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Joely Kelzer

The 20-year-old Minneapolis rapper first performed at First Avenue at age eight and has shared the stage with Lizzo.


Awa Mally for MPR

Bigg Kiaa makes a bigg splash

Music’s ability to transform lives and create hope in desolate situations is something that humans will never fully understand. Music is especially important in the lives of those currently living in incarceration. Opportunities to pursue creative endeavors are highly restricted for those in incarceration, but the need for rehabilitative and restorative programming is incredibly high, so as to help people find a sense of normalcy within and after leaving incarceration.

Organizations like Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop have been working for years to incorporate creative pursuits in prisons across the state of Minnesota, but the opportunities for students of MPWW to work with music have been limited. However, as of April 3rd, four studio booths and a podcast room have been installed at MCF-Faribault thanks to a new partnership between MPWW, Radical Reversal, and the MN Department of Corrections. MPWW proudly shared on their Facebook that these spaces will be home to “songwriting, beat making, audiobook narration, podcasting, and so much more.”

Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop’s journey to making creative writing classes a mainstay of Minnesota prisons began in 2011 with a single class at MCF Lino Lakes. Today, the organization proudly hires over 25 instructors “who have taught more than 250 creative writing classes to over 3,000 men and women in every adult state prison in Minnesota,” according to their 

Radical Reversal, the organization that has partnered with MPWW to bring the music studio in MCF Faribault to life, describes its mission as providing rehabilitation through creative endeavors in correctional facilities across the country. According to their 

, they “conduct poetry workshops, seminars in music and music production, readings and performances.” So far, they’ve successfully implemented studios in Massachusetts, Alabama, and Minnesota.

Jennifer Bowen, founder and artistic director of MPWW, shared that the key to making these programs a success is to be consistent in the pursuit of community. These programs require a willingness to be vulnerable and to be dedicated to the craft without needing to be celebrated for it. Their priority is creating transformative arts programming that intentionally breaks down barriers to education in incarcerated spaces, and a massive part of that is having teachers that are ready to listen to the needs of their collectives (groups of MPWW students). 

The work that MPWW has done up to this point has only been possible thanks to 12 years of careful planning and protective work. Building trust and maintaining relationships is essential to creating long-lasting arts education programs in spaces like MCF Faribault, but these steps have also required a deep understanding of the systems at play in prisons across the state.

Radical Reversal, MPWW’s partner through the creation of the MCF Faribault Studio, is a relatively new program co-founded by Dr. Randall Horton. Through their mission of amplifying dialogue revolving around incarceration and rehabilitation through creative outlets, they’ve already implemented three studios across the country. Their partnership with MPWW came about after Dr. Horton reached out to Jennifer Bowen, and after months of meeting and coordinating funding between the two organizations, a studio space was established at MCF Faribault akin to other studios Radical Reversal has created across the country.

Studio Space

With organizations like MPWW and Radical Reversal leading the charge for greater arts education opportunities for incarcerated communities, it’s important to remember that their missions are core to making Minnesota a more equitable place for all of us. Prior to MPWW establishing itself in 2011, Minnesota had no opportunities for prisoners to receive arts programming education. Since the recording studio of MCF Faribault is the first of its kind in Minnesota, it’s a powerful reminder that our state still has a long way to go in order to alleviate the equity issues that impact not just the incarcerated, but all of us. The power of strong arts education, especially music education, cannot be underestimated - and we all deserve the opportunity to make music a part of our lives.

If you’re interested in learning more about Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop or Radical Reversal, you can check them out at their websites. If you or someone you know is interested in donating musical equipment to MCF Faribault’s new installation, please email 

Kai Cook

The Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop and Radical Reversal seek to make change through providing access to recording equipment to the incarcerated.


Courtesy of Radical Reversal

Music programs in prison aim to make change

Each week, we add new music, older tracks, which are known as “Gold adds”, and tracks that might not fit our general format, but still deserve a place in rotation because they serve our mission of showing the depth, breadth, and influence of Black musical expression - These are known as “Variety adds.”

