Celebrity & Entertainment
Hip-Hop
Emcee / Activist / Co-Owner of Blacksmith Music Label
Few hip-hop artists have made as profound an impact in as short a time as Talib Kweli. In recent years, Kweli has played a major part in bringing a sense of spirituality, social conscience, and moral balance back to... |
Hip-Hop Artist & Actor
Mos Def's devotion to hip-hop and passion for social consciousness combine with a synergy seldom witnessed in rap history. Def’s first solo album, a multi-dimensional portrait of an MC who embodies the best of hip-... |
Rapper & Actor, Law & Order: SVU
Hip-hop pioneer currently starring on Law and Order: SVU, Ice-T has risen up from the harsh realities of growing up disadvantaged to become a successful entertainer and entrepreneur. Serving as a sobering,... |
Spoken Word Artist
Redefining poetry and spoken word as a living art form, speaker Saul Williams has written such works as The Dead Emcee Scrolls and said the shotgun to the head. |
Public Intellectual & Best-Selling Author
Named by Essence magazine as one of the 50 most inspiring African Americans, Dyson is one of the nation's most renowned public intellectuals, revitalizing the role with the fervor of an ordained Baptist... |
Grammy Award-Winning Artist, Actor & Author
Grammy Award-winning artist Common holds an extensive acting career starring opposite such stars as Denzel Washington and Forest Whitaker. Hailed as one of hip-hop’s most poetic and respected lyricists, Common... |
Rap Artist & Community Activist
Performer, author, and activist Sister Souljah organizes community youth events that encourage activism. Her best-selling books include No Disrespect. |
Social Critic & Intellectual
An activist, social critic, and one of the nation's most notable African American leaders, Dr. Marc Lamont Hill is among a new generation of public intellectuals who move with equal ease between Faculty Row and... |
Film & Music Producer
The executive producer of the Oscar-nominated Precious, speaker Lisa Cortes has worked with Russell Simmons at Def Jam Records and is former CEO of Rush Artist Management. |
Political Activist / Writer
As a talented political activist, poet, journalist, essayist, hip-hop historian, public speaker, and entrepreneur, Powell is widely considered one of America's most important voices in these early years of the 21st... |
Manager of Lady Gaga & Founder of Atom Factory
A master at leveraging the power of digital media to connect with fans and cultivate brand loyalty, business speaker Troy Carter catapulted Lady Gaga to unparalleled fame. |
Entrepreneur & Spiritual Leader
Once a rapper with Run DMC, today Joseph "Rev Run" Simmons is the star of Run's House, a fashion mogul, and a minister. |
America's Top Hip-Hop DJ
Ask any southern rap fan to name the most prominent DJ in his region right now, and they will say, “DJ Drama.” Named by Rolling Stone Magazine as number one DJ in the Hip-Hop universe, his hits are certified... |
Tariq Trotter from The Roots
Lauded for his complex lyrical content, instrumental prowess, and improvisational skill, Tariq Trotter, a.k.a. Black Thought, delivers an unforgettable performance. |
Author, Emcee & Producer
Dubbed "the conscience of rap" and its "leading activist" by "Rolling Stone". Organizing KRS-ONE's Temple of Hip-Hop Kulture, a hip-hop preservation society that promotes hip-hop as a strategy toward health, love,... |
Hip-Hop Recording Artist
Nas is heralded as one of New York's leading rap voices. Whether proclaiming himself as "Nasty Nas" or "Nas Escobar" or "Nastradamus" or "God's Son," Nas evolved from a young street disciple to a vain all-knowing... |
Hip-Hop Artist
LL COOL J is an entertainer who has succeeded in crossing into all mediums of entertainment. Already a talented actor, two-time Grammy Award winner, and NAACP Image Award winner, LL continues to display his wide... |
Groundbreaking Urban Artist
Internationally known for his best-selling collection of fine art posters, Justin Bua pioneered a distinct new style, "Distorted Urban Realism," which offers a glimpse into the city's underground worlds. |
Director of Urban Marketing for Virgin Records
As the Director of Urban Marketing for Virgin Records and the former general manager of Ruff Ryder Records, speaker Leota Blacknor is a music industry expert. |
Correspondent for Extra Newsmagazine
Having succeeded in building a successful career in marketing and entertainment, AJ Calloway encourages young adults to strive for academic excellence and pursue entrepreneurship. He is currently a correspondent for... |
