In this special live episode, we take the Lawyer’s Hip Hop Happy Hour back to where it all began—Howard University School of Law. Recorded in front of a live audience during Homecoming Week, this vibrant panel celebrates 20 years since our graduation and showcases the brilliance, resilience, and rhythm of HUSL alumni making their mark across the legal landscape.

Host Alfred Guillaume is joined by an all-star lineup of Howard Law graduates, including Chris Stewart, one of the nation’s leading civil rights attorneys; Willie Phillips, the first Black Commissioner of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); Marguerite Lanaux, District Public Defender for Baltimore City; and other trailblazers representing every corner of the legal spectrum.

Together, they share stories of justice, purpose, music, and legacy—reminding us why Howard Law remains a cornerstone of Black excellence in the law.

🎧 Tune in for laughter, insight, and celebration as we honor two decades of friendship, advocacy, and the enduring power of The Mecca.

This month’s episode is called One Night in Belize—a title inspired by an unforgettable night of karaoke, laughter, and big energy with some crazy folks, including Bella. What started as a 50th birthday celebration for a mutual friend turned into a living mixtape of throwbacks, bangers, and deep cuts that brought the room all the way to life.

In this BTS episode, I’m breaking down some of the tracks we talked about in our interview —and a few of the tracks from that Karoke night that we didn’t get to on-air.

So whether you were with us in Belize that night or just listening in from afar, consider this your backstage pass to the joy behind the mic.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Welcome back to part two of my interview of powerhouse anesthesiologist Dr. Bella Speight. In the first half, we got into her remarkable journey of becoming a physician and a force in the medical field. But now—we’re switching lanes as we always do….

One thing about Bella – she loves a powerful woman like Lil Kim – but she also loves her some Southern & specifically Texas Hip-Hop

Let me just say—if you assumed that being in medical school meant she wasn’t tapped into the culture, think again. You are not ready for how deep her hip-hop knowledge runs. From college days to now, she’s got stories, memories, and takes that will surprise you—in the best way.

We’re talking UGK, Lil Kim, Snoop, and Neo Soul, and how the music shaped not only her worldview, but also gave her something to hold onto through the grind of becoming a doctor. It’s about music, memory, identity—and a lot of the Southern sound that raised her.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy!

This month’s featured guest is powerhouse anesthesiologist Dr. Bella Speight, and her journey in medicine is nothing short of extraordinary.

 She’s incredibly in tune with the world around her, unapologetically opinionated, and not afraid to speak up when it matters most.

This month’s episode is the story of a woman thriving in a demanding, high-stakes field—and using her voice to push for awareness around the issues that matter most to her profession and community.

Sit back, relax and enjoy, this is an episode you don’t want to miss!

Jay-Z’s the Black Album, Kanye’s College – Dropout, Common’s album “Be”, and T.I.’s Trap Muzik – all came from this era. Bonafide hip-hop classics! 

As I always do - I will break down songs from these albums and - educate you on the samples and inspiration behind these classics.

Sit back, relax and enjoy – let’s take a trip down memory lane – inspired by Howard University School of Law – class of 2005!

This month I had the pleasure to sit down with my good friend and law school classmate, Personal Injury Attorney Samuel Anyan, from Philadelphia, PA.

Sam is one of the country’s most preeminent personal injury lawyers, having recovered millions of dollars on behalf of his clients.   

During this part of the interview, Sam and I chose a lot of records that were popular during our time in law school, such as the Black Album, College Dropout and many others that are today considered hip-hop classics. We had a great conversation reminiscing about our time in law school and the music that was the soundtrack to our law school lives.

 Sit back, relax and enjoy – this an interview that you don’t want to miss!

This month’s episode features an interview with powerhouse personal injury attorney, Samuel Anyan, Esq. from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Sam has successfully represented clients in all types of injury cases - including against major corporations. He has recovered millions of dollars on behalf of his clients. 

Sam’s journey in the law is inspiring. He did not allow early setbacks to determine his future success. This interview was inspirational to me, and it is a reminder that no matter the obstacle in life, we can always overcome it and achieve success!

Sit back, relax and enjoy – this an interview that you don’t want to miss!

Most people talk about New York City being the birthplace of hip-hop....they mention the importance of the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and even Staten Island…. but as my loyal listeners and fellow hip-hop heads already know - Long Island has been a major part of hip-hop since the beginning!

Biz Markie, EPMD, Public Enemy, and De La Soul – are just a few of the groups and artists that we will discuss today. Sit back, relax and enjoy! Welcome to Behind the Scenes. 

This month I had the pleasure to sit down Marguerite Lanaux, the District Public Defender for the City of Baltimore.

