SPEAKER ROSTER

Hip Hop Artists & Music Business Leaders 
inspiring and educating through 
Keynote Speaking : Lectures : Panels : Workshops

Colleges & Universities : Schools & Youth Groups : Conferences : Corporate Events
_________________________________________
BOOKINGS
Lisa Maxfield
347.770.1415 
lisa@maxagency.net

_________________________________________

Profile: Anthony Marshall
Anthony MarshallMusic Business Speaker: Co-Founder Lyricist Lounge, Inc. // Co-Creator “The Lyricist Lounge Show” MTV Television Show // Creative Executive & Executive Producer GTM “Master of the Mix” BET/VH1 Reality Television Show // Concert and National Tour Organizer/Promoter // Public Speaker. 

Anthony Marshall is an entertainment and music industry business leader with 20+ years of experience, who has a unique sense of youth culture and how it translates to entertainment, branding and experiential marketing. He has a serial success history of developing and launching new movements, brands and television shows that merge culture with technology resulting in compelling consumer products.


Anthony Marshall shares his professional experience and expertise, success stories, and valuable keys to achieving success.

Speaker Topics more topics available upon request. 
  • Lyricist Lounge - "Culture Curating 1991 to Present" - Discussion and Q & A 
  • Lyricist Lounge - "A Blueprint for Discovering Emerging Hip Hop MCs" - Discussion and Q & A 
  • Grassroots, Guerrilla & Lifestyle Marketing 
  • Master of the Mix: "Developing a Branded Content Reality Television Series" - Discussion and Q & A 
  • Branding: Development, Market Planning, Marketing, Management, Longevity 
  • Leadership & Team Building: Team Leader Methods of Motivation 
  • Personal Development: Empowerment, Motivation, Inspiration, Emotional Intelligence
  • Concert & National Tour Organizing & Promoting

Profile: J-Live
J-Live Hip Hop Emcee // DJ/Producer // Songwriter // Composer // Record Label Owner // Music Video Producer/Director // Educator // Public Speaker.

J-Live is an MC, DJ/Producer from NYC. His music has been a staple of inspiration for listeners of underground hip hop from New York to Cali and around the world.

Potholesinmyblog wrote, "Since the mid-90s, the multi-talented J-Live has remained one of Hip Hop’s purest examples of the “true school” aesthetic that the rapper, producer and DJ has promoted over the course of his long and still blossoming career."

J-Live offers a wide range of topics and conducts workshops as a 15 year industry vet, hip hop emcee, DJ, producer, composer, songwriter, legendary wordsmith, and former 6th - 8th grade Language Arts Teacher in New York Public Schools with an English BA, Business Minor degree from State University of New York at Albany.

Speaker Topics more topics and workshops available upon request.
  • J-Live “20 Years of Hip Hop” - Discussion and Q & A
  • Hip Hop & Education: Hip Hop Music and School Success
  • Art of Wordplay Decoded: The Language of Hip-Hop
  • Producing: Hip Hop Music Styles, Techniques and Technology - Discussion and Q & A
  • Music Video Directing and Producing
Workshops
  • Emceeing: Creative Writing and Performance
  • DJing and Producing

Profile: Jean Grae
Jean Grae Hip Hop Emcee // Co-founder/Owner KAGD Multimedia Company // Singer-songwriter // Composer // Producer // Film Actress // Music Video Producer/Director // Comedian // Public Speaker.

Born in Cape Town, South Africa, Jean Grae is the daughter of internationally renowned jazz musicians. Soon after she was born, her parents moved to NYC where she grew up and attended LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts before majoring in Music Business at New York University.

Jean Grae is among the first female hip hop emcees who emerged during the mid-90's. She has recorded with numerous major hip hop artists and her critically acclaimed discography spans over 10 years. She has long been recognized for unabashed honesty and fearless artistic expression. 

Likewise, throughout her career Jean Grae has fearlessly expanded her horizons and added to her professional credits: Co-founder/owner of KAGD multimedia production company, music video director, actress in the film "Big Words" and comedian making guest appearances on notable comic’s shows.

Jean Grae offers a wide range of speaker topics including motivational and inspirational talks, and educational lectures related to her professional career as an independent hip hop music artist and industry business woman, and creative writing and performance workshops.

