Maco L. Faniel

Maco L. Faniel, a native Houstonian, is an educator, scholar, writer, speaker and advocate.

Maco’s book, Hip Hop in Houston: The Origin and Legacy, examines the history of Houston’s hip-hop culture from its beginnings in the early 1980s to 1991. He explores the nature of Houston hip-hop to discover how it came about, why it’s notable, and what it reveals about the life experiences of urban young people in Houston during the 1980s.

Maco is also contributor to the book Religion in Hip Hop: Mapping the New Terrain edited by Anthony B. Pinn, Monica R. Miller and rapper Bernard “Bun B” Freeman. His chapter, “Mapping Space and Place in the Analysis of Hip Hop and Religion: Houston As An Example,” insists that questions about the role of religion in hip hop must also interrogate the intersection of space, place, and time as significant domains of hip hop cultural practices. From there he analyzes Houston’s hip hop culture to point to what may be religious about it.

Maco recently earned a terminal Master’s of Arts Degree in History (enroute to PhD) from Rutgers University. He holds an MA in History from Texas Southern University and a BA in Speech and Communications from Texas A&M University. Maco’s research centers the social, cultural, and intellectual histories of African Americans in relationship to the carceral state and post-war urban spatializing. Research areas include: the political economy and cultural geography of the war on drugs, mass incarceration, the sunbelt south, race making, identity construction, and hip hop and pop culture. Currently, he examines the war on drugs as a federal mandate carried out in Houston, TX.

His political and social commentary has appeared in numerous web and print publications. Maco is often called on to keynote at events for young people and college students.

Most recently Maco taught courses at Texas Southern University, Hunter College, five prisons in New Jersey through The New Jersey Scholarship and Transformative Education in Prisons Consortium, and Lone Star Community College. Prior to his work in the academy, Maco worked as an affirmative action consultant, college recruiter, corporate recruiter, professional development and career development specialist, and as a middle school teacher.

Just for fun

Favorite Movie: The Last Dragon

Favorite Childhood Book: The Little Engine That Could

Favorite Book: Oh, The Places You’ll Go

Favorite authors: (in no particular order) Malcolm Gladwell, James Baldwin, Richard Wright, Imani Perry, Jelani Cobb, Ralph Ellison, Robin D.G. Kelley, Heather Andrea Williams, Heather Ann Thompson, Kiese Laymon, Jesmyn Ward, and Ta-Nehisi Coates.