♪ >> The list of his talents keeps growing.

He's an Emmy award-winning hip-hop artist educator Community and anti-violence advocate motivational speaker and author Lexington's Divine Caron was first published book about his craft and being an independent artist is out.

Page is full of rhymes.

Is the name.

>> We'll talk about that.

How a video he made to help youth went viral and earned him national attention and his work in the mayor's office and that reducing gun violence in Lexington.

All that now with divine on connections.

♪ ♪ ♪ Thank you so much for joining us today for connections.

I'm Renee Shaw know I've said this before and I want to say it again.

Devine Koroma is a master performer activists and inspirational force in central Kentucky and really across the state and nation.

He is no stranger to this program and this stage and he updates us a lot on his work as art as activism.

>> And early 2024, he released his first book titled Pages Full of Rhymes.

That includes personal and poetic verses from his music catalog and chronicles his joys and challenges as an independent artist.

And there's so much more to him.

And we're all going to talk about it right now with divine from a good to see a survey.

Renee Harry, you, I'm great.

I'm great.

I'm so glad you still make time to come on because we know that you are jetting all over the place and the time that we recorded this interview on Tuesday afternoon, the next day, you're going to go back out to say Jennifer Hudson again.

So I'm glad I can fit in on the schedule with with day at present the opportunity to come and talk to I know how much you've always supported me over the years.

And so >> about.

let's talk about it.

OK, first of all, first things first.

Yeah.

>> Happy had a had a lot to say this.

Happy.

Happy birthday.

>> So your new baby?

Yes, sir.

All 5 weeks at the time that we So tell us her name.

>> Nye on the loose ball game >> another girl.

Another girl, another girl.

But you still get to be king of the castle.

I know.

I do not tell people this, Renee it it being a a girl.

Dad is a is a calling.

>> Right.

You know, I mean, you know, any way that you can be up and is a blessing.

But, you know, being a father of girls has been a joy in my life.

And so I've been able to use some of my experience to give them game yes But then also I just think there's a special girls had with their dads and salute my.

I think that's all I'm a clearly.

>> High girls and yeah, yeah.

And that father daughter relationship is so important.

You're right.

I mean, because you're going to show her how to be treated.

Yes, right now.

And you are her first love.

That's right, right.

So that starts with me.

And there's a responsibility there.

But I think there's excitement but a little fear and start all over.

His daughter will be turning.

23.

Yeah, she's in New York.

I'm chasing her.

Dreams could be on Broadway.

And so to start all over trying to some of I can.

Yeah, but now it's a blessing.

Well, you've got tons of energy.

So congratulations to you and your lovely wife to thank.

I saw my congratulations.

Thank.

And then so that labor wasn't enough.

This new book.

>> Page is full of rhymes, right?

Came out in February of 2024, thanks, right.

And so I we've got a picture of it on the screen right now.

This is your first book, not your last.

So you've got a there.

We go ready, name and claim it comes out.

So tell us about what inspired you to write this book and what are we going to see inside?

>> So I you know, when I was a I was the avid reader.

My parents always made sure that I read a lot.

And the majority of those books were black history books.

So they weren't in just books for the purpose of reading, but they were purpose for you.

And so I always thought it was a pipe dream.

Maybe one day.

You know, our write my own book.

But then when I got in hip-hop, I me creating music and expressing myself through song maybe was scratched and that it should be an author was a different kind of yeah, right.

And now celebrate my 20 20th year.

Yeah.

As independent hip-hop artists and God just put it on my heart to everything into kind of this one I'm thinking of legacy.

You know, I want one space where my children, my grandchildren can come and not only learned of my works of art, but what inspired me about hip-hop culture, how does it connect to community?

What is hip hop?

What was the grind like starting from slim mix?

Tapes idea Trump to uploading things on the social media and I've been around long enough to honor all of that's right.

Yeah.

And I just felt it was time.

And you know, I'm here.

We are a useful around and we just celebrated the 50th.

>> Anniversary of hip-hop that last year, it was a perfect way to kind of bland.

