Prison Prophets provides a powerful connection to incarcerated artists via interviews and original music. We take the listener inside the prison, where we hear the stories of 25 incarcerated men, many in their 50s and 60s. These voices have never been heard by the public, nor has the music, which was created for an album addressing mass incarceration. We hear each man talk about his first memory of music, and speak or sing lyrics that are lifelines keeping spirits alive even when many have no hope of parole. These interviews and songs testify to the healing power of music, dismantle prejudices many may hold about those who are locked up, and foster awareness of our common humanity.
As bell hooks says, “Love is profoundly political. Our deepest revolution will come when we understand this truth.” That powerful truth resonates in the song “Take a Knee,” from Songs in the Key of Free.
"Love is at the root of our resistance"--those words from Colin Kaepernick are echoed in “Take a Knee,” written and performed by Manchino Santiago and featuring Zeek Burse. Here at Prison Prophets we’ve been waiting for the day when Colin Kaepernick and other NFL players would be vindicated—and it’s here. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has apologized to players for "not listening" to them about racism; there's so much more to do, but it's a start.
In this episode, we've also included "Hear Me Now." We at Prison Prophets are working on an episode on Protest Songs, but we couldn’t wait to share this urgent and powerful spoken word piece by Moose, poet and emcee extraordinaire, who happens to be locked down for life at SCI-Phoenix in Montgomery County, PA. It’s called "Hear Me Now," and it’s his finger on the pulse of America.
3 Jul 2020
I Can't Breathe
For George Floyd, it was a suspicious $20 bill; for Freddie Gray, a pocketknife; for Sandra Bland, a burned-out turned signal; for Eric Garner, some loosies—because of white suspicion and deeply ingrained racism and fear, Black Americans end up dead at the hands of police. For the same reasons, literally millions of American citizens are spending their lives in prison—and for those who have committed crimes of violence, it is far too often their *entire* lives. Statistics show that in the US African-Americans are incarcerated at more than 5 times the rate as whites. In other words, the epidemic of mass incarceration in the US is an epidemic of locking up Black and brown people, many of them for life.
We at Prison Prophets: Songs from the Heart of the Penitentiary stand in solidarity with the protestors and send out this salvo to the nation: "I Can't Breathe," written in 2016 by Cody Stuhltrager, and performed here by Cody and Bernard Lee, both residents of SCI-Phoenix in Montgomery County, PA. Please listen to this anthem for our nation from our incarcerated brothers.
8 May 2020
I Still Cry
This week we explore the toll of remorse with composer, saxophonist, guitarist, singer, Mr. Bizzy Blackwell.
5 May 2020
Prison Prophets Exclusive Teaser
We're releasing our Podcast ahead of time to share some perspectives of the Corona Virus. Hear our host, August Tarrier, director for Song in the Key of Free, and Warren Smith, certified peer specialist and barber, in conversation.
You'll also be here songs to be featured in episodes to be released.
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