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'Hamilton' actor Daveed Diggs on bringing rap to Broadway

Actor and rapper Daveed Diggs on the beauty and power of words and his new rap group, Clipping.
CBC Radio ·
Daveed Diggs's passion for words brought him to the Broadway sensation Hamilton, his group Clipping, and beyond. (Brookside Artist Management)
Q17:21Daveed Diggs talks Hamilton and bringing rap to Broadway

For Daveed Diggs, it was a long road toward Hamilton. Before he played Lafayette and Jefferson in the smash hit Broadway musical, the actor and rapper spent several nights roughing it on subway benches. 

Today the Tony Award-winner joins guest host Gill Deacon to share how his passion for words helped him survive his most trying times, how shows like Hamilton could change the demographics of the theatre-going audience, and why the spoken word community has long been a critical space for voices like his — especially while growing up. 

"There's a lot of spaces that care about what kids are buying. There are a lot of spaces that care about what kids are watching. But there aren't a lot of spaces that care about what kids are saying," says Diggs, adding that more young people need to be encouraged to "write and speak brilliantly." 

Diggs's rap group Clipping has a new album out on September 9th. 

Check out the Air 'Em Out. (Note: explicit language.) 

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