In the final episode of RISE, host Julian Chambliss examines how Detroit-born techno became a global phenomenon while its Black origins were often overlooked. Featuring artists and scholars, the episode explores techno’s deep ties to Afrofuturism, the cultural disconnection caused by commercialization, and the ongoing efforts to reclaim its legacy. It’s a powerful reflection on Detroit’s lasting influence and the music’s role in shaping global conversations about identity and innovation.

Host: Julian Chambliss. Featured Voices: AbuQadim Haqq, Adriel Thornton, Tobias c.Van Veen, John Collins, Reynaldo Anderson, Ytasha Womack, Andrew Charles Edman, Blake Baxter.

Presented by WKAR Public Media in partnership with MSU Museum at Michigan State University.
Supported in part by MSU Federal Credit Union.

Includes:
Julian C. Chambliss and Tobias C Van Veen, “Interview of Afrofuturist Sound Scholar Tobias C. Van Veen,” Michigan State University Library, G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection: Voices of the Black Imaginary, June 2021.

Universal Techno -1996-, 2022.