Hard Knock Radio continues its “Hip Hop is 50” series by speaking with award-winning journalist and radio personality Dominique DiPrima. DiPrima is well known for her extensive work in Los Angeles, where she made her name as the host of the groundbreaking show “Street Science,” which aired on 92.3 the Beat throughout the 1990s. The success of her show opened up doors for other hip-hop talk shows with a political angle, including “Street Knowledge,” which was hosted by Davey D on KMEL.
DiPrima then went on to become the long-time host of “Front Page,” which aired on Stevie Wonder’s radio station KJLH for more than a decade. Currently, DiPrima is the face and morning show host of Tavis Smiley’s progressive-oriented radio station KBLA, where her show is called “First Things First.”
But DiPrima’s history in hip-hop dates back to the early 1980s when she hosted a groundbreaking TV show called “Home Turf,” which aired on Saturday mornings on the NBC affiliate in the SF Bay Area, KRON TV. During our interview with DiPrima, she explained how the show came to be and how she beat out Bay Area rapper Too Short to become the host of the show. She talked about all the famous artists who came on the show, both nationally known and locally known, including pioneering Bay Area rappers, hip-hop dancers, DJs, and graf writers.
DiPrima’s rich history in the realm of politics is influenced by her famous parents, poets Amiri Baraka, co-founder of the Black Arts Movement, and Diane DiPrima, Poet Laureate of San Francisco, who had a profound impact on her approach toward art and politics. During the interview, DiPrima also talked about how she sees hip-hop today and where she wants it to go over the next 50 years. As a prominent figure in the world of hip-hop journalism, DiPrima’s insights and perspectives shed light on the evolution of hip-hop and its impact on society over the years.
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