Ms. Lanaux oversees the attorneys of the Public Defender’s Office for Baltimore City, an office that provides representation for thousands of people charged with criminal offenses each year. 

A native of Long Island, NY, Marguerite and I discussed some of her favorite hip-hop albums including her love of Method Man & Mary J. Blige, and even some down south classics that might surprise you!

Sit back, relax and enjoy – this an interview that you don’t want to miss!

This month’s episode features an interview with Attorney Marguerite Lanaux, the District Public Defender for the City of Baltimore.

Ms. Lanaux is the lead attorney for the Public Defender’s Office in the City of Baltimore.  She and I discussed some of her most interesting cases as a trial attorney, her current job responsibilities as the city's number one Public Defender and the somewhat untraditional trajectory that brought her to this very important position.

I’ve known Marguerite for over twenty years – she and I share a lot in common – including a similar sense of humor! You’re going to have to listen to the interview to determine which of us is funnier…. I think you already know the answer to that question.  

Sit back, relax and enjoy – we’ve got a lot to discuss! 

Barry’s records were in heavy rotation in Royce’s house growing up this episode is for you and all the other smooth cats out there in hip-hop land.

Sit back, relax and enjoy, welcome to the Lawyers Hip Hop Happy Hour.

In this second segment of my interview, he and I discussed his love for all things hip-hop. Senator Duplessis is a New Orleans native, so you already know his musical acumen is on point! He and I talked about hip-hop old and new, from Larry June to Slick Rick….but my favorite part of the conversation was us talking about the music that laid the foundation for our beloved hip-hop.

Wait until you find out some of the records he pulled from the crates, especially the artist that was in heavy rotation in his childhood home.

Sit, back, relax and enjoy and as we say in New Orleans – Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!!

Senator Duplessis represents Louisiana’s 5th State Senate district, which is primarily located in the great city of New Orleans. He and I discussed his career path and the things that led him to become of the State’s most visible political leaders.

We also discussed his time at Howard University School of Law, and how that helped prepare him for his current role as a State Senator. The future is bright for Senator Duplesis, The country needs a leader like him. Who knows? Maybe you’ll hear more about him on the national stage in the years to come! In the meantime – consider this interview your introduction to a rising political star.

Sit back, relax and enjoy, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Join me as I discuss some of his most important works, and let's listen to the songs and artists that sampled his music throughout the years!

Warren and I discuss some of his most famous cases, including his representation of Dontee Stokes, a man accused of the attempted murder of a Roman Catholic priest in Baltimore, that had abused him years earlier.

Warren discussed the Stokes case, and many other memorable cases that he has participated in during his distinguished career.

Warren and I also discussed his connection to actress and Baltimore native Jada Pinkett Smith! This is an interview you don't want to miss!

Mr. Tariq Trotter, also known as Black Thought, the lead MC of the Roots Crew.  

He is a part of too many great songs for me to fit them all into one episode, so I am going to focus on some of my favorites, starting in reverse chronological order, with some of the more recent songs in the beginning, taking it back to some familiar classics. 

As in all BTS episodes, you are going to learn about some of the great samples that made these songs possible. 

Sit back, relax and enjoy, this special episode of BTS!

Rizzy is the American dream, a Philadelphia native, whose family originates from Pakistan. He is a lifelong fan of hip-hop, and it just happens that he is friends with one of the all-time great lyricists in hip-hop history, Black Thought of the Roots Crew. 

RIzzy and I talk about his friendship with Black Thought, the rich musical history of Philadelphia, his love of the Wu-Tang Clan, Little Wayne and (believe it or not) Simon and Garfunkel!

This was a fun episode. I appreciate Rizzy because he went DEEP into the crates, and we talked about it all. 

Rizzy honed his trial skills as a federal prosecutor for the District of Columbia where he rose quickly in the ranks to serve in senior roles in both the Violent and Repeat Offender Unit and in the Cyber Crime Section. 

He is a Philadelphia native, and a proud graduate of THE Howard University School of Law.  A true Howard man, Rizzy is actively engaged in many social justice and civil rights initiatives, and he’s taken a special interest in criminal justice reform. 

This month's episode is dedicated to Bronx MC's!

Some of the albums Dave chose from the crates included Camp Lo’s 1996 cult classic Uptown Saturday Night, the groundbreaking 1987 album Criminal Minded, from Boogie Down Productions.

We also discussed New Rochelle Native's Brand Nubian’s 1990 debut album One for All and other Bronx MC's.

Sit back relax and enjoy!   Let’s take the train on up to the Boogie Down Bronx!

Dave grew up in New York City during hip-hop’s golden era. Not only is he from New York, but he’s from the birthplace of hip-hop, the Boogie Down Bronx. 