All of this work together.

Yeah.

So when you look back on your younger days, starting out, you know, trying to hustle those out of the back of your troughton.

I guess they were CDs.

Yeah.

He weren't doing cassette would unwrapping.

It just wasn't wrapping in.

Right.

So when you think about that, like what is it that kept you motivated?

Because as an independent artist and not having the backing of the industry, this is what a lay person would say.

You do me wrong.

It's like I mean, what is the struggle?

Yeah, I think for me the motivating factor for me was the culture.

And I know that that sounds corny because today it's more about the clout.

>> The cultures probably last on the checklist for a lot of today's artists.

It's about the tension, the clout, the industry are actually looking for influencers to give deals to, to create music because they know that they can drive stream.

So it's not even about the art right way.

I think for me because of the air that I came up in understanding the origins of hip-hop is a voice for the voiceless.

It's about overcoming struggle being in those underserved communities, right?

That's where was born being a true art form.

For me, the motivation is the culture.

All right.

So regardless of whether I have a label back in not I got million streams, I got in.

I know that everything on creating a something that my kids and grandkids and their kids will have.

So for me, it's about leaving a legacy not without collecting bomb here, but looking Ali behind once I'm gone.

>> Has it always been that way or did you have some dreams of stardom in the beginning?

Definitely had those aspirations.

But even those aspirations of making a big were tied into a bigger purpose because there was a message that I wanted to convey to the world.

And so if I can make it be in this, this message would be on a bigger platform.

So when I realized that the industry was involved in a way that where maybe my style of music wouldn't get a shot at that big stage and really started to focus on the co chair.

In my walk, guys started to open doors nationally that weren't there before.

And so maybe I'm the focus should always be on the coach.

And I think I'm showing kids that you can make it in a different way.

You know, you don't have to go out and do salacious stains just to get attention to give used to go viral.

You could just do positive things.

Livia purpose, EU Stu, get a platform to do some pretty incredible things.

And that's what I've been able to do the last couple years.

>> So I have a Sirius XM and I listen to the cart Franklin Channel.

Yeah.

And on on Sunday afternoons, maybe Saturday afternoons chases and it's called the resounding and it's got some very I mean, it's almost secular sounding, right?

Yeah, but it's Christian rap.

And it makes me like what what are they say it right, because the beat so good.

That's right.

Dash cams.

And like, if you like, you know, I can really jammed against after Rihanna.

And you're like listening to the lyrics like this is got a serious message to is saying something.

It's saying something it is.

And I think that's always been kind of minutes.

Yes.

>> There's Obviously the messages grown to be more positive over the years, right?

But I think I never lost my edginess or artistic credibility.

I never done anything down right?

You know, it's still I'm still me.

And so I think that's been one of the reasons I've been able to connect to a different audience.

Yeah.

And you spoken to to people's pain.

Yes, right.

To people's struggle to social justice movement.

That's right.

Every cent.

>> That's right.

Right to to helping empowering young women and speaking to like our elders, as you know, how you've elevated some of the black men in our community, who we still learn from.

And I think.

>> That's what hip-hop was about.

Like there's a parity in it like we can't.

It can't be sanitized like it can't be completely clean because hip-hop comes from struggle and pain.

Right?

But it always had that hope.

All right.

Always had that hope.

And I think when you are diverse in your subject matter, when us peek into what the community is going through.

I think that's when you can be a long are be around for 20 years.

That's right.

You can have that longevity that relevant >> I'm just doing me.

And just to think you're just getting started.

And I mean, 20 years in.

Yeah.

And you're just getting started.

You haven't hit your full stride.

>> In many ways.

Yeah, and it's scary to think about that.

But also those 20 years have prepared me for we're I'm on my way to because I don't know if I was developed in a phone with my character was ready to handle 2 years ago.

Now.

Yeah, now, yeah.

It was a blessing to withhold no question.

Some of the goodness.

Until you are mature enough to have that.

Some were dressed >> Process truss the process right?

