By Adrienne G. Whaley, The African American Museum in Philadelphia

“Monie in the middle! Where she at? She’s at AAMP!” Okay, you caught us – in any other circumstance, that last line would be “In the middle!” but the week in question, Monie Love actually was at AAMP, the African American Museum in Philadelphia, a Knight Arts grantee. If you know Monie Love, but don’t normally follow hip hop music, you probably only remember her 1990 hit single, “Monie in the Middle”. But if you are a hip hop lover – and especially if you appreciate women emcees and rappers – you know that Monie not only had more than a few great songs herself, but also helps promote women in hip hop through her XM/Sirius radio show, Ladies First. And that’s why Monie Love joined us at AAMP on July 27th.

Every Wednesday since the beginning of June, AAMP has turned its plaza into a lively performance space, featuring live music from across the African Diaspora. As part of this RAAMP It Up! Wednesdays series, we’ve also opened our galleries up for an extra 3 hours each Wednesday, for free, to allow guests who can’t make it at other times to see and experience our exhibits. We’ve had an amazing array of talented performers, with everything from reggae to jazz to soul to an emcee battle represented so far, all of them Philly-born or with serious Philly roots. And each of them, through their music, through their lyrics, through their message and persona, are helping us sing this: Black culture is a living, breathing evolving thing. It’s historical and futuristic, local, national and global in both its roots and its reach, in conversation with the world.

This week, that conversation is all about the ladies. Not just Monie Love, who acts as host for the evening, but vocalist Kanu, who leads an Afro-fusion band in Philadelphia, the Shakera Jones Quartet, with a soulful, jazzy sound, and rapper Bahamadia, Philly-born and internationally known for her straightforward lyrics denouncing misogyny and promoting real discussion of social issues in music. And on the turntables? Another lady – the talented DJ Ultraviolet. Heads are bobbing in the crowd, teens are relaxing next to grandparents, passers-by stop to listen, and cars slow down as they drive past. It’s clear talent knows no gender, and it knows no color either. Apparently we’ve got the right vibe for this summer evening. And we’ll keep it going every Wednesday evening through September 28th. We hope you’ll join us!

RAAMP It Up! Wednesdays are graciously funded with a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, as part of its Knight Arts Challenge. Additional funding is provided by PECO and the Exelon Foundation.