Chuck D

When Malcolm X was assassinated at 39, his book nearly died with him.  Today it stands as a milestone in America’s struggle with race.

With famous names like “Notorious B.I.G.” and “The Fat Boys,” it’s easy to believe that hip hop hasn’t always been all that healthy. Yet hip hop does have a rather robust history of artists, from Dead Prez to MF Doom, using their raps to promote healthier lifestyles. To explore hip hop’s complicated medical history, we’ll be joined by Mark Anthony Neal, Associate Professor of Black Popular Culture at Duke University, and Byron Hurt, the filmmaker behind the upcoming documentary “Soulfood Junkies.” Plus, we get a housecall from the “Hip Hop Doc”- Dr. Olajide Williams, President and Founder of Hip Hop Public Health and Public Enemy frontman Chuck D.

Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, died yesterday afternoon at the age of 50. Details of his death will not be known until a full autopsy is done. But what we do know is the legacy he ...