Episode 12 | Beats, Bloodlines & Black Cotton: Julius Tillery on Reclaiming Cotton and Powering a New Era of Black Farmers

In this episode, we dig into the reclamation of cotton with Julius Tillery, a fifth-generation Black cotton farmer and unapologetic advocate for Black agricultural futures. Based in North Carolina, Julius shares how cotton isn’t just a trauma drenched crop — it’s a calling rooted in his linage. A healing practice. A cultural archive.

We explore the beauty and burden of cotton farming, the intergenerational strength that grounds his work, and how his land serves as a sanctuary for rest, resistance, and rural pride. Julius speaks on the financial realities of Black farmers, and how hip-hop has grounded his work in farming as both a lifestyle and a liberation tool.

With a specialty in using cotton in floral design and home décor, Julius is flipping the script on cotton’s narrative — and reminding us that the soil holds stories worth telling.

https://www.blackcotton.us/

Compost, Cotton & Cornrows: the space where Black & Afro-Indigenous Vanguards are redefining sustainability through storytelling!

@Compost_Cotton_Cornrows