HipStory Presents Rhythm and Roots featuring MWALIM DaPhunkee Professor & Prophet Parker
June 3rd @ 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Join HipStory for their bi-weekly series, “Rhythm and Roots,” a live music and dance event that celebrates the deep-rooted traditions of Black music and movement. Rhythm & Roots will feature a rotating lineup of live bands, dance performances, and open jam sessions where musicians and dancers can exchange rhythms and movement.
Artist Bios
Prophet Parker PM
Teacher of the Year to Artistic Pioneer
Prophet PM stands as a pillar to the transformative nature of following one’s passion. Born in Los Angeles but raised in Boston Prophet is truly a kid of two coasts. As a second generation singer-songwriter and photographer he has learned by doing. In 2020 he was named Boston Spark Educator of the Year for his exceptional dedication to teaching (P.E.), and in 2021 Prophet made the courageous decision to leave the realm of education behind in pursuit of a deeper calling: Music & Photography
Having found recordings of original material form as early as 4 years old, Prophet has always loved sharing his voice. As the front man for the tribute band PK & the Mighty Seven (est. 2014), he honed his craft as a vocalist, performer, and live sound engineer. In 2023 he was accepted into the Creative Entrepreneur Fellowship through America for the Arts and is now primed to shift the energy.
Mwalim DaPhunkee Professor
Mwalim DaPhunkee Professor is a contemporary Blues Griot and soul artist whose performances bridge the deep traditions of Black folk music, blues testimony, and modern soul storytelling. A multi-award-winning composer, singer, guitarist, keyboardist, and cultural scholar, Mwalim channels the griot tradition through original songs and reimagined blues and soul classics that weave history, memory, and lived experience into powerful musical narratives. Drawing from roots in the Black oral tradition, jazz, and underground groove culture, his performances are as much cultural testimony as they are concert experience—raw, soulful, and deeply human. Critics have praised his work for its emotional depth and genre-spanning artistry, placing him in conversation with artists like Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, and Gil Scott-Heron.
A three-time New England Urban Music Award winner and co-founder of the Grammy-nominated soul-funk band The GroovaLottos, Mwalim continues to redefine blues and soul for contemporary audiences through performances that blend groove, improvisation, and storytelling. He appears as a trio with The ZYG 808 on drums and Richard Johnson on bass, delivering immersive live sets rooted in blues, soul, jazz, and original composition. Mwalim will headline the Blues & Soul Showcase at POSTunderground in Brookline on June 12, bringing his acclaimed Blues Griot performance to one of the region’s most vibrant listening spaces.