. If you make music and want it considered for rotation, 

 If you want to give feedback directly, reach out to me at jgreen@mpr.org.

Tune in to hear our host Sanni B. live on The Message from 10 AM to 1 PM Monday through Thursday!

Keep all these tracks in one place with the 

 Spotify playlist. This playlist is updated weekly with all the new adds. When that playlist is cycled with new tracks, the tracks live forever on the 

 playlist. That playlist contains all of the music that we've added since the week of July 11 in chronological order of when it was added. All of the tracks available on Spotify, at least.

Julian Green built and manages the music library for Carbon Sound and oversees content creation.  


Julian Green

All of the tracks added to rotation on Carbon Sound the weeks of May 22, 2023.


Image for New on Carbon Sound Spotify playlist

Natalia Toledo

New on Carbon Sound

Old on Carbon Sound

New Music on Carbon Sound - Week May 22, 2023

Larry June brought his brand of laid-back, luxury rap to the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis on Monday, May 8. Watch all the full concert in Carbon Sound Correspondent Liam Armstrong’s video above.

View Carbon Sound Correspondent Awa Mally’s photos from the show 

 and tune in to Carbon Sound 24/7 to hear tracks like 

Liam Armstrong

Watch Carbon Sound Correspondent Liam Armstrong’s full video of Larry June’s Minneapolis show here.


Larry June LIVE in Minneapolis | 5.8.23

Video: Larry June LIVE in Minneapolis | 5.8.23

St. Paul-based artist Juice Lord visited Carbon Sound's studio for an interview and live performance of four tracks. Watch the full video above and visit our YouTube channel for videos of his performances of “The Thrill,” “Sequence,” “Out The Peezy,” and “Change Clothes.”

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more!

Watch St.Paul-based artist Juice Lord do an interview and live session in the lab with Carbon Sound


Carbon Sound

Juice Lord in The Lab with Carbon Sound

Juice Lord - "The Thrill" (in The Lab with Carbon Sound)

Juice Lord - "Sequence" (in The Lab with Carbon Sound)

Juice Lord - "Change Clothes" (in The Lab with Carbon Sound)

Juice Lord - "Out The Peezy" (in The Lab with Carbon Sound)

Fatima Rahman

Through trials and tribulations, the Minneapolis promoters celebrate 25 years of dance parties, raves, and the future of the Twin Cities techno community.


Courtesy of Intellephunk

Celebrating 25 Years of Techno Parties and Raves with Intellephunk

Natalia Mendez

The Minneapolis crowd enjoyed a genre-bending, sensual performance from the experimental artist


Review: Genre-defying Yves Tumor casts spell over First Avenue

Bump Opera

Click to view photos from Black Fashion Week MN’s Minnesota Met Gala and the 50 Years of Hip-Hop Fashion Show.


Mike Madison for MPR

Photos: Serving looks at Black Fashion Week MN

Minneapolis artist collective The Cherry Pit is wrapping up its first season with two nights of music at Public Functionary.


Liam Armstrong for MPR

Photos: Night 1 of The Cherry Pit's Season Finale

Carbon Sound caught up with Chiiild before his concert at 7th St. Entry in Minneapolis on Sunday, April 2. Watch the full interview here. 

Video edited and produced by Erik Stromstad 

Carbon Sound caught up with Chiiild before his concert at 7th St. Entry in Minneapolis on Sunday, April 2. Watch the full interview here.


Stories

Bigg Kiaa makes a bigg splash

Music programs in prison aim to make change

New Music on Carbon Sound - Week May 22, 2023

Get the Carbon Sound app

Video: Larry June LIVE in Minneapolis | 5.8.23

Juice Lord in The Lab with Carbon Sound

Celebrating 25 Years of Techno Parties and Raves with Intellephunk

Review: Genre-defying Yves Tumor casts spell over First Avenue

Connect with Carbon Sound

Photos: Serving looks at Black Fashion Week MN

Photos: Night 1 of The Cherry Pit's Season Finale

Chiiild talks "Bon Voyage," Creativity, Inspiration, and more with Carbon Sound

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