A product of Detroit’s east side, writer, filmmaker, and fiery cultural critic, Dream Hampton, grew up in the city’s post-industrial boom period and rebellion’s aftermath, an upbringing that would go on to color her career.

Dream’s father was a respected local jazz musician, and her mother was a community organizer, setting the groundwork for her fearless storytelling, strong commitment to social justice, language, and rhythm.

From hip-hop journalism where she brushed elbows with A-listers like Tupac to documentary exposés, she brought Detroit’s signature fiery spirit to every page she penned.

A graduate of Detroit’s highly respected Cass Technical High School, Dream then studied at NYU’s prestigious Tisch School of the Arts, later gaining a reputation as one of the first Black women to take writing about hip-hop in the ’90s seriously at a time when the genre was still being mostly dismissed by mainstream critics and outsiders.

She was featured in much-loved publications such as “The Source,” “Vibe,” “Spin,” “The Village Voice,” and more, but she did more than just cover artists.

What she was known for was something far more radical:

Telling the truth.

Dream wrote pieces that felt more like personal memoirs and critiques than callouts.

Her work is personal, political, and emotionally charged.

Take her 1996 Vibe cover story on Tupac, which is still considered by many to be one of the rawest, most humanizing portraits of an artist ever written.

A little over a decade later, in 2010, Dream then went on to co-author Jay-Z’s “Decoded,” a piece that was one part memoir, one part poetry, one-part social commentary.

This was not your run-of-the-mill celebrity autobiography.

It was a literary statement, one that was so well received that it led to Dream transitioning over to visual storytelling, which saw her producing short films, experimental pieces, and hard-hitting documentaries, like the 2019 series “Surviving R. Kelly” for Lifetime, a Peabody Award winner that exposed the abuse allegations and systemic protection of industry predator and R&B giant R. Kelly.

Even when she was not living in Detroit full-time, Dream’s work never strayed very far from the city in terms of her voice.

She has also covered issues related to the city and its disenfranchisement, covering everything from water shutoffs and school closures to its rising artists and activists.

That said, she does not ever romanticize the city—she speaks truth to power, challenging policy, political officials, and the many nonprofits that come in with checkbooks and savior complexes.

In 2021, she even helped launch the Detroit Narrative Agency, which funds people of color in media, allowing them to shape their own stories.

In short:

Dream Hampton is not the type to chase fame.

In fact, she regularly turns down more opportunities than she accepts.

Instead, she uses her platform to support survivors, dismantle propaganda, and remind audiences that art has always had a place for struggle and revolution.

She does not cater to comfort zones.

She writes and films like someone who knows the stakes—Detroit’s righteous pen who has never feared slicing through the noise with a stern voice only a city like Detroit could’ve raised.

Victoria Jackson (Editor In Chief)

Victoria Jackson is a lifelong student and sharp-eyed documentarian of all things Detroit, from its rich musical roots and cultural icons to its shifting neighborhoods, storied architecture, and underground legends. With her finger firmly on the pulse of both the city’s vibrant past and its rapidly unfolding future, she brings a deeply personal, historically grounded lens to every piece she writes.

Published on: September 24, 2025