Hip Hop Changed Us: Rob Markman Discusses 'The Tanning Of America'

By Ernest Baker

February 25, 2014 / 11:00 AM

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Last night, The Tanning Of America: One Nation Under Hip Hop premiered on VH1, and it runs until Feb. 27, every night at 11 PM ET. We sat down with some of the most influential people in media to find out how hip hop impacts their lives, and extend the discussion that's being generated by the four-part television event. We've already heard from Joe La Puma of Complex Media, Rafi D'Angelo of SoLetsTalkAbout.com, and Hot 97's Miss Info. Now it's time for our conversation with MTV's Rob Markman.

Rob Markman grew up at a time when people thought hip hop was a fad. "I remember being in school and teachers telling me, 'You're wasting your time listening to hip hop,'" he recalls. Regardless of detractors, his passion for the culture never faded. He spent his time watching Video Music Box and reading The Source, and now hip-hop is the core element of his career. In our video, Markman talks about his experience working with rap music everyday at MTV and, like The Tanning of America also explores, what it means when hip-hop goes so far as to even influence the presidential election.

Airing February 24-27 at 11 PM ET each night, The Tanning of America takes a look at how hip hop has completely shifted the landscape of American culture. Check back tomorrow for another hit of knowledge from Revolt TV host Sharon Carpenter.

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