This episode is for my true hip-hop heads. If you are ready to listen to us discuss our favorite track from Raekwon’s Only Built for Cuban Linx, about whether Nas’s It Was Written is a superior album than Illmatic or if you know about that Raekown Purple tape, this is the episode for you! 

Dave started his career in Big Law, at the NYC firm Paul Weiss, Rifkand, Wharton and Garrison, leaving the firm briefly to accept a federal clerkship with a district court judge in Pennsylvania. 

During the 2008 presidential campaign, Dave took an unpaid position in the campaign of then Senator Barak Obama, and we all know how the story ended for President Obama. Dave didn’t stop there; he did such a good job during the campaign he landed a job in President Obama’s White House. After serving faithfully in the White House, Dave transitioned to the Treasury Department under Treasury Secretary Jack Lew. 

I met Dave in 2002, during our first year of study at Howard University School of Law, he is one of the hardest working people I’ve ever met, and I cannot wait for you to hear his story.

1) The Roots 1999 album Things Fall Apart; 2) Outkast, 1996 game changer ATLiens; 3) and the greatest gangsta rap album in East Coast History, Mobb Deep’s 1995. classic album, The Infamous.

Don't forget to check out the interview(s) where Fintech expert Christopher Brummer, Esq. and I discuss these albums at length.

Chris is the host of the award-winning podcast Fintech Beat, and founder of Fintech Week in Washington D.C., an annual conference that features top financial players from across the globe.

Chris and I discuss his childhood in rural Arkansas and the scholarship he received as a young man that enabled him to travel abroad that changed his life. We discuss his undergraduate experience at Washington University, his time in law school at Columbia University in New York City, and his PhD. from the University of Chicago.

Chris is a regular contributor to many major media outlets, such as the New York Times, CNN, MarketWatch, Fast Company, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Yahoo Money, Roll Call, Cointelegraph, and Coin Desk

The best part of this interview was learning about Brandi's connection to one of my favorite artists of all time - Ms. Erykah Badu! Sit back, relax, and enjoy! Let's talk hip-hop and everything in between!

*The video version of this interview can also be found on YouTube @TheLawyerHipHopHappyHour.

The 13th Amendment and its impact on the judicial system and was just one of the many topics we touched on during the interview. This is an interview you don't want to miss! Sit back, relax and enjoy!

*The video version of this interview can also be found on YouTube @TheLawyerHipHopHappyHour.

Ray and I talk about LL-Cool J's first album and the influence it had (and still has) on today's fashion trends, his thoughts on how hip-hop evolved from gangsta rap to conscience rap, our thoughts on what makes the "perfect" album (and how Illmatic and Thriller hold up in that conversation), his thought on his favorite current artists, and Pete Rock, one of our favorite producers in hip-hop history, and more!

Dr. Crawford is the first non-lawyer to appear on the podcast. He brought a fresh perspective on many important issues affecting American culture.

Tune in to this informative and entertaining interview! Stick around for the spoken word!

This case had some unexpected twists and turns that would throw even the most experienced defense attorney for a loop! Myself included! Tune in to find out what happened next!

*The events in this story are true. Certain names and locations have been changed to protect the identity of the parties and to preserve attorney-client privilege.

Chairman Phillips remarkable rise to power began in the small town of Fairhope Alabama, where he learned the value of hard work and perseverance. He is a living, breathing example of the American dream. 

As always, we will go on a journey through hip-hop history, break down the music, listen to soulful samples and oh so much more!

Nakia lives by the mantra of "Create-Protect-Monetize." Whether it's helping a client protect an existing brand or ensuring that a future client is protected before investing major capital in a future project.

We talk about a wide range of subjects, including closing the wealth gap in America for African Americans, her time at her beloved alma mater Howard University School of Law, and her multiple entrepreneurial ventures throughout the years.

Wife, mother, and entrepreneur extraordinaire, learn about what inspired Chantal to become a lawyer, and how her experiences at Howard University helped influence her career path.

Chantal opened the doors of her own law firm in 2013, after working for 10 years as a Public Defender in Baltimore Maryland. She is licensed to practice law in Maryland, Washington D.C. and Florida.

Each month Alfred will feature an interview with a different attorney, entrepreneur, or other dynamic professional to learn about their unique life experiences and career path.

The second half of Alfred's interview focuses on the love for hip-hop music and culture. From reminiscing about the golden era of hip-hop to discussing the current trends in music, these interviews will educate and entertain the listener.

After each interview, Alfred includes a behind the scenes episode where he breaks down and analyzes the music he and his guest discussed. Alfred's knowledge and love for hip-hop music is on display for all to witness.

Sit back, relax, pour a drink and prepare to be entertained!