Sepia Tones: Exploring Black Appalachian Music—E6: Hip-hop in the Heart of Appalachia

Dr. William Turner and Dr. Ted Olson talk to Geonoah Davis and Kelly Thompson, two artists whose hip-hop sounds are expanding traditional ideas about music in Appalachia. Borrowing from a generations-old African American heritage of spoken word expression, rap and hip-hop echo a long narrative tradition of African American cultural survival against all odds. These original historical elements are deeply rooted in the fabric of Appalachia, blending into the backdrop of the region's musical character yet revived and brought forward again by these fresh creative talents with their contemporary styles.

Geonoah Davis, known by the artistic name geonovah, was born and raised in Big Stone Gap, VA, in the heart of Appalachia's coal and iron industry. He wasn't the first rapper in his family, and early collaborations with his cousin RKMITCH allowed him to develop his powers of poetry into an artistry for hip-hop lyric and verse.

Kelly Thompson, a.k.a Pookie, also hails from Big Stone Gap but spent his early childhood in North Carolina. Friends since middle school, he and Geonoah have made music together for many years—Kelly creating beats and Geonoah writing lyrics. Kelly evolved his talents to include music production, learning from local producers in his area.

Dr. William Turner is a long-time African American studies scholar and retired Distinguished Professor of Appalachian Studies and Regional Ambassador from Berea College. He was also a research assistant to Roots author Alex Haley and co-editor of the groundbreaking Blacks in Appalachia. In 2021, Turner received Western Carolina University’s individual Mountain Heritage Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Southern Appalachian studies. His memoir called The Harlan Renaissance, available from West Virginia University Press, was awarded the prestigious Weatherford Award at the 2022 Appalachian Studies Association Conference.

Dr. Ted Olson is a music historian and professor of Appalachian Studies at East Tennessee State University. He is the author of many books, articles, reviews, encyclopedia entries, and oral histories. Olson has produced and compiled a number of documentary albums of traditional Appalachian music including On Top of Old Smoky and Big Bend Killing, both from Smokies Life. His work has received a number of awards, including nine Grammy nominations. The East Tennessee Historical Society honored Olson with its Ramsey Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2021.

Music featured includes:

1.    “John Henry” performed by Amythyst Kiah and Roy Andrade from GSMA’s (now Smokies Life's) album Big Bend Killing

2.    “Takin’ Me Over” performed by geonovah for the album No Options: Hip-Hop in Appalachia, used courtesy of June Appal Recordings

3.    “S&S” performed by geonovah for the album No Options: Hip-Hop in Appalachia, used courtesy of June Appal Recordings

4.    “Black Lives Never Mattered” by RKMITCH featuring geonovah, vocals mixed by Pookie