Hip Hop is the soundtrack of forgotten streets that defy our forgetfulness. Its tones are sometimes inspired, sometimes enraged, sometimes despairing, sometimes hopeful.

So begins a fascinating new book by Daniel Hodge, a long-time ConversantLife.com blogger and the author of The Soul of Hip Hop (InterVarsity Press). Bobby Duran, Events Production Manager for Urban Youth Workers Institute, sat down with Daniel for a three-part interview that will inform and inspire you (even if you aren't a Hip Hop fan). In this interview, Daniel gives a birds-eye view of this cultural phenomenon. "Rap is something that's done, but Hip Hop is something that's lived," Daniel says. "People have a story and they want it to be heard. How do we engage that?"