>> So your motivational speaking continues to jest because if no one's ever heard you and you've got to listen to you, right to does know how deep you are.

>> How then to QR like you can tell when I've seen even in a church environment like it's fire.

Yeah, it's straight fire.

So.

Young kids, I mean, I know that's your passion.

And there is a video that we want to show now.

I hope many people already seen it.

But this is divine Koroma in his element with our youth.

Take a look.

>> And among the board is into his glasses.

And I want you to tell me when to stop.

The New York, a new mine.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> So and know that was not what wait.

No word on when clean it up.

One conversation, all ayes and 0 banks can make now Belen this right here represent us.

What happens is we take in everything that we experienced throughout the day, right?

But because those young men, we KET listen, fellas.

>> Trying to be Tom, we don't live in now.

We don't talk about it.

We KET in and what eventually happens.

are slow and we may come next.

Now this is just water, this could be because the teacher and and this could be we've got to fly with our free news, everybody on this day in so many young men, we have to find safe places that we can talk about what we're going to want within that makes is nearby.

That did this.

And I I did a great job today.

The cleanest water and why high.

>> Haha, I love that.

But I love how you illustrated emotional regulation is what they call it.

Yeah, right, right.

But how what do you do when you don't know what to do?

>> Yeah, I mean, that is that's the When I took over one Lexington to address up on the bill, gun violence we have to go to the root.

You know, there's at is I think is Desmond to to the talks about and a village.

You know, there are all these children in the water and they kept seeing all these children drowned in the water.

And so they're pulling them out.

But eventually Elder said we need to go upstream to figure out why these kids KET fallen in.

And so that is what we're doing with one Lexington.

And this is part of it right?

There was so many grown man because he's got over 20 million views.

Right?

Right now.

Social media.

So many grown men have hit me up that it did time in prison, made mistakes in our lives.

This is somebody had to talk me that lesson.

I would never went to prison.

I a decisions and choices.

And so how can we teach our young boys about emotional intelligence, mindfulness, understanding their emotions and how to deal with it.

I think that's what we have to go.

We have to go to the root.

The status stop address in just the symptoms.

Yeah.

Yeah.

It was a perfect illustration of I appreciate that I made like simple to.

It is a love main like when you were.

So when did when did that spark for you?

>> Like that?

This is this is how I can communique.

Yeah.

They can really help regulate their own emotions.

So I'm like a big dis movie watcher.

>> You know, pass take is back in the day would come make a sermon about anything, right?

He's not talking to a bit to been to start talking to the right.

That's I think for me, I'm always pulling for movies.

I'm pulling from songs just everyday Life.

What are practical?

Simple ways.

Metaphors similes just like I would in music to be able to convey a message and sometimes it's about putting that medicine and ice cream.

You know, it's not just what you say.

It's how you say.

That's right.

That's right.

And so I'm just trying to be creative.

Yeah, yeah.

>> Well, your creativity got you on.

Good Morning America.

parents on the Jennifer Hudson show another one to come.

And we're going to show some video of when you are coming out.

You know, it's all that fanfare.

And Jennifer Hudson is saying, please welcome your Viacom.

Oh, I have that feel.

>> Nervous you can see, by the way, I walked It's right there.

That's why.

>> Look, as soon as she heard me right there, the issue is so related, blah instantly calm down the right guy brought you here.

Just talk about what what that is is is doing in your life.

This it.

>> I never even got any sense that you are at all.

Annese are nervous because I settled in.

You settled in.

Yeah.

And she we were just talking about the work.

That's it and just my life.

And when you live in, you often to city your uniqueness and you would just be yourself.

>> It's easy to talk about.

And so.

>> Are you surprised by not just how viral it when it was that that's a whole nother word.

But the fact that now you've got national networks calling you saying come back once I always say when people call on what's it's a it's a compliment.

Hard to see you when they do it twice and more.

It's a compliment different.

It's a little different right?

>> It was like I said when I think good morning America might have been one of the first big ones.

Yeah.