Speaker Topics more topics and workshops available upon request.
  • Jean Grae “Female Hip Hop Emcee” - Discussion and Q & A 
  • Motivation & Inspiration: "Be Your Destiny, Be Great, Be Who You're Supposed to Be"  
  • Music Video Directing and Producing
  • Hip Hop & Education: Hip Hop Music and School Success
Workshops
  • Emceeing: Creative Writing and Performance
  • Youth: Creative Lyrics, Songwriting and Performance
  • College: Advanced Creative Lyrics, Songwriting and Performance


J Rawls Producer/DJ // Educator // Lecturer // Public Speaker

Known for his work with Black Star, a hip hop group comprised of Mos Def and Talib Kweli, Rawls contributed production on “Brown Skin Lady” and “Yo, Yeah,” which placed him on the map among independent hip hop producers.The album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star was critically acclaimed as one of the best albums of 1998 and was a major force in the late-1990s underground hip hop explosion. Rawls has also worked with Dose One, Beastie Boys, Slum Village, El Da Sensei, Count Bass D, Grand Agent, 9th Wonder, J-Live, Us3, and Moka Only. Rawls has released three solo albums, and contributed to or produced dozens of others, having worked with J-Live, Aloe Blacc, Eric Robertson, Dudley Perkins, and many others. Fusing jazz and hip hop, (coining the term “Jazz-Hop”) his 2006 work with The Liquid Crystal Project led to national acclaim for his collaboration with B-Jazz, Rob Riley, Eddie Bayard and Charles Cooper and their tribute to the legendary producer J Dilla. His Columbus-based production company and record label continues to make an impact in the national hip hop scene, and he is in high demand as a DJ for top clubs and private functions around the country.

Rawls holds a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Cincinnati, a master’s degree in education from Ashland University, and is a Doctoral Candidate in higher education administration from Ohio University. He is currently an Adjunct Instructor at Tiffin University in Tiffin, Ohio and has presented workshops on the music industry, Hip-Hop Education and beat making at several major universities around the country.

Speaker Topics:- more topics and workshops available upon request.
  • Salute the DJ - Discussion of the history of the Hip-Hop DJ, with a DJ presentation and Q&A at the conclusion
  • Professionalism in the Music Industry - Aimed toward college music students, this seminar is a discussion of how to present oneself as a professional in the music industry. Topics covered include: Perception, Work Ethic, and Expectations in the industry
  • The Culture of Hip-Hop - This seminar explores the four elements of hip-hop (B-Boying or Breakdancing, DJing, emceeing, and Graffiti), tracing their historical development, and investigating the cultural practices that gave rise to these idioms.
  • Jazz-Hop: “We Got the Jazz” - From the person who coined the term, “Jazz-Hop” will be discussed in depth. Hip-hop’s connection and similarities to jazz is discussed. 
  • Samples & Examples - The evolution of sampling and hip-hop. A discussion of how the two are intertwined and why sampling is a true art-form. 
  • Healthy Choices in Music - written by J Rawls partner, DJ O Sharp, this seminar compares choosing music to choosing the food that we eat. 
  • Music Publishing, Royalties & Copyrights - Aimed at college music students, this seminar goes over the basics of publishing, royalties and copyright from the standpoint of an experienced musician. Students will examine examples of actual statements.
  • #HipHopEd Classroom: Using Hip-Hop to Build Teacher-Student Rapport  – Participants are introduced to the concept of #HipHopEd and some of its biggest proponents. The use of Hip-Hop as a Culturally Relevant Pedagogy is explored and the possibility of the rapport that it builds. 
Workshops:
  • The Art of Making Beats – For young producers, this workshop provides hands on guidance for making beats. Young producers are expected to bring their own equipment.

DJ Maseo Grammy® Award-Winning and Multi-Platinum Selling DJ/Producer/MC // Founding member of De La Soul // Public Speaker.

Maseo is known all over the world for his electrifying skills as a Grammy® award-winning, multi-platinum DJ/Producer and MC and founding member of the legendary group De La Soul. They were influential in the early stages of rapper/actor Mos Def's career, and are a core part of the Spitkicker collective. They are the second longest standing Native Tongues Posse group, after the Jungle Brothers. In 2006, the group won a Grammy for their collaboration with Gorillaz on the single "Feel Good Inc."

