Kevin Powell on 90s Hip Hop, Meeting Tupac & Preserving Black History
Oct 28, 2026
What does it take to rise from poverty in Jersey City to documenting the most defining era in music history? In this episode of Frankly Speaking, host Frank Ski sits down with Grammy-nominated poet, legendary Vibe journalist, author, and activist Kevin Powell. Kevin opens up about his journey from humble beginnings to MTV’s The Real World, covering the golden age of hip-hop, his close brotherhood with Tupac Shakur, and why Black storytellers must preserve their own history against erasure. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 02:50 Jersey City Roots & Writing Beginnings 05:43 Street Life, Education & Activism 08:21 The Real World & Meeting Tupac 10:41 Writing the Tupac Biography 15:45 Hip-Hop’s 50-Year Cultural Legacy 21:47 Love, Poetry & Black Manhood 26:23 Preserving History & Black Longevity Connect with Kevin Powell: Instagram: www.instagram.com/poetkevinpowell Facebook: www.facebook.com/poetkevinpowell TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@poetkevinpowell X (Twitter): www.x.com/poetkevinpowell Threads: www.threads.net/@poetkevinpowell YouTube: www.youtube.com/@poetkevinpowell LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/poetkevinpowell Website: www.kevinpowell.net — Enjoyed this perspective? Let’s take the conversation further: 💬 FRANKLY SPEAKING: What stood out most to you from Kevin Powell’s reflections on Tupac, hip-hop’s cultural staying power, and the responsibility of documenting our own stories? Share your perspective in the comments below! 👍 LIKE this video if you value the writers and historians preserving our culture. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to join the Frank Ski family for unfiltered conversations with cultural icons, political leaders, and visionaries. — 🔥 Get Your Daily Inspirational Vitamin! For over 25 years, you’ve listened to the Inspirational Vitamin on the radio—now you can get it delivered straight to you every single day! Join our Patreon community for just $4.99/month to receive daily encouragement, uplifting audio messages, and practical wisdom in your inbox or app every morning at 6:00 AM before your day starts. Subscribe today, or gift an Inspirational Vitamin membership to a family member, college student, or friend who needs a positive uplift each morning! 👉 Subscribe to the Inspirational Vitamin on Patreon: https://bit.ly/4wBF4lm Frank Ski’s Inspirational Vitamin™ is a trademark of Frank Ski. All rights reserved. — 📱 FOLLOW FOR THE RAW CUTS: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frankski/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@frankski Website: www.frankski.com #FranklySpeaking #FrankSki #KevinPowell #TupacShakur #HipHopHistory #BlackCulture