The librarian with street cred, UNYP’s Anna Oravcová

You may not know this, but when Anna Oravcová isn’t running the show in our well-stocked library, she can be found running a different kind of show… Street Cypher, a weekly hip hop radio show on Radio Spin 96.2! Taking over the airwaves every Tuesday from 8 – 11pm, Anna focuses on the sounds and grooves of independent hip hop artists and enlightens her listeners about the history of hip hop and its culture.

Originally from Bratislava, Anna’s love of music and culture is a constant in her life. While studying her BA in Liberal Arts at Charles University, a professor suggested she focus her thesis on something dear to her, she chose Gender Stereotypes in Hip Hop as the subject, and then also successfully completed her master’s degree thesis on The Position of Female Rappers in Gender Studies (Charles University).

“Hip-hop has the power to take social issues such as gentrification, institutionalized racism, equal opportunity living, surviving and progressing through single motherhood and explain them in an interesting way,” says Anna. “It’s a modern form of poetry.” Anna is currently a guest lecturer at Charles University, teaching an undergraduate course on Youth Music Subcultures, and this Summer she will also co-teach a course that includes Rap and Poetry Slam from a literary perspective at UNYP.

Anna started her radio career in 2010, with just 5 minutes of airtime, now she hosts a 3 hour program filled with music, informative segments and guest interviews. During her time running Street Cypher Anna has interviewed CeeLo Green and KRS-One, among others.

Currently completing a Ph.D. in Sociology at Charles University, Anna feels comfortable with the path that has brought her this far. “I definitely want to be in an academic environment and since I am a student myself, the library is just the perfect place to be.”

Catch Anna and Street Cypher every Tuesday from 8 – 11pm, on Radio Spin 96.2, and check out the show’s Facebook page to keep up to date with happenings.