Artist Bio

Dr. Brian Mooney - aka b moons - is an award-winning teacher-educator, artist-scholar, poet, DJ, producer, and author from New Jersey. He recently earned his PhD in English Education from Teachers College, Columbia University where his research explores the intersections of language, literacy, and popular culture. In June 2015, Brian’s teaching caught the attention of Pulitzer Prize-winning Hip Hop artist Kendrick Lamar and resulted in a school visit by the rapper.

Brian’s first book, Breakbeat Pedagogy: Hip Hop and Spoken Word Beyond the Classroom Walls, was published in September 2016 by Peter Lang Academic Publishing. His work has been featured by The New York Times, Rolling Stone, MTV, NBC, and NPR. Brian’s forthcoming dissertation is an original Hip Hop and spoken word album. It will be released in Septebmer 2022 on all streaming platforms.

His musical influences include Hip Hop, house music, and jungle / drum n’ bass. Brian cites J Dilla and Burial as two of his biggest inspirations. As a beatmaker, DJ, producer, and musician, Brian creates soundscapes that reflect a lofi vinyl aesthetic, paying homage to the musical production styles of early rave music and underground Hip Hop beat culture. He integrates spoken word poetry into his productions and tells stories with words and sounds that defy easy categorization.

Brian’s music and poetry are available on Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud, and Bandcamp.