July 12, 2012
By Amy Joseph & Magee McIlvaine

Remixing the Art of Social Change, a Teach-In hosted by Words, Beats & Life on Saturday, July 7th in Washington, DC, brought together scholars, artists and activists to discuss the role and future of hip-hop. As far as we are concerned, this is one of the most innovative and important gatherings within the activist hip hop community here in the US. Words, Beats & Life have been putting in work in DC and throughout the country for many years now and are a model to all of us. Nomadic Wax has been a co-sponsor of the Teach-In in past years, and we co-hosted this amazing concert at the Kennedy Center a couple years back to kick off the 2010 Teach-In.

The 2012 Teach-In did not disappoint. Nomadic Wax manager Greg Schick represented on a panel and we had a Nomadic Wax team in full effect at the panel. It was great to catch up with friends and take part in the impressive programming. Shouts to Invincible for killing it on the headlining panel with Bakari Kitwana, David Banner, and others. Not only were we there to participate and share visions, but Nomadic Wax was also honored and humbled to be the recipient of one of WBL’s coveted Teach-In awards. Words, Beats & Life awarded Nomadic Wax the 2012 prize for best media usage and website. Not only that, but the Trinity College International Hip Hop Festival, of which Nomadic Wax is a co-founder, won the award for ‘Hip Hop Festival of the Year.’ Nominees for the awards are voted upon by key members of the Hip Hop activist community. As a result, we are especially proud of these two awards as they come directly from our peers, and some of our most important role models and mentors. Another award winner was Dr. Mark Anthony Neal of Duke University who was named ‘Hip Hop Scholar of the Year.’