This week we’re talking to “jack of all trades, master of ceremonies” Testament: hip-hop MC, writer, theatre-maker and world-record-breaking human beatboxer.
Listen in as Testament discusses his cultural upbringing, including his love of De La Soul as well as the Pet Shop Boys, along with his theory why Glee is not only prophetic, but “the real hip-hop”.
Testament gets real with Paul and Katherine about his own faith, feminism and social justice work. Including his attempts as a rebellious teenager to ‘out-Christian’ his parents, and his acceptance nowadays of his own vulnerability and ‘brokenness’ as a way to help others reflect on their own lives.
He also belatedly apologises for accidentally stabbing his older brother in his hand with a compass when they were growing up, but that’s another story…
Meanwhile, Katherine and Paul get excited about Dolly Parton’s covid vaccine and have a go at guessing what’s inside Dominic Cummings’ cardboard box.
Links, resources and episode timestamps (for all you skippers out there) below.
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ABOUT TESTAMENT
Testament is a Hip-Hop MC, writer, theatre maker and world record breaking human beatboxer. Born in North London and growing up in Manchester, moving on to study in West Yorkshire where he currently resides. As a lyricist his critically acclaimed work combines strands of rap, song and spoken word. Testament’s work includes the celebrated Hip-Hop album Homecut: No Freedom Without Sacrifice, as well as several spoken word performances for BBC TV and BBC Radio (1xtra, Radio 4 and 6Music). More recently, 2019 he was Channel 4 Writer in Residence at Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester.
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LINKS AND RESOURCES
Dominic Cummings and his cardboard box
The Romantics and Us with Simon Schama
Testament’s interview with Leroy Logan
Leroy Logan and Testament in conversation - Podcast
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00:00 - Welcome to Somewhere To Believe In
00:20 - Katherine and Paul catch up
08:39 - Introducing Testament and his work
09:22 - Testament joins the conversation
09:50 - Testament on lockdown
11:34 - Testament on Orpheus in the record shop
14:55 - Testament on creativity
23:28 - Testament on Peace Jam
27:45 - Testament on Desmond Tutu
28:50 - Testament on faith, dogma and trying ‘out-Christian’ everyone
32:16 - Testament on Greenbelt Festival
34:10 - Testament on ego and social justice
37:06 - Testament on classic and contemporary art
40:33 - Testament on ‘Woke’ and feminism
47:42 - Testament on racial justice
52:10 - Katherine and Paul reflect on the conversation with Testament
01:06:00 - Coming up next week
01:07:54 - How to get in touch with us
01:08:08 - Thank you’s
01:08:36 - Hidden track
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A huge thanks to the Greenbelt Volunteer Talks Team for all their hard work on editing this episode. Our podcast music is ‘I Can Change’ by Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires.
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