Welcome to a new monthly feature in The Hip Hop Museum newsletter. Each month, we will speak to an athlete, celebrity, or culture influencer about what Hip Hop means to them.

This month, we speak with Marcus K. Dowling. Marcus is the Nashville Country Music Reporter for The Tennessean (part of the USA Today Network) and was the 2023 Country Music Association Media Achievent Award winner, plus 2021 recipient of the Rolling Stone Chet Flippo Award for Excellence in Country Music Journalism and 2022 Best of Gannett and National Headliner Awards.

Photo credit: Rah Foard

So Marcus K. Dowling, what does Hip Hop mean to you?:

“Hip Hop isn’t just music and culture. In five decades, it has logically grown from inspirational creative elements to a ubiquitous cultural force. At present, it represents how Black excellence has best manifested its grip on the global zeitgeist in the modern era.

To me, it also now represents the cadence and tempo of how business is conducted and life will be lived, forever. To me, that’s exciting. For others, that’s terrifying. Just like in “Juice,” more than ever, it’s absolutely essential that you know where the ledge is.”

Follow Marcus K. Dowling on Instagram and X.

Read more interviews on The Hip Hop Museum!