#8: Motley, healing through hip hop

(Joe) Motley is a hip hop artist, workshop facilitator, parent and lifelong learner. Motley has been providing hip hop workshops to schools and young people in youth settings for over 20 years, supporting young people to express themselves through writing and recording raps. Megan and Motley met and developed a friendship in 2011 when they were both working at the same Alternative school. Their professional paths continued to cross as they worked in different schools in the Alternative sector.

In this episode, Motley tells us about his family life in Manchester and how he found an unexpected sense of belonging and healing in the hip hop community. He describes how he first created music using a PS1 and how that led to him eventually teaching kids to create their own songs in a youth centre. Megan and Motley discuss how their approach to working with young people evolved over the past 12 years, focusing more closely on their own presence in these spaces and how they could bring their best selves to the work.

Motley speaks about his approach to parenting and how he strives to be the best Dad he can be for his daughter. Megan and Motley touch on Motley's near death experience and how this has informed his belief systems and his approach to life.

Listen to Motley's music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Qow1BXpzLeV79KNc7cxwg?si=mblhmAG1So6I4-xjnmgTTw

Host: Megan Corcoran, Wagtail Institute, https://wagtailinstitute.com/

Music by Kabbilistic Village https://kabbalisticvillage.com/