HOW HIP-HOP MADE ATLANTA
A Public Lecture Series by Regina N. Bradley
Free and open to the public
Hip-hop found a home in a lot of American cities. It found its voice in Atlanta.
But the full story — how the music grew out of specific neighborhoods, specific struggles, and specific visions of what the South could be — rarely gets told with the depth it deserves.
How Hip-Hop Made Atlanta is a three-part public lecture series by Dr. Regina N. Bradley. Each session examines Atlanta's hip-hop culture as a lens for understanding American identity, civic life, and regional history — from the geography that shaped the movement's earliest days, to the Dungeon Family's reinvention of the Southern Black experience, to trap music's unflinching portrait of labor and survival.
The series is presented by MODA and Georgia Humanities as part of Georgia's reflection on America's 250th anniversary, and an invitation to consider how cultural production from the South has shaped, challenged, and enriched national narratives.
All three sessions are free, open to the public, and include a presentation by Dr. Bradley followed by facilitated discussion and audience Q&A.
ABOUT DR. REGINA N. BRADLEY
Dr. Regina N. Bradley is an award-winning writer and researcher of the Black American South, and one of the country's leading scholarly voices on Southern hip-hop culture. She is Associate Professor of English and African Diaspora Studies at Kennesaw State University and co-director of the Hip Hop Studies Consortium at Georgia State University. Her book Chronicling Stankonia: The Rise of the Hip-Hop South — named one of the "Books All Georgians Should Read" in 2022 — is the definitive account of how OutKast and Atlanta hip-hop shaped the culture of the Black American South. Her work has been featured on Netflix, NPR, and the Washington Post.
ATLANTA'S HIP HOP GEOGRAPHY
How Hip-Hop Made Atlanta | Part 1 of 3
Thursday, June 25 | 6:30 pm
Free and open to the public
Atlanta has always been a city of distinct neighborhoods and tight communities. That's where its hip-hop story begins.
In this session, Dr. Regina N. Bradley traces the streets, studios, clubs, and gathering spaces that turned Atlanta into a hip-hop capital. Through lyrics, media, and historical context, she asks how neighborhoods become origin stories and how geography shapes culture and memory.
Come ready to hear the city differently.
The session includes a 45–60 minute presentation followed by facilitated discussion and Q&A.
ENTER THE DUNGEON: THE DUNGEON FAMILY'S AUDIOVISUAL REPRESENTATIONS OF ATLANTA
How Hip-Hop Made Atlanta | Part 2 of 3
Thursday, July 9 | 6:30 pm Free and open to the public
Before OutKast told the world that the South had something to say, a lot of people weren't listening. By the time the Dungeon Family was done, nobody could look away.
In this session, Dr. Regina N. Bradley examines OutKast and the Dungeon Family not just as musicians but as cultural theorists, positioning them as artists who used music, visual media, and performance to reframe what Southern Black life looked like in the post–Civil Rights era. Through close analysis of their work and its public reception, she traces how a group of kids reshaped national perceptions of the South and, in doing so, reimagined what American identity could sound like.
Come ready to listen closely and argue passionately.
The session includes a 45–60 minute presentation followed by facilitated discussion and Q&A.
ENTER THE TRAP: HOW TRAP RAP MAPS OUT ATLANTA
How Hip-Hop Made Atlanta | Part 3 of 3
Thursday, July 30 | 6:30 pm
Free and open to the public
Trap music gets dismissed as nihilistic, or celebrated without being understood. Dr. Regina N. Bradley is here to read it correctly.
In this session, Dr. Bradley examines trap as a form of critical storytelling: a genre that documents labor, aspiration, inequality, and survival. Trap music is unflinching about the structural realities of Atlanta's neighborhoods. It is equally clear-eyed about what it takes to build a life, find agency, and imagine a future inside those constraints.
Come ready to reconsider everything you thought you knew about the music coming out of this city.
The session includes a 45–60 minute presentation followed by facilitated discussion and Q&A.
Registration: Free & Open to the public, please register today!
Click here to learn more about MODA Membership!
Public Programming & Membership: Contact felicia@museumofdesign.org
Accessibility: Designers with different styles of learning or special needs are welcome in MODA public programs. We will be able to most effectively help everyone learn and enjoy this experience if we know about those needs in advance of the program. Please email miranda@museumofdesign.org with questions or information.
Cancellation Policy: MODA reserves the right to cancel a program if the minimum enrollment requirements are not met, but don't worry: should MODA have to cancel, we will gladly issue a full refund to all registrants. If you need to cancel your plans for any reason, we kindly request that you notify us at least 7 days prior to the event start. By doing so, we can process a refund for the ticket cost (minus a small $10 processing fee per class). Unfortunately, we cannot provide refunds for cancellations made less than 7 days before an event.
Photo Disclaimer: Pictures and videos will be captured during MODA public programs and may be published on the official website, social media, and newsletters of the Museum of Design Atlanta. If you do not wish to appear on these platforms, please write to felicia@museumofdesign.org.
