Rahman Dukes, a New York native and hip-hop journalism pioneer, has been a leading voice in the genre for the past 20 years. He began his career at MTV Networks in 1996, where he was mentored by Fred Jordan, the late VP of Music Programming. Over the years, Dukes has contributed significantly to hip-hop’s ascent to the top of the music industry by creating groundbreaking content for digital, social media, and television platforms. He has worked with notable artists like Jay-Z, Lauryn Hill, D’Angelo, and Kanye West, among others, and has been instrumental in the development of MTV’s urban unit and the popular Video Music Awards.

In addition to his work at MTV, Dukes co-founded MTV JAMS and was part of the team that launched the African-American-targeted cable network, REVOLT, in 2013. He has also consulted for various record labels and media platforms, played a vital role in the rise of the podcast empire, and worked on social justice initiatives like “Justice for Flint” with directors Ryan Coogler and Ava Duvernay. Currently, Dukes is working with legendary journalists Shaheem Reid and Sway Calloway on Coopertown Media, aka CM Media, a venture aimed at creating content and supporting the next generation of content creators in the live production space.