Black Power Talks #95: The Politics of Hip-Hop

We discussed hip hop and politics with our guest for this episode is Jermaine”Complex” Simpson. Complex is a rapper from San Diego, California.

Born Jermaine Simpson, Complex was raised in the heart of the African community of San Diego. Complex is the author of four albums, West Coast MC’n, State of Mind, A Beautiful Mess and Wrath and Roses. Much like his favorite artists, Ice Cube, Rakim, Tupac, and among others, Complex straddles the lines of a few genres of hip hop, namely the hardcore hip hop and the much more political genres of rap music. He explores topics such as mental health, reparations, police terror, and African resistance.

In his colonial job, Jermaine is a trained counselor and holds four different degrees and many other certifications but his profession is as a hip hop artist. After a long hiatus, Jermaine released his first studio album in over 15 years in January 2021, A Beautiful Mess. In January 2022, he released his fourth album, Wrath and Roses. You can find his music at

Black Power Talks is produced by WBPU 96.3 FM “Black Power 96” in St. Petersburg, Florida. It is hosted by Dr. Matsemela Odom and Dexter Mlimwengu, bringing an African Internationalist perspective to the important issues of our world.

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