And then Jennifer Hudson, it was kind of surprising because in a sense of always kind of been this hometown hero, which is all I've ever and not even that I wanted to be But as long as I was making an impact at home, I was good.

And so to hear and get all these e-mails and messages from people around the world saying this video has impacted me teachers and professional saying I'm going to use this.

I'm with my kids that I serve judges from different states and I'm going to use this lesson while some of the juveniles that I seen court light to know I could make impact all around the world and that way was super and not that ever did doubt guys reach.

But it just goes to show you that guy will qualify.

You cause I don't have a college degree.

I didn't come into this with a lot of money.

I would just somebody that kept my a guy's voice in he qualified me and put me in the spaces in.

It's just every day I talk to my wife like I can't believe believe I'm doing this and this happened and want an appointed for such a time as this brother.

>> I told you that, you know that.

Yeah, right.

And sometimes it it.

It really is more simple than we make it out to be.

You don't have to be a scholar to make an impact.

That's right.

You just need to be transparent.

Relay double.

That's right.

And you do that.

And that's the message to our young people because there's a lot of young people who >> also feel because it are circumstances where they come from, what country did parents come from that?

Hey, maybe I can be a leader.

I can make a difference.

So I want my life to be an example for them that just because your path is unconventional, them me, you can't make it.

And that is make an impact yet.

So let's talk a little bit about one Lexington and park.

This anti-violence work.

Yes.

>> I know that you have made some gains.

Yes, but sometimes when we turn on the news, you see right here, this shooting that killing.

Yeah.

Is it working?

Yes, I think so.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I mean.

>> And you know, I think Jay Z said the holes, you know, Beyonce's husband, you know, men lie, women lie numbers, don't.

And so we've made incredible strides since 2022, we saw almost a 50% drop in homicides last year for the first time is 6 years.

We were under 100 shootings through the 1st quarter this year, you know, knock on wood.

We've only had 3 homicides and shootings are down even nationally.

I think we saw about a 13% decrease last year.

We saw the 46% decrease in Lexington.

And so I definitely think there's progress.

But to which you said it's hard to celebrate on our and because anytime somebody is impacted by gun violence, we're living through this each and every day with these families.

And so for us, it's not something to celebrate.

But I do think that we are making progress and that should be acknowledged.

And I think that special sauce really is the city.

We're coming together right?

>> Yes.

So what is the secret sauce or, you know, Kuz Louisville's trying a group violence intervention approach, right?

That I think our mayor in Lexington is said, you know, not not going to do not going to do right.

And I think that group violence intervention has some mixed results to really know if it's producing what was anticipated.

So what is the secret sauce?

>> I the first thing everybody talks about evidence-based research, right?

And we looked at some evidence base research, but what's happened in San Francisco and Chicago and La and New York.

Can't really have an impact on what's happened in a Lexington because of the demographics of different sizes, different.

I think for us our plan is Lexington centered.

I'm just the other day I was in it in a room full of past us.

So we have a faith coalition of of a different churches that we're working with.

We work with the school system.

The judge is public safety.

We're constantly talking to mothers who have lost children to gun violence.

Parole probation and we pull information from all of these different sectors we analyze.

We look at the gaps.

What's missing, who needs to be communicating with who I am and we believe that's the reason we see so much progress is because all of us at the very least are communicating, right.

There's a lot of coordination happen in a collaboration, but I don't think people realize how people fall through the gaps are most underserved when our sectors are not communicating and working together.

Right.

And I think I would like to think my presence in this position is helped kind of bring people together.

And I think that's what it is.

Not city government.

We've got nonprofits now that rate rising to the occasion.

So is this.

The city is doing.

It is not just one Lexington, we're playing a central role in coordinating, But I want people to know that that the community is rising up and that's why we're seeing such a big difference in Lexington.

>> We do know that the root causes of violence are a lot harder to address.

Yes, right.

And then you know, they're politicized.

Yeah.

Talk about poverty, lack of opportunity, lack of hope, lack, you know, disparities in education.

So when you talk about in social services, you know, disproportionate minority contact with all of those systems.

That's right.

