The fourth keynote for the upcoming European Hip Hop Studies Conference is the esteemed Dr. Kyra Gaunt. The ethnomusicologist, specialized in Black feminism, will speak on the often overlooked role that women played in over 50 years of Hip Hop history, challenging the often male-dominated narratives of the Culture.

Kyra Gaunt is an Assistant Professor at UAlbany and a cutting-edge scholar of digital and embodied ethnomusicology. Her work centers Black music studies, Black girlhood, and Hip Hop feminism. She is the author of The Games Black Girls Play: Learning the Ropes from Double-Dutch to Hip-Hop, winner of the Merriam Prize and a catalyst for acclaimed dance, film, and media projects. Her scholarship has been featured by the New York Times and inspired the Oscar-nominated documentary Black Girls Play.