Rap and Redemption on Death Row

Mark Katz – Professor of Music, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Alim Braxton – rapper, writer, and activist

Alim Braxton is a rapper, writer and activist who has spent more than a quarter century on North Carolina’s death row. Incarcerated since 1993, Braxton is committed to using his voice to make amends for his crimes and to call out injustice within the U.S. carceral system. In this event, music professor Mark Katz, Braxton’s friend and coauthor, will share the story of Braxton's work, after which Braxton himself will call in from death row for a conversation with the audience.

In 2024, Alim Braxton and Mark Katz co-authored Rap and Redemption on Death Row: Seeking Justice and Finding Purpose behind Bars.

This event is part of a two-day residency with Mark Katz. This residency is made possible by the Moscovich Fund for Innovation in Music, established with a visionary gift from Jim and Barbara Moscovich.

Location: von Kuster Hall, Music Building, Western University

• All are welcome. No tickets or RSVP required. 
• End times are approximate. 
• If this event has a program, it will be on the Concert Programs page up to one week ahead to print at home or save to your phone. Reading programs (on silenced devices please!) during events is perfectly fine.
• Changes happen. Please revisit this page on the day of the event for potential updates.
• For tips on transit, parking, guest expectations, accessibility and more please visit our Audience Information page. 

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