And some way Israel.

>> It there's no question everything.

We protested about 2020 are the root causes of a lot of the violence that was seen in 2023 and beyond in 2024.

Right.

But then also we've got to be careful as a society because we often tend to over correct.

We had this huge movement to remove those disparities and barriers in 2020 now in 2024, I'm on a federal and state level.

We're starting to see not just a reversal of that, but we're almost seeing it in attack when it comes to when it comes, our skews me when it comes to diversity in some other things and directly challenges our work.

And so we've got to be careful as a society not to overreact, not to overreach because there's real consequences that are going to have an impact on some of these underserved communities for decades if we're not careful.

So as you said, it's tough when it stays out of your control.

Yeah.

Stays on the state and federal level that we can't control but we try to do the best we can locally with what we get.

>> Well, you are and congrats.

Thank you.

You know, I'm so proud of you.

I say it every time stop saying and I appreciate your support.

I do want to mention the fact that, you know, you you have with your community work and your artistry because that's what it is.

It's a craft.

Yeah, right.

That's right.

Really is right.

So I don't think I ever acknowledge when you had your Emmy win and we have a picture, you dress dress very sharply right at >> You know, when you think about like are racking up statues in awards like there's 2 approaches, one can have on that are maybe more.

Yeah.

How do you take it in?

How are you?

Are you able to receive it?

>> I got to be the enemy hit a little different just because that, you know, just all the circumstances centered around.

And of course it's in me.

Yeah, right.

But for me, to be the awards means something in the moment.

But the next moving forward, Trent I got most of them in a box in my garage and it's not that I don't appreciate it because I do.

But for me, I think my humility is my own personal special sauce that keeps me motivated every day.

If I get too wrapped up in these awards and all of this use, you start to lose your drive.

And so they're good bump.

They feel good in a moment.

But for me, it's like okay.

But we've got to focus on people who got to focus on the work sso's might be a time.

That's right.

Was my country folk would say don't get too big for your britches.

>> De parte symptoms and that part, right?

You can get another year raisin.

Yeah.

You know, when you start making more highly of yourself than you are, it's out of home.

Humble you.

Real quick, real quick life or get the life and that's right.

Even a life's anyway.

That's right.

So we don't want to get on this so as you think about, like, what's next?

You've got another album coming out.

Yes, so Kentucky for >> this series started back in 2016.

I've been working with some pretty big Got a couple good features.

Kay, why engineering is going to be read remix of the song and we're going to have a remix contests for Kids living on the Southside of Lexington, Kentucky.

It's going to be coming up, give them an opportunity to make some music can get on a on a high platform that donate.

So, yeah, you know, just continuing to make the music.

But now the music just accentuates.

The community were right, right.

And so I'm I'm excited.

Got that coming.

Obviously the book a couple more book signings coming up and is Frank is moving and so that people can find you on your website.

>> Yes, they can either go to Kentucky dot com or just type in divine Karami on Amazon.

The book is available Kendall and a quarter physical copy.

Yeah.

>> We're just go to Kentucky dot com.

Well, congratulations on your first book, right person in the first one.

That's right.

And I'm so proud of like our Kentucky writers, like Crystal Wilkinson was just on, Paul.

And that book is a, you know, and look at and she's has the same kind of mindset like I just wanted to do.

Good for my people.

>> That's right from where I'm from in Casey County, right?

She would say and the same for you.

And so I believe that the reward comes when we take a are the focus on ourselves.

That's right.

And put it where it should be.

And thank God you do that.

I'm so proud of you.

Thank you.

So I always say it, but I am.

I appreciate have to have you back real soon.

Definitely absolutely.

Have safe travels to you can tell Jay Hood a satellite.

While we thank you for joining us.

Check him out on his website and wherever books are sold.

You can see his latest.

His first book and many more to come for sure.

Thanks so much for watching.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Check us out on the social media channels.

And you can also listen to our podcast to at KET Dot Org, Slash podcast.

Until I see you again.

Take really good care of it.

♪ ♪ ♪