E55. Sekou Cooke: Creation of Hip-Hop Architecture.

The Institute of Black Imagination.

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Today's episode is with architect Sekou Cooke. Sekou is one of the leading advocates for the study and practice of Hip-Hop Architecture, a practice that poses hip-hop as architecture and uses the language of design to investigate its construction.

In today's episode, we explore why urban design cannot exist without hip-hop. We lean into what can happen if we start to understand the nature of urban environments, and Sekou reminds us that whether it is hip-hop, your career, or practice, it's essential to make sure love is at the center of what you do.

Things mentioned

Artist, Architect, and Fashion designer Virgil Abloh

“Figures of Speech” exhibition at Brooklyn Musuem dedicated to the work of Virgil Abloh

Artist Theaster Gates

Artist Lauren Halsey

Urban Planner Robert Moses

Post–World War II development StuyTown

Architect Beverly Lorraine Greene

Bricolage is the construction of a sculpture, or a structure of ideas achieved by using whatever comes to hand

What to read

Hip-Hop Architecture by Sekou Cooke

Abloh-Isms by Virgil Abloh

Virgil Abloh. Nike. Icons by Virgil Abloh

Theaster Gates: Black Madonna by Elvira Dyangani Ose, Theaster Gates (Artist)

The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York by Robert A. Caro

Ask and It Is Given: Learning to Manifest Your Desires by Esther Hicks and Jerry Hicks

The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

What to listen to

Champion - Buju Banton

One Dance - Drake

One Love - Bob Marley and the Wailers

The Breaks - Kurtis Blow

Your Wish is Your Command - Kevin Trudeau

Who to follow

Follow Sekou Cooke on IG @sekou21

You can also find his studio here.

This conversation was recorded on July 16th, 2022.

Host Dario Calmese

Producer: Coniqua Johnson

Visual Art Direction and Designs:

River Wildmen, Adam Selah, Will Domingue

Director of Digital Content: Vicky Garcia

Bookings: K.T. Thompson

Original Music composed by Adam Radice

Audio Edited by Adam Radice

Visit us at blackimagination.com

Watch this and other episodes on YouTube at: The Institute of Black Imagination.

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