Verzet en hiphop: Van Malcolm X tot Tupac Shakur

Op zaterdag 26 juli verwelkomen we de Italiaanse schrijver en onderzoeker Giuseppe Unet (u.net) voor een bijzondere lezing over hiphop, verzet en de erfenis van de familie Shakur. Van de revolutionaire jaren ’60 tot de ritmes van hedendaagse rap, u.net vervlecht de levens van Lumumba, Afeni, Assata, Mutulu en Tupac Shakur tot een levend verhaal over zwarte bevrijding, creativiteit en politieke kracht. Met zijn diepgravend werk over hiphopcultuur en radicale bewegingen biedt u.net een unieke blik op hoe kunst, geschiedenis en activisme samenkomen tot één krachtige stroom. De lezing is in het Engels.

On Saturday, July 26th, we welcome Italian writer and researcher u.net for a compelling lecture on hip hop, resistance, and the legacy of the Shakur family. From the uprisings of the 1960s to the beats of contemporary rap, u.net traces the intertwined lives of Lumumba, Afeni, Assata, Mutulu, and Tupac Shakur—crafting a living narrative of Black liberation, creativity, and political force. With his deep work on hip hop culture and radical movements, u.net offers a rare insight into how art, history, and activism flow together as one.

From the uprisings of the 1960s to the raw pulse of contemporary rap, the name Shakur runs through the story of Black resistance like a thread weaving radical politics and hip hop culture into a single tapestry. This is a living genealogy—one that binds activism and creativity, memory and struggle. At its center stands Saladeen Shakur, a pivotal figure and spiritual heir to Malcolm X’s vision. Around him move Lumumba and Afeni, iconic faces of the Black Panther Party; Zayd, Assata, and Mutulu, all deeply embedded in the Black Liberation Army. Their trajectories converge in the life of Tupac Shakur—artist, witness, and voice of a legacy still burning. This is a critical map drawn to revisit the past and listen for its echoes in the present: in the bars of Nas, in Kendrick Lamar’s invocations, in the urgency of the Dead Prez. Shakur is not just a surname. It’s a signal—a collective presence that continues to challenge art, language, and consciousness.

U.net is a writer and researcher specializing in hip hop culture, African American history, and radical movements, with a strong focus on ethnography and oral history. He is the author of Renegades of Funk and other titles such as Bigger than Hip Hop, Louder than a Bomb, and Stand 4 What! (Agenzia X). Together with Paradise the Architect (X Clan), he co-wrote No Half Steppin’ (Wax Poetics Books, 2016), and created the documentary Unstoppable on the birth of hip hop in London. In 2019, he received the NAS Fellowship from Harvard’s Hip Hop Archive for his outstanding work. He regularly speaks at U.S. universities and contributes to Alias (Il Manifesto) and Billboard Italia, promoting cultural understanding and giving voice to the margins. This event is organised by Foundation and OBA. The talk is part of the series Hiphop is Erfgoed.

This event is organised by Foundation and OBA. The talk is part of the series Hiphop is Erfgoed.