The artistic engagement of Ladies of Hip-Hop (LOHH) along with Founder and Executive Director Michele Byrd-McPhee is part of the 24/25 Rankin Scholars-in-Residence Series. The Rankin Scholar-in-Residence Series, named in honor of former Dean Marjorie Rankin and established through the continuing donations of her friends and colleagues, seeks to bring noted individuals to campus who excel in the multidisciplinary education championed by the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design. The goal of the series is to inspire students, stimulate faculty, invigorate the professional field, and contribute to the Drexel community.

This event is free and open to the public. Register here

“If I could speak my mind, what would I say?” The Ladies of Hip Hop Collective responds to this question through new writings (spoken word tracks), music, and movement spanning dance styles from African to waacking, vogue, hip hop, and house. Curated under the direction of Michele Byrd-McPhee, The Black Dancing Bodies Project is an initiative to uplift and celebrate Black women in street and club dance culture, addressing the erasure and miscoding of Black women’s contributions to American dance culture. The Black Dancing Bodies Project: Speak My Mind reclaims community stories, gestures, mannerisms, hairstyles, dances, and cultural norms. 

Artist discussion immediately following the performance. 
Tickets are free but registration is required. 


Engage more with this artist:

The driving force behind LOHH, Michele Byrd-McPhee is a 2024-25 Rankin Scholar-in-Residence for Drexel’s Antionette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design. A 2023 Bessie Award winner for Outstanding Service to the Field, Michele is a street dance activist and creative visionary who works to decolonize hip-hop culture along gender, cultural socio-historical, and racial lines. Michele Byrd-McPhee’s visit to Drexel includes a week-long residency, October 8-11, 2024.