Glowitheflow

Joe Cook is a musician, lyricist, music producer and spoken word artist from Birmingham UK. He plays drums and percussion in various musical projects performing live at venues and festivals across the UK and Europe. Through a love of lyricism, hip-hop and songwriting, he crash landed in the spoken word  poetry scene. His work has been shared on various BBC platforms such as BBC Arts, BBC 1XTRA, BBC Asian Network. 

Joe uses music and art for social change and has worked alongside various charities and activist groups internationally to fundraise, raise awareness and campaign for social justice. He facilitates music and lyric writing workshops in schools, community centres and extended learning centres across the Midlands. 

FOLLOW JOE COOK HERE:

We are so hyped to feature our very own Youth Director on this episode. He is also Founding Director of Forward Ever Education CIC, which offers: youth work, mentoring and training. Introducing David Boomah, Singer/MC/Songwriter/DJ/Radio Host and Label Manager. Born in Birmingham, United Kingdom but raised in St Catherine, Jamaica until his late teens.  

WATCH THE ZOOM FOOTAGE ON OUR YOUTUBE PAGE HERE: bit.ly/glowitheflow

David Boomah stepped into the UK Dancehall scene in 1990 performing with the UK’s most established artists within a month of stepping off the plane.  

In 1993/4 he stepped into the world of Jungle music and within a year he had his first number 1 single produced by a very young Shy FX. The track was called “Who Run Tings and this was just the start. Boomah went on to record numerous singles and an eclectic album spawning 14 number 1 singles, 2 number 1 albums, a nomination for best album at the “Bass Music Awards” 2013 and a nomination for best MC at the We Love Jungle Awards 2015. Boomah has performed across the globe and is committed to blessing audiences with unforgettable shows. He sounds just as good live as he does in the studio and his energy is infectious and mesmerising. 

His discography speaks for itself with releases on V Recordings, Ram, Philly Blunt, Chronic, Spearhead, Playaz and Topping Drum and Bass, Dubstep, Hip Hop, R&B and Breaks Charts simultaneously.  

Find his work at:  

@TheDavidBoomah 

@DavidBoomah 

https://www.discogs.com/artist/197971-David-Boomah 

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0QcfgyqCD1uUlFO2IFyYaB

CREDITS:

We got a bonus episode for you from Season 1 with a sick freebie from our guest Jeff Walker of Rhymecology, USA. All listeners are welcome to one free introductory Rhymecology rap coaching session. 

Here's Part 2 of social worker J.C. Hall's riveting break down of his work in Hip Hop Therapy

This week, Kiz chats to social worker and rapper J.C. Hall. He brings us up-to-date with current Hip Hop Therapy practice, live and direct from the Bronx, New York City.

We get the low down on what it was like to work with Hip Hop Therapy Godfather Dr Edgar Tyson R.I.P.  and the thinking behind his seminal study on Hip Hop Therapy with youth. 

Again, we had to split the episode into two because we had so much to chat about.

Rhythmic Mind's use rhythm in the regulation of trauma and trauma's impact of the brain and central nervous system with At Promise Youth. Here's how.

Meet Max and Jonah. They're mental health professionals AND rappers. Their mesmerising tales of using Hip Hop Therapy with At Promise Youth in America simply blew us away; so much so, that we ended up chatting for two hours and splitting the recording into two episodes! Join us as they share real-life impact stories from the streets of San Francisco's Bay Area. 

In Chamber 8, we hear how they became "conduits of Hip Hop", generating an awe-inspiring therapeutic model based on their traditional clinical training in psychotherapy and their musical first love. They have even generated a youth empowerment curriculum based on Hip Hop's capacity for healing and resilience-building. 

We, the Glowitheflow crew, want you to listen and do. Take action. Go and check out the songs mentioned. Look up Ben's homeless charity 'Let's Feed Brum'. Try one of the approaches in your own relationships with people.  

Make change! 

Be love!  

Why did US Hip Hop scene inspire so many makers across the world? And what has UK jungle got to do with it? 

What the sausage is poetry therapy anyway? Why should you not use the word 'therapy' in your practice without having the appropriate training? And who is poetry therapy for? 

Again, we nah deal wid nah rainbow unicorn bizness. This is a real profession with real solid outcomes for people seeking help. Look up the evidence on Google Scholar if you want to know more. 