Brooklyn, New York, born and raised, Maseo’s interest in music emerged at the young age of six as he observed a family friend practicing on his DJ equipment. Maseo’s ambitious journey to stardom officially began when his mother gave him his very own set of turntables. Destined for success, Maseo dedicated all of his free time to mastering his craft by observing neighborhood DJs. Maseo made his first debut as a DJ, at the age of twelve. By the time Maseo reached high school his DJ skills were immeasurable.

During high school Maseo’s life would be forever changed as he and two of his high-school friends, Kelvin Mercer and David Jolicouer, formed one of the most highly respected and critically acclaimed rap groups, De La Soul.




Maseo is consider to be one of the most engaging, entertaining, illuminating and educational storytellers and speakers in hip hop.

Speaker Topics - more topics and workshops available upon request.
  • DJ Maseo: Discussion and Q & A
  • Personal Development: Motivation & Inspiration
  • Business & Marketing: Independent Hip Hop Music Industry
Workshops
  • DJing and Producing
  • DJ Performance: Crowd Control
Awards, Honors, Credits, Albums
During the course of their long-standing career, De La Soul has received Soul Train, MTV and Grammy® Award-nominations. In addition to the many accolades they have received, De La Soul has been featured on numerous soundtracks including: Men in Black, Judgment Night and Dexter’s Lab.

In 1989, the trio released their first album, 3 Feet High and Rising. De La Soul was an instant success and the album was certified platinum. De La Soul has releasing 7 additional albums:
2012 - Plug 1 & Plug 2 Present... First Serve
2004 - The Grind Date
2001 - AOI: Bionix
2000 - Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump
1996 - Stakes Is High
1993 - Buhloone Mindstate
1991 - De La Soul Is Dead
1989 - 3 Feet High and Rising


Profile: Allah Mathematics
Allah Mathematics GRAMMY® Award Nominated and Multi-Platinum Selling Wu-Tang Clan DJ/Producer // Hip Hop Documentary Film and Music Video Producer/Director // Creator of the Wu-Tang Clan Logo // Public Speaker.

Mathematics' first real exposure to the nuts and bolts of production came late one night when he attended a session where he assisted RZA, his mentor, in constructing a beat from nothing. The track would eventually develop into "Ice Cream" from Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. RZA inspired Math to follow the Wu-Tang, giving him advice on the nuances of hip hop production over the coming months and years.
Mathematics dove head first into production. His first track, "Fast Life" featuring Ghostface Killah & football star Andre Rison, made it on to the NFL Jams compilation. Math also began to produce for many other Wu-Tang members and affiliates, including several tracks on GZA's second album Beneath The Surface as well as Method Man's Tical 2000: Judgement Day, Inspectah Deck's Uncontrolled Substance and Method Man & Redman's Blackout!. Eventually he was to produce for the Clan as a group, with "Do You Really (Thang, Thang)."
Math made the jump into the TV world, as he produced the main theme and all original music for the short lived show "Wanda At Large," which starred Wanda Sykes and aired on the Fox Network. During this time and in between continuous touring, Math would start work on his first solo full length project Love, Hell Or Right. Completely mixed, arranged and produced by Mathematics himself, Love Hell or Right was ultimately released in fall of 2003 on his own Quewisha Records label in conjunction with High Times Records, and it went on to scan 30,000 units.  

Allah Mathematics, speaks on a wide range of topics as a hip hop music industry vet, multi-platinum producer and award nominee with placements on over 40 albums, and a hip hop documentary film and music video producer/director, who has performed worldwide as an original and current member the Wu-Tang Clan and a solo artist DJ.

