Interviewee: MK Asante, Jr.
Interviewer: Positively Black on NBC

African American writer, professor and filmmaker MK Asante Jr. was born in 1982, right after the Liberation Struggle in Harare, Zimbabwe. He is the son of a choreographer, Kariamu Welsh, and was named after his scholar father, Molefi Kete Asante.

MK Asante Jr. was a student at the Crefeld School in Philadelphia. After graduation, he attended the University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies to study film and literature. Additionally, MK Asante Jr. went on to earn a BA in Africana Studies and English from the Lafayette College, as well as an MFA in Screenwriting from the UCLA School of Theater Film and Television. He received a professorship from the Morgan State University at the age of 23.

In the previous year, the Langston Hughes Society awarded MK Asante Jr. with the 2009 Langston Hughes award. Apart from that recognition, the Philadelphia Inquirer also described him as a “rare, remarkable talent that brings to mind the great artists of the Harlem Renaissance.”

As an author, MK Asante Jr. has written three celebrated books. His most recent publication, It’s Bigger than Hip Hop, was released in 2008. The book was included in the lift of the Top 25 Books of the Year by the Kansas City Star. Additionally, the book was also described by The Los Angeles Times as “an empowering book that moves you to action and to question status quo America.”

His previous book was a compilation of poetry entitled Beautiful, And Ugly Too. His first book, Like Water Running Off My Back, was published in 2002. His first written work was lauded as the winner of the Academy of American Poets Jean Corrie Prize.

As a filmmaker, MK Asante Jr. has produced two award winning feature films through his company, the Asante Filmworx. He wrote and produced the award winning documentary, 500 Years Later. In 2008, he directed and produced The Black Candle. The film, which was narrated by Maya Angelou, was lauded as the Best Documentary at the Africa Film Documentary Film Festival.