This episode I have a returning guest Macedonia to discuss one of the most unsung gems of the 1970's; Christopher St. John's Top of the Heap.

A radical take down of the pangs of social mobility for the Black individual, Top of the Heap is an entry into Black Cinema that takes a hard look at Black existence in the imperial core through the experience of the Black Police Officer. Macedonia and I dissect this film that both hit us like a ton of bricks upon first viewing and we both believe it holds significant keys to discussions around Blackness within empire.

If you want to watch Top of the Heap before the episode drops its free on Tubi

To see more of Macedonia is doing you can check his work on these platforms:

Radio BSOTS - http://bsots.com/

BSOTS blog - https://radiobsots.blogspot.com/

Mixcloud - https://www.mixcloud.com/macedonia/

Mastodon - https://mastodon.social/@bsots

Threads - https://www.threads.com/@bsots

IG - https://www.instagram.com/bsots/

To get a jump on the shows a few days early, bonus video episodes every month, deeper dives into text and works with revolutionary content and political art study groups check out Mtume's Patreon and become a subscriber!

Additionally, check out my new colaboration The Imperial 80's, a series I co-hosted with Jared Ware of Millenials are Killing Capitalism. We take a dive into the wild world of 80's Hollywood and uncover what it has to say about this imperial project called The United States. You can find us on Patreon and make sure to follow the channel if you want to catch the livestreams

Tumes

Popular educator and organizer Layan Fuleihan joins me to discuss the current battle of ideas here in the Imperial Core of the U.S. and in the long struggle towards dismantling capitalism to build a socialist future what is the educators job and approach? I talk to Layan both philosophically and practically about the work she does at The People Forum in the belly of beast of New York City and the importance of spaces for political education that support active organizing in this current moment. Its a rich convo and the first of many of its type about education I plan to have on Within Our Gates.

We also talk about The Peoples Forum current campaign to raise funds for the new space in NYC. For more info about the initiative on how to donate click here

Layan Fuleihan is a popular educator, organizer, and lifelong student of historical and contemporary struggles of the oppressed. Layan developed her educational approach while working with youth and families in schools, libraries, and community and feminist organizations. In her role at The Peoples Forum, she is committed to developing political education programming and resources to support the building of working class, internationalist movements.

Layan approaches her work with optimism and the conviction that a world free from the control of imperialism and capitalism is possible. When not studying or organizing, Layan cooks for friends, enjoys poetry, and dreams of returning to a liberated Palestine.

Contact Layan at layan.f@peoplesforum.org

To get a jump on the shows a few days early, bonus video episodes every month, deeper dives into text and works with revolutionary content and political art study groups check out Mtume's Patreon and become a subscriber!

Additionally, check out my new colaboration The Imperial 80's, a series I co-hosted with Jared Ware of Millenials are Killing Capitalism. We take a dive into the wild world of 80's Hollywood and uncover what it has to say about this imperial project called The United States. You can find us on Patreon and make sure to follow the channel if you want to catch the livestreams

Tumes

For this episode of Within Our Gates I am joined by my comrade Jared Ball to do a long awaited talk on Hip Hop and its politics. We dig into some significant, yet under known projects that looked to deepen Hip hop's connection to the broader movement of Black revolutionary history such as the Black August Hip Hop project, and what this period history uncovered about the issues of the artist/celebrity in liberal capitalist culture in the context of wedding them with political movements. We dig into a rather unseen documentary on the project as well as some other sources. Its a dope episode and frankly one of the first in a series of episodes I plan on doing with Jared on this subject.

Looking forward to hearing thoughts!

Check out some of these links before the episode drops!

Black August Hip Hop Project Documentary

My 50th Anniversary Hip Hop Documentary by Jared Ball

The Assimilation of Hip Hop, Hegemony, and the Empire State by Shellyne Rodriguez

50 Years, Is There Anything Left Of Hip Hop?

Dr. Jared A. Ball is a Professor of Communications Studies and Black/Africana Studies at Morgan State University, author of I Mix What I Like!: A Mixtape Manifesto: https://imixwhatilike.org/2011/07/01/..., The Myth and Propaganda of Black Buying Power, host of iMiXWHATiLiKE!, co-founder of Black Liberation Media, and co-host of Saturdays with Renee: • Saturdays With Renee You can find his work on YouTube at / @imixwhatilikejaredball and / @blackliberationmedia

To get a jump on the shows a few days early, bonus video episodes every month, deeper dives into text and works with revolutionary content and political art study groups check out Mtume's Patreon and become a subscriber!

Additionally, check out my new colaboration The Imperial 80's, a series I co-hosted with Jared Ware of Millenials are Killing Capitalism. We take a dive into the wild world of 80's Hollywood and uncover what it has to say about this imperial project called The United States. You can find us on Patreon and make sure to follow the channel if you want to catch the livestreams

Tumes