Empowering Voices: IPaintMyMind Supports Rapbrary’s Literary Journey

At IPaintMyMind, our commitment to arts, culture, education, and community building is unwavering. We believe in the power of art to transform lives and communities, and our mission is to support and amplify underrepresented voices and perspectives. Today, we are thrilled to announce our third grant-making effort in support of Rapbrary, a groundbreaking nonprofit dedicated to preserving rap as a literary art form.

IPaintMyMind has been comrades with Rapbrary’s founder, Roy Kinsey, since working with him years ago to bring art to the walls of the Chicago Public Library branch he has so dutifully worked at for years now. We have also closely followed Roy’s journey as a rapper and musician, and we’re so heartened to be part of this seminole project.

What is Rapbrary? Rap, books, community.

Rapbrary’s mission is to honor rap music as literature, recognizing the profound stories and poetic expressions embedded within the lyrics of rap artists. By curating and acquiring a diverse collection of works, Rapbrary aims to elevate rap as a legitimate and celebrated form of literature. 

We are proud to support this mission with a grant that includes over $500 in books to help Rapbrary begin curating its collection, along with an additional $500 in startup funding, bringing our total contribution to over $1000.

Donate to Rapbrary Today!

Supporting the Launch of Rapbrary

Our funding will assist Rapbrary’s founder, Roy Kinsey, as he builds beyond the hugely successful launch event at Thalia Hall and begins moving into the Rapbrary space!!! The launch at Thalia Hall marked the beginning of Rapbrary’s journey in preserving and celebrating the rich literary tradition of rap music and we were so happy to be in attendance. We are honored to be a part of this initiative and look forward to seeing the impact Rapbrary will have on the community!!

Curated Collection: Books Purchased for Rapbrary

As part of our support, we have purchased an initial batch of books, curated by Roy Kinsey, that will form the foundation of Rapbrary’s collection. These books reflect the diverse voices and perspectives that Rapbrary aims to celebrate:

• “Bad Sex” by Nona Willis Aronwitz
• “Beyond Bling: Voices in Hip Hop Art”
• “The Black Yearbook”
• “African American Proverbs for All Ages”
• “The 1619 Project: Born on the Water”
• “Your First Million” by Arlan Hamilton
• “Music is History” by Questlove
• “The Chiffon Trenches” by Andre Leon Talley
• “Medgar & Merlie” by Joy Ann Reid
• “Dick Gregory’s Political Primer”
• “Long Division” by Kiese Laymon
• “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison
• “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen” by Inger Burnett Ziegler
• “The Autobiography of Gucci Mane”
• “The Black Joy Project” by Kleaver Cruz
• “Coming Home” by Brittney Griner
• “God Level Knowledge Darts” by Desus & Mero
• “South to America” by Imani Perry
• “Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary” by Jasmine Guy
• “The Source of Self Regard” by Toni Morrison
• “We Are Not Broken” by George M. Johnson
• “Didn’t We Almost Have It All” by Gerrick Kennedy
• “The Upcycled Self” by Tariq Black Thought Trotter

Continuing Our Commitment to Arts and Culture

This grant to Rapbrary follows our previous efforts to support innovative projects that align with our mission. Our first two grant-making efforts included funding for Ideas Beyond Formats (22/23) and Women Unite on behalf of The Black Arts Alliance. These initiatives have made significant strides in promoting arts and culture, and we are excited to continue this tradition with our support for Rapbrary.

Looking Ahead

At IPaintMyMind, we are dedicated to identifying and funding worthy projects that foster creativity, education, and community engagement. We believe in the power of art to tell stories, build connections, and inspire change. We also are lover’s of hip hop, rap, and the culture that produced both. Roy’s art, his dedication to language, words, ideas, creativity, and community, are all reasons why IPMM is proud to play a small part.

By supporting Rapbrary, we are not only preserving a vital art form but also empowering artists to be recognized as the authors and storytellers they truly are. In the last few years, IPMM funded two other initiatives as we launched our own grant-making efforts, and have been so proud to work with Sonnenzimmer via their Ideas Beyond Formats Fellowship and Women Unite (on behalf of The Black Arts Alliance).

Join Us

We invite you to join us in supporting Rapbrary and other initiatives that enrich our cultural landscape. Together, we can make a difference and ensure that the voices of today’s artists are heard and celebrated for generations to come.

Donate to Rapbrary Today!

Stay tuned for more updates on Rapbrary’s launch event and other exciting projects from IPaintMyMind. Thank you for your continued support and commitment to the arts!