Speaker Topics - more topics and workshops available upon request.
  • Producing: Hip Hop Music
  • Producer's Perspective - History of Wu-Tang Clan's Music
  • Allah Mathematics: Discussion and Q & A
  • Hip Hop Documentary Film-making
  • Music Video Directing and Producing
Workshops
  • DJing and Producing
  • Turntablism
Awards, Nominations, Honors, Credits
2012 - Score composer, Producer and Interviewer - "The Art Of Entertainment" Documentary - 2012
2009-2010 - Host, DJ and Interviewer - "The Math Files" AllHipHop.com and Virgin Mobile. Interviews: Artists, Big Daddy Kane to Raekwon. Sports figure: Shannon Briggs. Comedian: Joe Clair
2008 - Nominated - American Music Award "Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Band/ Duo or Group with Wu-Tang Clan
2006 - Score composer, interviewer - "Beat Kings" Documentary. Interviews: Producers, Kanye West, Just Blaze, Swizz Beats & more
2003 - Rolling Stone: The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time - #386 Enter The Wu-Tang: #36 Chambers
2003 - VH1: 50 Greatest Hip Hop Artists - #12 with Wu-Tang Clan
1998 - Nominated - GRAMMY® Award "Best Rap Album" with Wu-Tang Clan
1997 - Nominated - American Music Award "Best Rap/Hip Hop" with Wu-Tang Clan
1997 - Nominated - MTV Award "Best Rap Video" with Wu-Tang Clan
1994 - Winner - Source Hip Hop Award "New Artist of the Year" & "Single of the Year" with Wu-Tang Clan
1992 - Creator of the Wu-Tang Clan's Iconic "W" logo


Profile: Pharoahe Monch
Pharoahe Monch Hip Hop Emcee // Singer-songwriter // Composer // Film and Music Video Producer/Director // Co-founder/Owner of W.A.R. Media LLC // Founding member of Organized Konfusion // Social Activist // Public Speaker.

Pharoahe Monch is acclaimed for his complex rapping technique - Allmusic says, "He has a reputation as one of underground hip hop's pre-eminent lyricists, crafting intricate and intelligent raps." Kool Moe Dee ranks him at 26 in his best MCs of all-time list, from his book, There's a God on the Mic. Kool Moe Dee notes, "Pharoahe Monch is like an eloquent linguistics professor moonlighting as a rhyme serial killer terrorist, challenging the listeners' I.Q. while daring him or her to keep up."

In the book "How to Rap", Monch compares writing and recording his lyrics to writing and filming a movie. He says, he will 'punch-in' vocals so he can "retake some things, just like a film", and he 'rewrites' lyrics, and he will go back as a screenwriter and rewrite scenes and leave more to the imagination."

As a 15+ year industry vet, Pharoahe Monch's speaker topics cover a broad range: emceeing, producing, composing, songwriting, lyricism, creating and recording multiple albums, movie and video game soundtrack songwriting, multi-media production company co-founder/owner of W.A.R. Media LLC, experiences traveling the globe on hundreds of worldwide tours as a solo artist and former member of former Organized Konfusion, and social responsibility and activism.

Speaker Topics more topics and workshops available upon request.
  • Pharoahe Monch: "Hip-Hop” - Discussion and Q & A
  • Rapping and Poetry: Multisyllabic and Internal Rhyme
  • Emceeing: Writing, Recording and Performance
Workshops
  • Emceeing: Creative Writing and Performance

Rick Gonzalez, Music Business Speaker: E-commerce & Digital Marketing Strategist, BandMerch/AEG Live (Nine Inch Nails, The Who, No Doubt, Bon Jovi, Black Veil Brides, Jane's Addiction) // Marketing Executive & Talent Acquisition Manager, Apropos Management & Marketing (10 x Grammy® Award-Winner George Benson, DJ Nu-Mark, Jurassic 5 // Tour Producer, Mazda2 Music Tour 2010 // Executive Consultant & VP Artist Services, Audiolife // Marketing Executive and Talent Manager, Spectacle Entertainment // VP Music Marketing, Streetwise Concepts & Culture (Social Marketing/Youth Culture) // VP Marketing, Immortal Entertainment // Public Speaker.

Rick Gonzalez is a talent marketing, branding and project, and management executive with 16 years of experience in entertainment. He has marketed multi-platinum recording artists and movie soundtracks, produced and managed world tours, celebrity events and trade shows, conceptualized and created a music division for a leading lifestyle brand and has developed media, merchandise and apparel strategies for record labels and recording artists.

Speaker Topics more topics and workshops available upon request.
  • Strategic Online Marketing
  • eCommerce
  • Brand & Project Management
  • Direct to Consumer Strategies
  • National & World Tour Management

Profile: Sunspot Jonz
Sunspot Jonz Hip Hop Emcee // Founding member of Living Legends // Singer-songwriter // Music Producer // Film Director // Film Writer and Producer // Multimedia Company Owner of Dreamzcape Pictures // Painter // Public Speaker.

