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Listen and download the Main Street Vegan Podcast on Unity Online Radio, or listen and subscribe on Stitcher or Apple Podcasts.
Hip Hop Is Green founder Keith Tucker opens the show with the role vegan eating and healthy, green living play in Hip Hop culture; then we meet vegan entrepreneur Dominick Thompson whose story of redemption and success inspires people around the world.
Hip Hop is Green is a pioneering movement led by a team of artists and performers that use the power and influence of Hip Hop to speak to youth and spark positive changes in their lives. Hip Hop is Green provides powerful, life changing programs for underserved, low income urban youth and their families. We are on the vanguard of the new trend of people open to health, wellness and discovering new products. We are the pioneers in this new Green Age of Hip Hop and we make being healthy cool to youth people and families. Mr. Tucker came up with the concept when he was interviewing vegan rappers on his Seattle radio show earlier in the decade. This introduction through music — and a culinary tour of vegandom at the Seattle VegFest –caused him to go vegan and further refine the idea that Hip Hop’s 9 Elements, beginning with the more familiar ones of DJ-ing, MC-ing, Graffiti Art, and Break Dancing, needed a 10th: Health and Wellness. On April 21. 2016, the 10th Element was officially inaugurated at a gala event in Harlem. The 10th Element’s 6 Pillars are:
- Plant-based eating
- Organic gardening
- Fitness
- Sobriety
- Food justice
- Animal rights
Website: poagp.com
Facebook: facebook.com/hiphopisgreen1
Twitter: @Hiphopisgreen
Instagram: @Hiphopisgreen
Dominick Thompson is a leader in the vegan and plant-based communities. He is the founder of Crazies and Weirdos®, a successful New York based start-up company that produces hip, sustainable clothing made in New York from recycled and organic materials. He is also the founder of Eat What Elephants Eat, a food and nutrition company dedicated to making plant-based eating accessible and affordable with an entire suite of services, including a around-the-clock food and nutrition wellness program designed to help people meet their food and nutrition goals. Prior to his current role he was a healthcare executive responsible for the business development and management of critical relationships with hospital systems and other provider types responsible for delivering services to both small and large communities throughout the eastern region of the United States. Despite this rigorous schedule, at the core, he is still an activist as well as an athlete. Not just any athlete, but a working athlete whose weekly training schedule includes cycling, swimming, running, calisthenics, boxing, cross-fit, cross-training, weight and power-lifting. He also competes year round in 10-12 endurance races per year, including marathons, triathlons, and ultra-races. Because of this and his assertive activism, Dominick has received global recognition and has been featured in NPR News, ABC News, Men’s Health Magazine, Men’s Muscle and Fitness Magazine, Esquire, Veg News Magazine, bodybuilding.com, PETA and more. His social media platform is strong and continues to grow while producing some of the most inspiring, impactful content to over 190,000 followers.
Website: eatwhatelephantseat.com
Facebook: facebook.com/domzthompson
Twitter: @domzthompson
Instagram: @domzthompson
We open the show by playing a clip from “the future is Vegan” from LA rapper Mr. Hip.
Thanks for the introduction to Mr. Hip from Jamal Troupe of @VeganzindaHood
Blast from the past! ~ Back in 2014, I spoke with Hip Hop mogul Russell Simmons and his yoga mentor, Sharon Gannon of Jivamukti Yoga: Russell Simmons and Jivamukti’s Sharon Gannon
A shoutout to our sponsor, Complement. Developed by vegan dietitian Dr. Pamela Fergusson, and the NoMeat Athlete, Matt Frazier, Complement enables you to get your vitamin B12, vitamin D3, and the essential Omega 3 fatty acids (DHA & EPA) in a totally vegan form that you just spray into your mouth once a day and know that your already great diet now has the full complement of essential nutrients. Click here for more info and to order. Use the code MAINSTREETVEGAN for a 10% discount.