In Chamber 5 on our imagined mountain cave adventure seeking Hip Hop's healing powers, we meet a real life poetry therapist: Charmaine Pollard. She is an expert counsellor. You can find out more about her work here: https://charmainepollardcounselling.co.uk. 

She also serves as Community Director on the board for Lapidus International, alongside Kiz: https://lapidus.org.uk.

We chat about Buju Banton lyrics. Ben shares a touching story from Let's Feed Brum's homeless soup kitchen and Greg us cracks us up with his impromptu creative writing prompt. Listen to the end to hear his poignant addition of a 'hopeful twist', an essential part of choosing poems or writing within this creative therapeutic practice. 

Dr. Elliot Gann runs a non-profit called 'Today's Future Sound'. It empowers people make to beats and feel good. He is a real-life Hip Hop Therapist. Kiz ain't just talking about rainbow unicorns here at Glowitheflow. 

They're real! 

Zooming from San Francisco Bay Area, we go deep into neuroscience, trauma and therapeutic beat-making. We talk Hip Hop culture. We talk therapy. And we talk about the dangers of calling work 'therapy' when it's not delivered by trained therapists. 

Kiz's mind was blown so make sure you get a cuppa and sit down for this one. It's deep! 

Kiz Zoom calls jungle MC Parly B from Doncaster and Robidon, the reggae Don of Moseley, Birmingham. Both are due to perform at Dubgasm, Kiz's annual fundraiser via livestream. Parly headlines this year. Robin has been resident since the start.

Parly and Robidon discuss lyrics and songwriting process. Writing about life juice adds authentic flavour to songs. 

Pierre is a community activist against suicide. He brings his Ipswich music community in tribute to his goddaughter and her baby, who both sadly passed in tragic circumstances. 

Learn how he turns grief into social action through music and fundraising. Thank you Pierre for sharing your story with us. 

Homeless sentinels stop street robberies. First responders. People watchers. 

"No-one chooses to go out there because they've sat at school daydreaming: 'One day I aspire to be homeless,'" says Ben, Founder of Let's Feed Brum homeless charity.

In today's episode, we Zoom YT from @Making Change Studios, Brummingham. He's a conscious reggae MC from Ipswich who has followed Jamaican sound system culture since 1982. What is it and how has the island's mobile bass music disco culture influenced rap lyricism? Find out in Chamber 2 as YT shares tales from the dance. 

He never did share 8 bars of Golden Nuggets for you to use as inspiration for your own creativity though. He bust out into half a song at the end instead. You're never gonna believe the tip he suggested for unblocking creativity... 

All our remote Zoom interviews will appear soon online. Keep an eye on our Hip Hop HEALS' YouTube channel so you can check our funky Zoom backgrounds. Today's was a disappearing flyer for Kiz's annual fundraiser for Let's Feed Brum. We had a laugh in the studio with Greg and Ben appearing and disappearing into it like 70's sitcom ghosts. 

Catch YT headlining Dubgasm online live music fundraiser on Sat 3rd Oct from 1pm to 10:30pm. 

Hip Hop carries wisdom. Stories from elders. We share stories of our elders and our heritage: Ben's Dad in Kashmir; Kiz's Dad's love of poetry (R.I.P.) and Greg's Dad from Wales (R.I.P.), not Grounds Keeper Willy. 

Hip Hop MCs are soothsayers. Yet, it seems as though the ancient art of storytelling-it-like-it-is in your town has gotten lost. Or has it? Offensive and troublesome from day 1, we discuss what, where, when, why and how rap can be therapeutic.

Our special guest MC Applz aka youth worker Sandra Carter stole all our hearts with her warmth and her sparkly eyes. Not only does she rap, she sings, she dances, she sews, she writes. We should have really asked what she doesn't do. Applz, we comin' for you a second time! You'll have to come back and keep sharing your powerful messages of wisdom.

Listeners, sit back and enjoy as you Glowitheflow.

We got going and here's what's up: we want you to get going too. Do your thang. Whatever yo' thang is. Grooving in your flow zone will keep you healthy and mental strong so when life gets challenging, you will have it down. 

We kick off Glowitheflow's brand new weekly podcast with insights into who we are and what do. 

You'll hear some of our stories from schizophrenia to loss and how we opened our hearts to homelessness. 

We want you to grow here. 

We are on that path with you.

Come follow us on our Hero's Journey into Hip Hop and healing. Let's glowitheflow!