November 10, 2026 – Millikin University will welcome back Decatur native and alumnus Dr. A.D. Carson for the 2026 James W. Moore Lecture on Tuesday, December 1.
Carson will present “A Beginner’s Guide to Being Dope,” a lecture and reading from his latest book, “Being Dope: Hip-Hop & Theory through Mixtape Memoir,” published this year by Oxford University Press.
The event begins at 6 p.m. in the University Commons Banquet Rooms. It is free and open to the public, with a book signing following the presentation.
A 2004 Millikin graduate and former Decatur Public Schools student, Carson is now an associate professor of hip-hop at the University of Virginia. His work combines music, history, literature and cultural criticism to explore the role of hip-hop in academic scholarship.
Carson gained national attention for his doctoral dissertation at Clemson University, which was presented as a rap album. The project is believed to be the first rap album accepted as a doctoral dissertation in the United States.
He later made academic history again with “i used to love to dream,” the first rap album to undergo peer review for publication by an academic press. His work has been featured by NPR, Good Morning America and major national publications.
Carson is also the founding director of the Rap Lab at the University of Virginia.
The James W. Moore Lecture Series was established in 1991 to bring speakers with innovative perspectives in the arts and politics to Millikin University.
For more information about Carson and his work, visit aydeethegreat.com.
