent artist carving her own lane in a city built on legends. She gives a heartfelt shoutout to her 5th-grade art teacher, Susan Barnes, the woman who first recognized her creative spark — and dreams of bringing her on tour one day. That’s a full-circle moment few ever get to live. 🌟

Together, Melanie — The Hip-Hop Scholar — and LPTHERAPPER explore authenticity, Atlanta’s influence, and what it means to stay grounded while building something bigger than yourself. This conversation is filled with gratitude, growth, and pure southern energy — a reminder that presence, purpose, and passion will always outshine hype.

🎧 Watch. Listen. Reflect.
Because Hip-Hop isn’t just sound — it’s soul, story, and survival.

#TheHipHopScholar #LPTHERAPPER #AtlantaHipHop #HipHopCulture #Music #Inspiration #FullInterview #ArtistJourney #Culture #Purpose

In this powerful episode of The Hip-Hop Scholar Podcast, Melanie, The Hip-Hop Scholar sits down with Caspa Clark — rapper, storyteller, and founder of Noice Recordz — for an honest, unfiltered conversation about art, authenticity, and the grind of independence.

From his early days in Providence to building his own label, Caspa shares how he turned pain into purpose and music into movement. Together, we dive deep into the power of manifestation, ownership in hip-hop, and the spiritual side of staying true to your craft when the world tries to shake your foundation.

This episode isn’t just about music — it’s about mindset.
It’s about staying solid, leading with integrity, and proving that real hip-hop still lives where the heart beats hardest.

🎙️ Topics include:

• The story behind Noice Recordz and the meaning of independence

• How faith and focus fuel Caspa’s creativity

• Building community and culture through lyrical authenticity

• Lessons learned from collaborations and life in the grind

• Why manifestation and discipline are key to success

🌐 Learn more about Caspa Clark: https://www.caspaclark.com/

🎧 Whether you’re an artist, an educator, or a fan of truth in music — this episode will move you.

Stay tuned and subscribe to The Hip-Hop Scholar Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, and all streaming platforms.

#TheHipHopScholar #CaspaClark #HipHopPodcast #IndependentArtist #NoiceRecordz #RealHipHop #PodcastCulture #HipHopScholarship

🎙️ The Hip-Hop Scholar Podcast with special guest Lyrikill

Some artists rap — but a rare few live Hip-Hop. Lyrikill is one of those few. A southern giant whose pen bleeds truth, precision, and purpose, he stands on business with every bar he writes. His lyrical wordplay is razor-sharp, his cadence pure craftsmanship, and his catalog proof that real Hip-Hop never dies — it just evolves through artists who honor the culture.

In this exclusive interview, we go deep into his journey — from the early days of New Orleans Hip-Hop to the international stage, exploring what it means to build legacy while staying rooted in authenticity. We talk about community, craft, and the kind of consistency that turns rappers into legends.

Lyrikill’s story is one of resilience, rhythm, and respect — and tonight, we give him his flowers. Because he doesn’t just make music; he makes meaning.

🎧 Stream, Support, and Shop Lyrikill:
🛒 Official Merch: lyrikillmusic.com/merch
🎶 Bandcamp: lyrikill.bandcamp.com/music
🧢 Bandcamp Merch: lyrikill.bandcamp.com/merch
🎧 Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/1I0ixrud4Ak2TPWkNahQp1
🐦 Follow on X (Twitter): x.com/lyrikill

💐 A heartfelt thank you to Lyrikill for joining The Hip-Hop Scholar Podcast — for his time, his talent, and his truth. Your voice continues to inspire a generation of scholars, emcees, and dreamers who believe in the power of Hip-Hop.

#TheHipHopScholar #Lyrikill #HipHop #SouthernRap #Wordplay #Music #Artist #Culture #Bars #Legacy #Respect #NewOrleans #Lyricism #HipHopHistory

🌍 The Hip-Hop Scholar Podcast – International Hip-Hop Link Up 🎤✨

On this landmark episode of The Hip-Hop Scholar Podcast, we opened our stage to Europe’s finest—Moreno the SkinDevil (Austria) and Alina the Latina—collectively known as Da Crazy 1s.

This wasn’t your average podcast—it was a global culture exchange, a live testament to the power of hip-hop without borders. Moreno’s fearless genre-hopping (hardcore, horrorcore, reggae, pop rap) met Alina’s uncompromising voice and authenticity. We laughed, we vibed, we learned—and proved that this moment is history in the making.

They came through and held it down. They’re welcome back any time. Because when artists bring that kind of energy and honesty, you always want them in your archive.

