Jeff Johnson spoke last night at Beggars Society

Jeff Johnson spoke last night at Beggars Society. He connected hip-hop, racism in America, the role of institutions in creating divisions and the ability of new institutions to break down these divisions, and generational strife. The talk was part history, part challenge, part grass-roots advocacy, part strategy.

One of the most interesting aspects was him tracing the history of hip-hop and how it was conceived as an alternative to violence plaguing the gangs of New York City in the 1970's. Instead of battling with knives, chains, and bottles, the gangs started battling each other with words as an outlet for their frustration, desperation, and isolation. Hip-hop, he said, was started as an urban, honest expression that was corrupted when an industry developed and could be sold as a product. The message changed.

I was challenged and moved by his talk and the question and answer period. Hopefully, video will emerge online from the evening.


Jeff's abbreviated bio from Wikipedia: Upon graduation from the University of Toledo, Johnson headed off to Washington, D.C. to become National Director for the NAACP's Youth and College Division, and later, Vice President for the Hip hop Summit Action Network.

His involvement in these national organizations piqued interest with BET, who thought that he could use his knowledge with cultural and political affairs on the show Rap City.

Johnson now tours the country, spreading his leadership advice and passion for activism by speaking at churches, universities and local communities.

From his celebrated conversations with world figures to his grass-roots trench work to inspire the next generation of leaders, investigative journalist, political correspondent, and activist Jeff Johnson continues to be a trailblazer and authentic voice for change.

Johnson has spent the last decade merging the worlds of politics and popular culture. His roles as a political activist have included work as Senior Advisor for Media and Youth Outreach for People for the American Way, National Director of the Youth & College division of the NAACP, and an appointment by Russell Simmons as the Vice President of the Hip Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN).

Johnson is the only American reporter to receive an exclusive interview with Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Africa’s first elected female head of state and Liberia’s first elected female president. Johnson is also one of only two news correspondents to receive an exclusive interview with Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir, who has not granted interviews with American media outlets for thirteen years.

Johnson has interviewed such marquee figures as Presumptive Democratic Nominee, Barack Obama, Senator Hillary Clinton, and The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and in 2007, he testified before the Committee on Homeland Security regarding recovery efforts in wake of the devastation caused to the Gulf Coast by Hurricane Katrina.

Johnson has published numerous social and political commentaries for CNN.com, The Root.com and Black Politics on the Web.com and is a source of information quoted in Newsweek and Boston Globe. Johnson currently contributes commentary and analysis about issues related to race, politics, popular culture and socio-economics for news broadcasts such as MSNBC, CNN, Fox News Channel, XM radio, Sirius Satellite Radio, BET News and The Dr. Phil Show.