Manny Faces

12/09/2025

Sadly, my book won’t make it on any year-end lists. But it should be on yours!

Not that it isn’t worthy. It’s VERY worthy. But see, it was published on an academic press. Now, I love this, because it’s being used in college classes across the country, and that’s an important place for it to be. But academic books don’t typically get a lot of retail placement — and I don’t have a team, or an institution to help push it… So you won’t find it in Barnes & Noble. I don’t have a ton of copies to send to reviewers. The publisher doesn’t really think about that sort of thing and even getting publicity for it has been difficult.

After all, it’s about Hip Hop… But not the kind if Hip Hop entertainment or drama stuff that most folks like to cover…

Because it’s also about improving society and uplifting humanity…

And I mean, like, where’s the entertainment value in that, amirite?

So… It’s a bit discouraging. But let me try one thing. Let me share one of the reviews to help demonstrate why THIS book can be a holiday gift that is both informative AND inspirational — any why helping spread its message and the many voices and ideas contained within it is more important than ever:

“…Manny Faces’ deep understanding of the culture, coupled with the voices and experiences of innovative and boundary spanning change-makers, creates a reading experience that is as informative as it is compelling. We have a responsibility, and now a blueprint… to build and promote community, to transcend what is risky and destructive, and to embrace what is transformative and empowering. A must-read for anyone seeking to understand and harness the transformative power of Hip Hop culture to bring out the best in individuals, communities, and society.”

So, for your holiday shopping consideration, might I suggest “Hip Hop Can Save America! Inspiration for the Nation from a Culture of Innovation.”

Endorsed by Dr. Cornel West, this book examines how Hip Hop represents a powerful force for social, economic, and cultural transformation in America. By documenting successful applications of Hip Hop principles across various sectors, the book presents a compelling case for embracing this cultural m...

11/30/2025

Laying low for the rest of '25 but '26 is already shaping up to be epic. First up to announce: I am extraordinarily honored to be presenting at the at !

Shouts to the brilliant and everyone at the for this important event and for the privilege of inviting me to be in community with y'all. 🙏

The theme is "TV OFF: Hip-Hop as the Revolution for Critical Conversations and Resistance to Conform," and I am so eager to not only present but learn from what will undoubtedly be a truly inspiring event.

🗓️ As for me, stay tuned for more announcements including upcoming keynotes, workshops, and book talks that are starting to roll in.

Hit me up to being me to where you are!

11/24/2025

It was important for me to make sure the conversations I've had with brilliant Hip Hop-inspired innovators were able to be seen/heard/read about in as many ways as possible.

Plus, after years of doing this work, I have a pretty decent holistic grasp on the overall landscape of Hip Hop as a tool for innovation, community building, and upliftment. 🤓

All of which made for a great book, endorsed by the likes of Dr. Cornel West!! 🤯

Signed copies available! Makes a great holiday gift for Hip Hop lovers, haters, and everyone in between. 🎁

Full interview is up on YouTube. 🙏🫡

11/20/2025

Tonight, e-rocking with my peoples on the season finale of this shenanigans and music filled livestream. Join me and the incomparable 😍

11/17/2025

🏆🥇 Gold for Best Music Podcast. Deeply honored of course, but even more proud of what this show stands for. "Hip Hop Can Save America!" isn’t just a podcast… It’s proof that this culture and its communities continue to lead, innovate, and uplift humanity in extraordinary, uniquely powerful ways.

Thank you to everyone who believes in this mission, especially those who support my work directly. 🙏

More to come. ✨

11/13/2025

Honored to be headlinint at 's Hip Hop Studies Conference along with MAJOR names like , Reuben Vincent, and more, not to mention brilliant educators and student presenters, film screenings, and more!

Swipe for QR code to see the full program.

11/10/2025

Ending a wild week with some exhaling asking with my . x 🔥x 🔥

11/10/2025

So I need you to absorb this with me... .d.o.c is one of my rap heroes. In my top 10 (and should be in yours). ?! No introduction necessary if you're in this culture. ?! Production royalty. ? I'm hearing nothing but incredible things!!

And among that unearthly cypher? Ya man(ny). 🤯

Now, I'm humble, but the Hip Hop Can Save America message is super important and urgent and I've been putting in this work for decades, so I know I'm 'posed to be here too... But at the same time, I'm so honored and appreciative that the good folks for are showing love and elevating my message -- and the work of every genius and revolutionary voice I amplify -- for this year's gathering.

Registration is open. DC, NY, East Coast, West Coast, worldwide... Come thru!

07/03/2025

"In part because of [its origin story], Hip Hop’s reputation became that of an antiestablishment, self-sustaining, and largely pro-Black counterculture, that also accepted and often relished in its role as one of humanity’s most inclusive social movements. For many, Hip Hop represented the next evolution of “power to the people,” inspiring the rise of community-based organizations and large-scale gatherings of Hip Hop-fueled political activism.

Many people, however, believe those days are long gone, and that Hip Hop no longer possesses that intent or those characteristics. Critics argue that Hip Hop has devolved completely into a cesspool of commodification, a cultural shell of its former self represented by a genre bathed in imagery of violence, incapable of ever serving as an uplifting force for humankind, much less a conduit to defuse or deescalate conflict.

One of the main purposes of the podcast and, by extension, this book, is to emphasize how short-sighted that view can be. My hope is that as the episode and page counts increase, it becomes more and more clear that social impact through Hip Hop does not need be exclusively reflected in its entertainment silo. A Hip Hop- inspired revolution will not be streamed, and when it comes
to seeking real solutions to real problems both here and abroad, we must not be tempted to throw out the Hip Hop activism baby with the rap industrial complex bathwater."

MORE:

Endorsed by Dr. Cornel West, this book examines how Hip Hop represents a powerful force for social, economic, and cultural transformation in America. By documenting successful applications of Hip Hop principles across various sectors, the book presents a compelling case for embracing this cultural m...