What's Good RAP Gang?! We have a special BONUS episode for you guys today! This weekend at Concourse Park, here in KC, we are helping out our friends over at Art As Mentorship get prepared for their annual Celebrate Ameri'kana fest!
Celebrate Ameri'kana is a FREE music and arts festival put on by the founding musicians of KC's very own Latin Grammy nominated band, Making Movies! This year's main stage features a variety of start studded talent such as Rubén Albarran, Justus West, Kevin Morby, and many more!
Joining us on the pod today are Josue, Miranda and Noah; 3 brilliant students who are part of the Rebel Song Academy and are about to grace the Youth Stage at the festival this weekend and showcase the songs they have been working on within the program. We're gonna talk music and listen to some tunes on this very special episode of Radical Alignment!
Make sure you make your way over to the Celebrate Ameri'kana festival This Saturday, July 27th from 1pm-8pm and support our local and rising artists in at Concourse Park in the historic Northeast neighborhood!
RAP Gang we have finally arrived at the season finale! You know we had to give you guys something special on our way out, and this episode's guest is nothing short of something special!
Needless to say, this has been a very "Kendrick heavy" season, but we dare to honor this moment in history without hesitation. We will be talking about this moment in hip hop for years to come, so it was only right to get some input from an artist from Kansas City who has one of the closest ties to Kendrick and for sure, the only feature! Of course, we're talking about (Tha Gr8) Gee Watts!
We get into the nitty gritty of the Pop Out w/Ken and Friends show to discuss our favorite parts and pay some much needed homage to west coast rap culture.
We also, discuss in detail, the looooong standing history between Drake and Kendrick that has fueled this beef for well over a decade. The beef is not new; it has been a culmination of events that ultimately lead up to this very live stream, for all the world to see.
In RAP Pack fashion, we are going out with a bang! We greatly appreciate those that have tapped in with us during this season of growth and can't wait to let you in on what we have planned for next season. Until then, save us a little time and a little wine! Be back real soon!
RAP Gang! We are nearing the end of our season and we have a lot to cover! We touch base on our personal opinions on the best Vess, the lifestyle choices of Shrek along with other famous character archetypes, celebrating the 3rd Anniversary of our beloved BLK + BRWN bookstore, and the terrible jokes you must endure when you have a math teacher for a bestie.
We also spend a substantial amount of time discussing the Apple Music Top 100 albums of all time and how the opinions buzzing about fail to remember that there used to be 2 America's when it came to music. It's the perfect time for a good old fashioned brain dump when we begin to wRAP up a season and we can't wait to share our lingering thoughts with you!
What's good RAP Gang?! Don't click away! We can't put off this chat any longer! We're talking about MAINTAINING THE MANIFESTATIONS. What happens now, that you have created the space for the life upgrades you wanted? What is now required to make sure they last?
Sheesh, it seems as if there is always work to be done. Even in the WINNING seasons, and that readjustment period can be hard sometimes. What does it take to actually BE the person that you have been working so hard to manifest? How do they act? What are their habits? What patterns do they notice? How does one stand on business and back up all the words that have lead up to the necessary action?
Don't worry! We're talking each other through this! The molting process is not for the weak, and your fav pod girlies are here to facilitate that growth and hopefully provide some perspective to allow you to do the same with your tribe! This is a must listen! We hope this message is on time for you <3
What's good and what's hood RAP Gang? The dust has finally settled and we are going to give you guys our (mostly) full length synopsis on the Kendrick and Drake beef ("oooooooooo").
The internet has had lot to say about the controversy, but is also, seemingly missing some really BIG parts of the story that only true millennials can tell. Music history seems to get mangled in the social media think pieces of the generations who were not around for the lived experience of "the mixtape era" and the birth of the digital music playing field, and we thought it was important to set the record straight on the passed around music myths and provide a little context that is absolutely needed in order to follow this beef properly.
We also dive a little deeper on the demons of the music industry as a whole and this great (and delayed) awakening that the world is finally witnessing. Not an episode to miss! Whose side are YOU on?
What's good RAP Gang! We're talking about a fun and unintentionally controversial party game we've discussed amongst ourselves and now we are bringing it to you! This one is for the astro girlies! Which room of the house does each zodiac sign represent?? When you break down where we all belong, are we able to live harmoniously amongst each other? We think this is a cool way to acknowledge all of our best traits and give everyone their moment in the sun (pun intended). Try this game with your friends and share what you come up with!
Rap Gang! We're bringing it back again with the chat on boundaries. This time around, we're focusing on the source of our relationships with boundaries and where they may have stemmed from based on how we have interacted with others throughout life.
