I recently spent a few days in Washington D.C. with a team of incredible Hip-Hop artists as we were all accepted as a finalist to participate in the Next Level USA. Grateful pretty much sums up how I am feeling right now knowing that I am a Hip-Hop Cultural Ambassador now for the USA! To top it off, we had a huge Hip-Hop cypher in front of the Lincoln Memorial and the reflection pool…the same place Martin Luther King Jr. gave the “I Have A Dream” speech. Thank you Dr. King!
Next Level is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Meridian International Center. Its mission is to use hip-hop music and dance to foster cross-cultural creative exchange in diverse communities. We work to promote understanding and conflict resolution in these audiences, and support the professional development of artists in those communities.
I honestly do not remember which friend recommended Next Level USA to me a few years ago…I feel like it was Natalie Crue. Long story short, after going through quite a few personal issues and taking a break from music, I bounced back and decided to apply. I have applied for residencies and grants before but never made the cut. This opportunity means a lot to me. My mission from helping to found G.A.ME (the Grassroots Artists MovEment) to founding my record label MANAFEST VISION was always to provide transparency, education, support and a platform for local and international artists to be full self-expressed. It is absolutely mind-blowing that Next Level is empowering an artist like me to do more of what I love on a totally different level. I look forward to the opportunity!
Next Level brings people together and encourages greater understanding through the universality of music as a form of creative self-expression. It also builds on the historic legacy of the U.S. Department of State’s Jazz Ambassadors (like Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Goodman, and Duke Ellington, who first traveled the world in the 1950s to connect with people through music).
The new bonds that I made in D.C. were so powerful. I spent a few days with 30 of the most incredible graffiti artists, MCs, dancers, DJays and producers who were all super talented and on top of their game. It was like the Marvel Universe of Hip-Hop it felt like! Haha
My team lead by Mahogany Jonz is set to venture out to Uzbekistan which you may not know of use but was part of the former Soviet Union. I will be present to teach music production and beatmaking. Aisha Fukushima will be teach MCing, 2nd generation b-boy Lino will teach breakin and DJ Princess Cut reppin the A will be teaching DJaying and Turntablism. We will have a dope opening show and a closing show and possibly more opportunities to perform.
Next Level is currently running programs in Guatemala, Jerusalem, Nigeria, The Philippines, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and The Dominican Republic. Next Level activities focus on promoting conflict resolution and interacting with younger and underserved audiences in areas with little or no access to American hip-hop musicians. During the exchanges, teams of MCs, DJs, beat makers, and hip-hop dancers conduct public concerts, interactive performances with local musicians, lecture demonstrations, workshops, and jam sessions with diverse audiences.
What I love about what Next Level USA is doing is that they are empowering the women of Hip-Hop to lead the charge in bringing the culture to the world. It’s something I just have not seen but it’s something I know of and am super passionate about.. making sure women in Hip-Hop’s voice & energy is heard. I am truly inspired and look forward to the opportunity to continue evolving through initiatives like Next Level.
Grace & Peace
– ADUM⁷ – (A Dream Universally Manifested to the God Power)
