National radio, TV and social media personality Charlamagne tha God will discuss “Hip-hop, Race and Social Activism” when Cal U presents its 13th annual Hip-hop Conference. Charlamagne will join Pittsburgh social activist Leon Ford for a keynote presentation at 3 p.m. April 27 in the Morgan Hall Learning Resource Center.
National radio, TV and social media personality Charlamagne tha God will discuss "Hip-hop, Race and Social Activism" when Cal U presents its 13th annual Hip-hop Conference.
Charlamagne will join Pittsburgh social activist Leon Ford for a keynote presentation at 3 p.m. April 27 in the Morgan Hall Learning Resource Center.
Prior to the keynote, Cal U students and local artists will engage in a roundtable discussion, "Pursuing My Artistry or Going to College." The discussion starts at 2 p.m., also in the Morgan Hall auditorium.
About the speakers
Charlamagne tha God, aka Lenard McKelvey, is co-host of the nationally syndicated iHeartRadio program The Breakfast Club and author of the New York Times bestseller Black Privilege, Opportunity Comes to Those Who Create It (Touchstone, 2017). He is the founder and executive producer of the production company CThaGod World LLC and co-host of the popular Brilliant Idiots podcast.
As a radio and MTV2 television host, Charlamagne is well known for his sometimes-confrontational celebrity interviews, and his outspoken views are widely shared on social media. The New York Times described his book as "a street-smart self-help guide," filled with candid advice for getting ahead.
Leon Ford became a social activist after he was shot by Pittsburgh police during a traffic stop in 2012. He is paralyzed and uses a wheelchair. In January, the city agreed to pay $5.5 million to settle a lawsuit over the case.
Since the shooting, Ford has traveled the country to share his story and speak out on topics including police-community relations, affordable housing and accessibility. In 2017, Pittsburgh City Paper named Ford its first Pittsburgher of the Year.
About the conference
Cal U's annual Hip-hop Conference is organized by Dr. Kelton Edmonds, a professor in the Department of History, Politics, Society and Law. Edmonds is a former director of the Frederick Douglass Institute at Cal U and program coordinator for the University's new minor in African American studies.
Each year the conference brings well-known hip-hop artists to campus to explore the significance of rap and hip-hop culture from a fresh angle. Past topics have included hip-hop history and the genre's evolution; the criminal justice system; and sports, hip-hop and race.
Sponsors for the 2018 Hip-hop Conference are Cal U's new African American studies minor; the Black Student Union; Cal U Women United; the Frederick Douglass Institute; the Office of Social Equity; the Department of History, Politics, Society and Law; and the College of Education and Human Services.
Join us
Admission to Cal U's Hip-Hop Conference is free; the public may attend. Metered parking
for visitors is available in lots 10 and 17 on campus.
Get directions to Cal U