My Brother's Name is Kenny: The Greatest True Hip-Hop Story Ever Told

To mark the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop, join us for an intimate talk with renowned DJ and music producer Kenny Parker as he shares a behind-the-scenes look at the evolution of Rap music and reveals never-before-told stories from Hip-Hop's golden era. Kenny's 2022 book, My Brother's Name is Kenny: The Greatest True Hip-Hop Story Ever Told, provides a first-hand account on how he and his older brother, the iconic rapper KRS-One, escaped crime, extreme poverty, brutal violence, and betrayal to carve out an unparalleled musical legacy. The conversation will be moderated by acclaimed music journalist Jeff "Chairman" Mao. 

The program will feature live DJ'd elements by Operator Emz and a post-talk book signing with Kenny Parker.  Books will be available for sale and signing by Parker.

About Kenny Parker: 
Kenny Parker is the longtime DJ and music producer for the iconic Hip-Hop artist KRS-One & Boogie Down Productions. He is a native New Yorker and the younger brother of KRS-One. During his 30-year music industry career, Kenny has performed more than one thousand concerts with KRS-One. His contributions helped KRS-ONE earn the first-ever Source Magazine Award for ‘Best Live Hip-Hop Performer’ in 1994. Parker has appeared in more than 20 music videos and performed over a dozen nationally televised events, ranging from VH1, MTV, BET, and PBS programs to ‘Soul Train’ and ‘The Arsenio Hall Show.’ Kenny became the first DJ and producer to appear on a reality show (MTV’s ‘The Real World’ – Season 1 Episode 2), producing two songs for the groundbreaking show. He is credited with more than 50 major label song releases and produced music for four Nike television commercials. The book “SP 1200, The Art & Science” featured Kenny for his pioneering use of the legendary SP 1200 drum machine. He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology. 

About Operator Emz:
As a child of the Bronx, Michael “Emz” Greene witnessed the humble beginnings of hip-hop. But as a man of the world, Greene became a key figure in hip-hop’s transformation from street culture to pop culture, as a disc jockey, radio personality, and record executive. Throughout his years in the entertainment business, Greene has worked personally with hip-hop figures like Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, and Snoop Dogg. He learned the nuts and bolts of promotion while working with legendary marketer Steve Rifkind, founder of Loud/SRC. Greene is an accomplished record producer and currently works with artists as diverse as Cyndi Lauper and Joell Ortiz. 

About Jeff "Chairman" Mao:
Jeff Mao is an author, music journalist and historian, documentary film producer, DJ, and curator. A former staff writer with Vibe and XXL magazines, he is a longtime member of the creative collective ego trip, with which he co-authored the Ralph J. Gleason Music Book Award finalist, ego trip's Book of Rap Lists (1999). From 2003-2019, Mao worked extensively with Red Bull Music Academy as an interview host, and radio and film producer, and served as an associate curator for Red Bull Arts’ exhibition RAMMΣLLZΣΣ: Racing for Thunder (2018). He resides in Harlem with his family and his record collection. 

This program is part of Capturing the Changing City, a series of talks with artists, writers, historians, and other notable New Yorkers about how they seek to represent the New York scene on the page, film, canvas, and beyond.