We've extended the conversation to what we wear and the evolution of fashion and why we have made certain choices based on how our bodies have been perceived by others as young girls and beyond to adulthood. We discuss picking your battles in the workplace to balancing out your emotions in order coincide with your greater life missions and goals. We also go into detail about knowing when to work with others and when to respectfully decline.
How does self esteem play a part in boundary setting? It is important that we give ourselves permission to have peace in all facets of life, or the standards of others will constantly be set for us. We gave our best effort in finding all of the touch points that boundaries can affect. Zora Neale Hurston once said, “If you are silent about your pain, they'll kill you and say you enjoyed it.”
Do you agree?
RAP Gang, we've got a spicy one for you! We're talking boundaries, ghosting culture and low maintenance friendships.
What does it look like when you have to unexpectedly adjust your boundaries because they worked for an older version of yourself? Furthermore, how do you know when it's time to introduce some new practices for your own emotional health?
Is ghosting really justified, or nah? What's the difference between not showing up and being a low maintenance friend? We share some very different opinions on the matter and want to know what you all think!
See what side of the line you walk on when your habits are called into question and you have to discover where they originated from. Ahhhhh just another day of evolving for the divine modern millennial. Hope you love this topic as much as we do!
Our precious RAP Gang! The time has finally come! Season 6 has officially begun and we are kicking it off with some updates, new partnerships and some DEEP breathing... literally. Congratulations! We made it through eclipse season and are ushering in the welcome changes that are continuing to shift us into alignment as divine modern millennials.
The theme is definitely a sense of renewal as we discuss the astrological climate, local politics, our thriving creative community, and of course, an appropriate amount of Beyonce' archetypes. It's been a long time coming, but we are so happy to share this sacred space with you all in community! This season is dedicated to the fruits of ALL of our growth, and we can't wait to continue on this journey! Tap in! Tell a friend! The RAP Pack is BIKE!
What's the word, RAP Gang? We can't believe we're almost at the end of SZN 5... and WOW has it been a wild ride. In addition to our topic this episode, we got some calming rain sounds in the background to soothe the soul! The topic is AI and how we are slowly integrating this new technology into our lives and what that means. Are we ever going to get to a point where we are no longer living in an episode of Black Mirror? Probably not... but in the meantime, if humanity just takes a turn and we all end up enslaved to robots, the RAP Pack will be right there with you, running scenarios and getting these jokes off! You don't want to miss this special (and kind of scary) episode of Radical Alignment! Tap in!
What's Good RAP Gang?! Did you miss us? Well no worries, we've got a lot to catch up on with this special extended episode! The topic is cultural (and local for our KC listeners) nostalgia and how that plays a part in how things are perceived by different generations of today online. It's weird sometimes being a millennial online in environments that we have literally been cultivating since we were in grade school. We are indeed the great liaison between Boomers, Xers and Zoomers who are navigating the internet due to our specialized labor. But what does that look like when Gen Z is boasting not knowing the songs of the rap samples they're borrowing and Boomers and Xers are gullible enough to believe outdated and pixelated memes on Facebook? We're running down some of the origins of internet trends and providing some context to these cultural phenomenas within our millennial shared experiences. You don't want to miss out on this special episode! Can't wait for you to tap in with us!
What's Goode RAP Gang?! And no, that is not a typo! On this Episode of RAP, we had the pleasure of having the homie Chris Goode-- better know as, "The Genuine Juice Guy", pull up on us for a tantalizing exchange of goodness. We're talking health, wealth and how we maintain both as the City of Entrepreneurs continues to grow. How do we hold ourselves accountable in these spaces when it comes to growing our businesses and being intentional about our health in a time that seems to value only productivity and quantity over quality? Dive into this episode with us and also make sure you visit Ruby Jean's Juicery at one of their physical locations or shop online for cold pressed juices, smoothies and more!
RAP Gang! We are halfway through SZN 5 and We are wRAPping up our Black Women's History Series! We have a special guest, Dr. Aishah Augusta-Parham (Dr. AP) and we are talking modern, everyday HooDoo and African Spirituality. So many clues about our ancestry are hidden away in the media we consume as well as our every day tasks, sayings and songs. As so many of us are exploring spiritual growth, we think that one of the coolest ways to connect with people that came before us is through the background stories of things we practice on the regular. From old playground songs to Marvel movies to Anime-- traditional African culture is sprinkled just about everywhere. Join the discussion and re-live some of those core childhood memories with us as we explore spirituality in our daily lives!
What's good RAP Gang?! We are hopping back into our Black Women's History series and we are discussing party culture, technology and the mental health implications surrounding it. We're starting off with discussing the highly anticipated HULU documentary on Freaknik coming out soon, in an effort to try and figure out how we balance accountability and grace when discussing cultural awareness during certain time periods. What stories are meant to be told and who should be telling them? We take a deep dive into the implications of cancel culture and the "luxury of hindsight" as we navigate some uncomfortable truths when comparing party culture throughout the past few decades. We want to know what YOU think! Tune in with us for episode 2 of 3 discussing BWH!
