Juba Kalamka facts for kids

Juba Kalamka (born July 12, 1970) is an African American artist and activist. He is known for his music, writing, and work to help different communities.

Who is Juba Kalamka?

Juba Kalamka was born in Chicago, Illinois, on July 12, 1970. He is a talented artist who uses his voice, drum machine, and sampler to create music. He has been active in the music world since 1988.

His Music and Art

Kalamka has helped release and promote several successful albums. These include five albums by the group Deep Dickollective (D/DC). He also helped with the first solo album by Rocco "Katastrophe" Kayiatos, which won an Outmusic Award.

Kalamka's own work often explores important ideas. He talks about how different parts of who we are, like our background and identity, connect in pop culture. He has written and drawn pictures for many magazines and journals about pop culture.

Speaking Out and Activism

Juba Kalamka is also a speaker and activist. He has spoken at many events and conferences. One important event was "Hip Hop as a Movement" at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

In 2005, Kalamka received a Creating Change Award. This award recognized his work in helping the music community and supporting different groups of people.

Education and Writing

In 2006, Juba Kalamka earned a master's degree in writing from New College of California in San Francisco. He studied how to use performance to bring about change.

An interview with Kalamka and his former bandmate Tim'm West is in a book called Total Chaos: the Art and Aesthetics of Hip Hop. This book was written by hip hop writer Jeff Chang.

Kalamka was also chosen to be on the Board of Directors for the Queer Cultural Center. This center helps produce the National Queer Arts Festival, which celebrates different kinds of art.

In 2022, Kalamka released his first book of poems. It is called Son of Byford.