During this year's ComplexCon, OTHERtone Radio returned once again to film a special episode of the Beats 1 show.
On this episode, hosts Pharrell and Scott Vener were joined by activist DeRay Mckesson and Long Beach rapper Vince Staples. The discussion was centralized around the country's current social and political climate, and its lasting effects on the younger generation.
Mckesson praised the youth and their willingness to protest, but acknowledged the issue of helping them find their voice. "As an activist, I’m always mindful that when we think about young people, they often have the experience before they have the language," he said. "We penalize people for not having the language, but the experiences are real."
Vince Staples' take on the issue illustrated the normalization of oppression in America, as viewed and interpreted by black youth in underprivileged neighborhoods. "When it comes to racism and oppression, things like that, it’s really just part of the program," he said. Issues that plague many black communities—such as poverty and inability to access information—prevent individuals from addressing the larger picture. "In my upbringing, the last thing you worry about is presidential, politics. We don’t care about the senate, we don’t care about any of those things."
Check out an exclusive sneak peek of the upcoming OTHERtone Radio episode up top. To hear the full episode, tune into Beats 1 (apple.co/othertonelive) on Apple Music Thursday (Dec. 6) at 1 p.m. ET.