What's good RAP Gang? We are talking Black Women's History and we are making it a 3-part series! Oftentimes on the internet, there seems to be a lot of noise and misdirected anger rooted in opinions that are typically only fueled by personal experience and resentment. Even though personal experience is important and our individual stories matter, the full scope of understanding is never reached until we align that with the important historical facts that have brought us to this point. With so many attacks against our human rights and access to knowledge in this country, it is crucial that we keep having conversations about our history so that we can get to the root of our trauma and continue the healing process. Black women specifically have had to bear the brunt of constant criticism for our physical bodies as well as the major decision making forced upon us while just trying to survive America. We wanted to create this series as a means to humanize us and talk about the circumstances that have led us to the challenges that we continue to face today. Hold on to your pearls as you take this ride with us, you don't wanna miss out on these discussions!
BRR BRR BRR BRRRRRRRR!!!! It's about that time, welcome to SZN 5 RAP Gang! We have a lot to catch you guys up on, so walk with us as we recap the last few months from the Chiefs victory parade to personal accomplishments, and new business partnerships! Oh, yea did we mention that RAP turned 2 years old this February??? We love to see it! The topic of the day is acceptance and ascension! Adulting doesn't have a manual or a syllabus to tell you when you've completed a cycle. So when DO you know when it's time to move on and graduate to the next thing? When do you accept that things are what they are, and how to position yourself for your next level? This goes for relationships, jobs, personal goals, friendships, hobbies and more. As an adult, being in tune enough with yourself to know when it's time to make changes because you are outgrowing your surroundings is CRUCIAL. Growth, as we know, is not always linear, so the RAP Pack is back to tap into what exactly that could look like while navigating personal transformations. The number 5 in numerology can often represent change, uncertainty and sometimes instability. Just know that your best girls are here for the ride as we go on this next journey together!
What's GOOOOD RAP Gang?! Welcome to the SZN 4 finale and Happy Halloween! We are chopping it up about the scary movies that shaped (and traumatized lol) us as kids (and also as adults). We're keeping it light as we go into detail about our favorite spooky plot lines, gory scenes, and character breakdowns. We're also talking about historical black horror films like Candy Man, and also discussing the black horror and thriller masterpieces like some of Jordan Peele's recent work in films like "Us" and how they compare when it comes to social commentary and all around terror. How many remakes does one need? Why can no one seem to outrun the slow walking killer? Would you survive your favorite horror film? We're still trying to figure that out. Join us on our SZN finale as we get SPOOKY! Love you guys so much and thanks for rocking with us for another awesome season!
What's good RAP Gang?? The RAP Pack is back with a topic that is sensitive, but definitely needs to be discussed . *TRIGGER WARNING* (sexual assault)
We are discussing some of the common dangers of being a woman that have gone unaddressed for far too long. As women, how do we keep each other safe and hold the proper parties accountable when that safety is threatened? How can we develop a call out culture without literally putting our lives at risk? What can we do to change the minds of the men in our life and adjacent to us that our humanity is valid? We are talking about the gut wrenching culture we have unwillingly had to build around the patriarchy for our own survival and we are not holding back on our personal truths. Through this episode, we are encouraging you to, not only do the same, but to also start the conversations with the men in your lives so that we can support the radical change of the way we treat each other within our relationships and communities. The patriarchy benefits NO ONE. But with the right amount of effort, we can start to turn the page of this dark topic and make it a thing of the past, together. You don't want to miss this! Tap in with your favorite homegirls, and as always; This is a safe space.
What's gooooood RAP Gang? We got another episode of RAP Chats underway and we are talking Compromise vs. Settling. Are all relationships really settling and who gets the say so in those situations? In your relationships, what "rules" do you think make sense and which ones need to be re-thought? The internet is always buzzing about what a relationship should look and feel like and we are breaking down some of the theories! Don't want to spoil it with too many details, so make it your business to get in OUR business on this week's episode if RAP!
What's poppin RAP Gang?! We have a special episode this week! Welcome to RAP Chats! Think of it as a short "tea" party where we get real and raw in an impromptu setting where we run down some of the observations we make online! Tonight we're talking about oversharing on the internet and what that looks like today versus the earlier days of the internet. Our Social Media Mami and in-house favorite poet hops on the mic to give us some input on how "oversharing" can be beneficial in the art space and how it has fueled her healthy relationships with people all across the innanets! What are the rules when bearing your soul? Listen in and drop us a line! Not an episode you want to miss!
