“Fresh, Bold, and So Def: Women in Hip-Hop Changing the Game,” the upcoming publication by New York’s Hip-Hop Association features Melisa Rivière as one of its integral players. Melisa is a Latina hip-hop audio-visual producer, scholar, educator, and activist whose work spans from the Twin Cities to the Caribbean. She is a MacArthur Scholar Ph.D. candidate in the Anthropology Department at the University of Minnesota whose research focuses on the global diffusion of the four elements of hip-hop in Cuba and Puerto Rico. Melisa has worked with In The House Magazine, Songo Sounds, Time Machine Squad, and The Lab Studios in Puerto Rico, as well as The Cuban Agency for Rap, La Fabri K, the Hermanos Saíz Association, and Real70 Studios in Cuba. Her work on either island includes documenting hip-hop conferences, festivals, and live performances, leading keynote talks and pedagogical workshops, as well as producing audio recordings and music video clips with Anónimo Consejo, Tego Calderón, Doble Filo, Los Aldeanos, SieteNueve, Intifada, and Obsesión amongst others. As a pioneer hip-hop scholar, Melisa teaches courses in Anthropology and Global Studies at various Twin Cities’ universities and college campuses. In the role of co-founding director of ‘B-Girl Be: A Celebration of Women in Hip-Hop’ at Intermedia Arts in Minneapolis, she advocates for the empowerment of women and youth within the movement. Merging academia with entrepreneurship, Melisa founded Emetrece Productions, an audio-visual production company and independent label that focuses on ‘edu-tainment’ making education entertaining and entertainment educational.
THU APRIL 23, 2026TWISTA W/ LIVE BAND (Second show added by popular demand!)Yoshi's 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland, CA 94607DOORS: 7:00PM SHOW: 7:30PMDOORS: 9:15PM SHOW: 9:30PM>> BUY TICKETSSee More
Minister John Taylor Jr., a gospel artist from Mississippi, is using his voice to uplift and inspire people through real life struggles and strong faith. He first started singing at just 12 years old at New Ebenezer Baptist Church, and since then, music has been a calling. Known as a gospel soloist, his sound is rooted in faith, healing, and truth. What keeps him going…See More
Released today, veteran Binghamton duo Tone Chop & Frost Gamble return with the third single from their highly anticipated new album “Beautiful Foundations”, a celebration of their partnership stretching back over 30 years, which drops on May 15th 2026 through New Dawn Records.It’s all in the name with “The Smoothest” catching the vibe. A tribute to the lyrical golden era of New York in a showcase…See More
Comment Wall
You need to be a member of True Skool Network to add comments!
Join True Skool Network