Five time Grammy Award winning production duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis dominated the music industry in the late 80’s through the early 90's working with various artists  such as Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, Usher, and many more. With a career spanning four decades they have moved into a mainstream market freeing them from the limits imposed on many Black producers in the music industry. On this episode, Adrian, Jimmy, and Terry discuss the duo's journey to success and how the cultural zeitgeist made way for them to crossover from urban to pop charts. 

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Russell Peters knows the power of using comedy to challenge the status quo and how to make light of unconscious bias. In this episode Adrian and Russell discuss the expression of cultural intelligence through comedy, the power of hiphop to inspire identity and the subtitles of understanding intention when applied to humor. 

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Brooklyn raised composer, singer-songwriter, and producer, Brian Jackson, is a true luminary for Black American music. Brian is the long time writing partner of the late Gil Scott Heron. Throughout the 70s, Brian and Gil created music that elevated black consciousness and continues to inspire younger generations. In this episode, Adrian and Brian discuss Music as a tool for education, the nuances of segregation and how the struggle for civil rights informed revolutionary music in America. 

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