Open Mic Conversations
About OMC
Open Mic Conversations (OMC) is hosted by three young African Americans who share a passion for music and black culture. What started off as an Instagram live series titled "Public FaceTime Calls" has evolved into a brand that provides a platform for other music lovers, as well as up-and-coming musicians. Along with the podcast, we also have different series that we premiere on our Instagram and Youtube channel, one titled "First Impressions" and another titled "Concert Cam". Scroll down to learn more about our cohosts.
Meet the Cohosts
Joey Mooreales
@joeymooreales
Alexander Moore aka. Joey Mooreales is a 21-year-old aspiring Producer hailing from Germantown, Maryland. Growing up, his father played a lot classics from the likes of "A Tribe Called Quest" and Rakim, this became the foundation of his exploration into hip hop, and other music genres. His top three genres of music are Hip Hop, Synth Pop, and Experimental Music, his favorite artist is Kendrick Lamar, and his favorite album is To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar.
"I would go back to those old tracks my dad would have playing while discovering new sounds that I never knew I needed to hear, and it really shaped me into the person I am today. I started to talk about my music opinions online and post what I was listening to, and found people that had similar tastes and interests that I had. From there, we've been able to build a group of hip hop heads that love and appreciate this great art form and spread our opinions for the world to see."
-Joey Mooreales
NAT
@asxpnat
Natalya Rones aka. NAT is a 20-year-old aspiring A&R hailing from Prince George's County, Maryland. Being that her mother is a gospel singer, she grew up around music and knew that she loved it, but it was not until later that she discovered her love for black music and the culture. Her top three genres of music are Hip Hop, R&B, and Rock, her favorite artist is Jamie Foxx, and her favorite album is Illmatic by Nas.
"Black music gave me a feeling of comfort. Growing up, I always felt like I was different from everyone else, and I was going through a lot of personal issues with my depression, and I did not have anyone to talk to. Discovering Black Music showed me that I was not alone. For every issue I had, there was someone telling me about how they went through the same thing. I joined OMC to help uplift more black voices in music, so other listeners will always have someone they can relate to."
-NAT
Hellblazr
@hellblazr301
Stefan Siewe aka. Hellblazr is a 20-year-old aspiring rapper hailing from Germantown, Maryland. Listening to artists like Nas, Childish Gambino, and Tech N9ne helped him process emotions and realize that black music was his future. His top three genres of music are Hip Hop, R&B, and Punk Rock, his favorite artist is Kanye West, and his favorite album is The College Dropout by Kanye West.
"I fell in love with black music because it gave me a voice. Black music gave me an embrace that no other genre or person even compared to in my life. The anger I grew up with that was festering and silenced due to my environment and me being closeted had me lookin for somewhere to be heard, to be actually acknowledged and not patronized. Black music made me realize my identity in a heteronormative world and also in a world where my blackness was constantly tested and critiqued."
-Hellblazr