Hard Knock Radio

Divine and Kamel Bell on Hip Hop, AI, and Building Power from the Ground Up

Hard Knock Radio previews the SF Hip Hop Summit with a conversation on Notes, culture, and the tech frontier

On this edition of Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D sat down with Notes co-founder Divine and Ankh Marketing’s Kamel Jacot-Bell to preview the San Francisco Hip Hop Summit and discuss the bold new intersections between culture, artificial intelligence, and financial power. What unfolded was a powerful and deeply layered conversation about innovation, equity, and reclaiming the narrative—centered in Hip Hop and grounded in community.

Notes: Rewriting the Financial Rules for Creatives

Divine, a former federal prisoner turned tech visionary, is partnering with legendary MC Rakim to build Notes, a Fintech and AI-driven platform designed to empower independent urban artists. This platform goes beyond the usual music distribution services—it’s about access to capital, building financial literacy, and developing entrepreneurship skills tailored to the Hip Hop generation.

“We’re capturing the whole financial DNA of a person—not just a credit score,” Divine explained. Notes will use AI to evaluate artists’ financial behaviors and unlock new tools for funding, savings, and investing. It’s designed for those who are often overlooked by banks and investors, and it builds on the cultural currency artists already hold.

But Notes is not just tech for tech’s sake—it’s rooted in lived experience. Divine, who spent 10 years incarcerated for his involvement in the drug trade, talked candidly about how that path was glamorized in Hip Hop but never afforded the same grace as Silicon Valley’s “innovators” who broke rules and got rewarded.

“If I do it, it’s criminal. If they do it, it’s innovative,” he said. “We’re trying to flip that.”

Challenging the Illusion of Financial Literacy in Hip Hop

Davey D raised a critical point: In an era where billionaires like Jay-Z and Dr. Dre dominate headlines, there’s a public perception that financial literacy is a solved issue in the culture. Divine pushed back. “It’s a myth that we’ve figured it out,” he said. “Most Americans are financially illiterate. This is bigger than just Black folks. We’re just more vulnerable because of systemic barriers.”

He emphasized that Notes isn’t just a financial tool—it’s an educational one. It’s designed to teach, inspire, and equip artists from a young age, using the culture they love. “It’s like math through gaming,” he explained. “If you love Hip Hop and want to be like Rakim, you’re going to want to learn.”

AI, Racism, and the Gates of Silicon Valley

The conversation also touched on how AI is being weaponized—not just through surveillance or automation—but through exclusion. Davey D referenced a recent Afrotech article where prominent Trump-aligned tech figures openly described diversity efforts as “harmful” and vowed to dismantle them. “These folks don’t want us in the room,” he warned.

Divine responded with clarity: “This isn’t new. The tools change, but the fight stays the same. What we’re doing with Notes is building a system that decentralizes power. It puts artists in control of their own narrative and income.”

Culture Renaissance: Where the Conversation Meets the Community

Kamel Jacot-Bell stepped in to highlight the upcoming Culture Renaissance event, which will kick off the SF Hip Hop Summit at the Midway. Scheduled for Friday, July 18th from 6–9 PM, the evening features panels on AI ethics, one-day record labels, and Hip Hop’s role in tech innovation. Panelists include Divine, Rakim, Sway, and others, with Davey D moderating key sessions.

“Being in San Francisco—next door to Silicon Valley—it’s more important than ever that our community be part of the AI conversation,” Kamel said. “We’re not just rappers. We’re strategists, builders, and creators.”

The broader weekend festival will feature performances from Digable Planets, Dogg Pound, Souls of Mischief, Rexx Life Raj, Invisible Scratch Pickles, and more. But the soul of the event, according to Kamel, is about more than performances.

“We’re talking chess tables, graffiti battles, crate-digging, and panel discussions—our full cultural expression,” he said. “We’re not just consumers of tech or culture. We’re architects.”

A Legacy of Innovation, a Future of Ownership

As the conversation wrapped, Davey D and Divine reflected on the long relationship between Black creativity and technological advancement. From Harry Allen’s early conversations about the “super information highway” to Divine’s vision for Notes, Hip Hop has always been pushing innovation.

But too often, that innovation gets dismissed. “What Rakim did with rhyme was tech,” Davey pointed out. “But folks don’t call it that. They just say it was dope. Nah—it was innovative. It changed the game.”

Divine agreed and emphasized that the future is about ownership—of tools, platforms, and narratives. “We’re not just building with AI. We’re designing it. My code, my culture, my lived experience is in the product.”

With Notes set to launch in the next 90 days, and the Culture Renaissance event just days away, this Hard Knock Radio conversation laid the groundwork for a powerful weekend—and a future where Hip Hop leads, not follows, in the world of innovation.


More Info:

🗓 Culture Renaissance Panel

  • Date: Friday, July 18
  • Location: The Midway, SF
  • Time: 6–9 PM
  • Tickets/RSVP: sfhiphop.org — No one turned away for lack of funds.

🎤 SF Hip Hop Summit Festival

  • Saturday, July 19 – Same location
  • Headliners: Dogg PoundDigable PlanetsSouls of Mischief, and more.

Hard Knock Radio is a drive-time Hip-Hop talk show on KPFA (94.1fm @ 4-5 pm Monday-Friday), a community radio station without corporate underwriting, hosted by Davey D and Anita Johnson.