SF HIP-HOP’s “Legends of Hip Hop and the New Tech Frontier” brings Rakim, Sway, Divine and Reza into conversation with moderator Davey D about the long marriage between Hip Hop, technology and power. Davey opens by framing tech as a tool that can liberate or oppress, reminding folks that Hip Hop has always been highly technical, from sound systems, scratching and dance to graffiti innovation, and that institutions have monetized what Black youth were criminalized for creating.
Divine breaks down NOTES, the company he co-founded with Rakim, which uses AI and financial tech to analyze artists’ “financial DNA,” offer fair funding, and share knowledge so creators can own their work instead of being trapped in predatory label deals. Rakim speaks on discipline, studying in libraries, and how today’s artists must guard their imagination and soul, using AI as a backend tool, not a shortcut or ghostwriter.
Sway and Reza trace their journeys through radio, MTV, YouTube and Gamma, stressing ownership, transparency and building businesses, not just brands. Throughout, the panel returns to community, mentorship and institution building so Hip Hop, not Silicon Valley, defines how new tech serves the culture.