🔗 International Hip-Hop Link-Up: Scan the QR code, tune in, and watch as Europe and the world collided through bars, beats, and brilliance.

🎥 Check out their music & videos:

• YouTube Video 1 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXR1reTWY8g

• YouTube Video 2 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk4K7Yp1x3s&list=RDBk4K7Yp1x3s&start_radio=1

• YouTube Video 3 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lIjQ0emQZM

📣 Shout-out to Alina the Latina — be ready for her upcoming singles, especially “It’s My Birthday”
➡️ German translation: „Es ist mein Geburtstag“

🎶 Listen & Support on Spotify:
Spotify – Da Crazy 1s / Alina & Moreno – https://open.spotify.com/album/1aFKl4OCgsRKDNbLO7y0fx?si=FVuSdquBQPSPdglJ94hy9A&nd=1&dlsi=10d084eeff84486e

🔥 We witnessed art, personality, and global vision all in one show. Da Crazy 1s came through—no filter, no boundaries.

Join us next time… but for tonight, press play, absorb the culture, and let’s keep building this global hip-hop archive together.

On this episode of The Hip-Hop Scholar Podcast, we sit down with Know Expressions — an emcee, educator, and cultural voice who bridges Hip-Hop’s old school roots with new school energy. From nostalgia about cassette tapes to the importance of authenticity, he reminds us that Hip-Hop is more than music — it’s truth, knowledge, and a way of life.

We also highlight Raps 4 Snacks, founded by teacher Sonny Alvarado, a powerful initiative dedicated to feeding hungry students so they can learn, grow, and thrive. You can join the movement by donating or even recording a verse about hunger to support the cause.

🙏🏽 A special thank you to Know Expressions for joining me on the podcast and sharing wisdom, stories, and culture with the community.

📌 Support & Links
🎤 Know Expressions on Bandcamp: https://knowexpressions.bandcamp.com/
🎒 Support Raps 4 Snacks: https://gofund.me/7001b64e
🚐 Slap Frost Tour: http://www.slapfrost.com/tour

🎧 Catch the full episode now on YouTube and Spotify.

#TheHipHopScholar #KnowExpressions #Raps4Snacks #HipHop #Authenticity #Music #Culture #SlapFrostTour

The Hip-Hop Scholar Podcast with Special Guest Jai Jemini 🎙️

In this episode, we sit down with Jai Jemini, an artist whose voice carries both power and vulnerability, reminding us that hip hop is at once personal and collective. From her earliest professional studio sessions — where engineers were stunned by the strength and presence in her delivery — to her reflections on the deeper meaning of creating music organically, Jai Jemini shows us how hip hop is more than performance. It’s healing, resistance, and truth.

She speaks to the unique role of Black women in hip hop, navigating the constant pressure to appear strong while holding so much inside. For Jai Jemini, creating music is an act of release, a sacred space where emotions flow freely and authenticity becomes liberation.

Together, we explore themes of artistry, community, and resilience — highlighting how hip hop gives voice to the unseen, provides space for the unheard, and continues to shape culture across generations. Her journey is a reminder that when women tell their stories through rhythm and rhyme, they expand what’s possible in music and beyond.

The reflections shared in this episode are Jai Jemini’s lived experiences, contributing to the wider conversation on how hip hop shapes lives and communities.

#TheHipHopScholar #JaiJemini #hiphop #music #healing #blackwomen #storytelling #organic #creative #emotions #culture #truththroughhiphop

The Hip-Hop Scholar Podcast with Special Guest Time

Hip hop has always been more than music — it’s a force of truth, resilience, and transformation. In this episode of The Hip-Hop Scholar Podcast, we welcome Time, a Denver emcee, academic, and member of Dirty Laboratory Productions.

Time brings a powerful presence and lived wisdom, sharing his journey through the 9/11 era, where artists like Dead Prez and Talib Kweli offered knowledge, resistance, and hope. His reflections remind us how hip hop can challenge dominant narratives, open minds, and literally change the course of a life.

We are grateful to Time for sharing not just his art, but also his experiences, insights, and commitment to liberatory pedagogy — offering our audience a reminder that hip hop is both archive and lifeline, carrying stories that shape generations.

Disclaimer: The reflections shared in this episode are Time’s lived experiences, contributing to the wider conversation on how hip-hop shapes lives and communities.

#TheHipHopScholar #TimeRaps #hiphop #TalibKweli #DeadPrez #911 #music #inspiration #knowledgeofself #liberatorypedagogy #truththroughhiphop #hiphopculture #storytelling