Sunspot Jonz is a West Coast pioneer of many underground art forms that make up hip hop culture including music, film and painting, and he is renowned for limitless artistic creative energy. He is the founding member of West Coast hip hop collective "Living Legends" consisting of past members Arata, Murs, and The Grouch, and current members Sunspot Jonz, Aesop Fables, Bicasso, Eligh, Luckyiam and Scarub. The rap group began in the early 1990's and garnered a worldwide following by recording, promoting and performing their music independently. They sold close to 300,000 units of their various solo and group projects all as a result of their own successful grassroots guerrilla marketing efforts. LA Weekly called the crew "one of the biggest success stories of the indie-rap movement." The group’s popularity quickly grew to become one of Sunspot Jonz’s first vehicles for delivering his underground message to thousands of fans worldwide.

Sunspot is the founder and owner of "Dreamzcape Pictures". The film company has a movie releasing soon called "Isis Dynasty" starring: Faizon Love of “Friday & Elf”, Golden Brooks of “Girlfriends”, Ja'net Dubois of “Good Times”, Paula Jai Parker of “Hustle and Flow”, and Kellita Smith “Bernie Mac Show”. Sunspot has participated as a panelist at UCLA's panel discussion on the ins and outs of independent filmmaking. In addition, he has been a guest speaker several times at Davey D's University of San Francisco hip hop class about guerrilla marketing and how to obtain financial success through dreaming.

In addition to offering a variety of speaker topics associated with his professional career as an independent music and film industry artist and businessman, Sunspot Jonz delivers a powerful message about creating your own destiny against all odds. He recounts his strong personal story of coming from the streets in Oakland, California. A story of how the streets tried hard to stop everything he perceived as good, but against all odds he fought to do something positive. He shares insights gained from his experiences and an enlightening and promising message to future generations.

Speaker Topics more topics and workshops available upon request.
  • Guerrilla Marketing and Merchandising Your Product
  • Music Composing: The MPC
  • Screenwriting
  • Filmmaking
  • Independent Hip Hop Artist Business
  • Stage Presence and Connecting With Your Audience
  • Music Distribution
  • Artist/Producer & Life/Career History: Discussion and Q & A
  • How the Internet Destroyed & Then Created a New Music Industry: Bobbing & Weaving In A Volatile Industry
  • In-Depth Look into Worldwide Underground Hip Hop Culture
Workshops
  • The Power of Words
  • Music Yoga 101
  • Emceeing & Centering Your Soul During Performance
  • Guerrilla Filmmaking
  • Writing and Creating Stories
  • Radio Music vs. Street Music & Rap vs Hip Hop

Profile: Vikter Duplaix
Vikter Duplaix House Music DJ/Producer // GRAMMY® Award-Nominated Singer-Songwriter // Instrumentalist // Composer // Master of the Mix BET/VH1 Reality Television Show Host // Event Curator // Public Speaker.

Vikter’s ‘Make A Baby’, the album’s definitive single, was nominated for a GRAMMY® Award in 2008 for Best Urban/Alternative Performance. His DJ sets have taken him all over the world and to the stage of 2012′s 64th Annual Prime-time Emmy Awards as the first ever DJ to ever perform on-stage as a member of the house band. Vikter recently co-starred on the first two seasons of Viacom’s (VH1/BET) reality television DJ competition series, “Master of the Mix”. As an event curator, he oversees three nation-wide event brands: “Kiss-n-Grind”, “Txturz” & “Suite Seduction”. These events have become infamous for their atypical locations, beautiful art installations and raucous dance-floor environments. His events have hosted such luminaries as Prince, Questlove of the Roots, DJ Kid Capri, Eric Benet, Biz Markie, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Idris Elba, Sanaa Lathan, Raphael Saadiq, Craig Robinson, Rashida Jones, Samantha Ronson, Garth Trinidad, DJ Rashida and many others.

Vikter Duplaix is a musical alchemist weaving global culture, independent thought, fine arts and progressive music into a purely golden lifestyle. Vikter's successful entertainment and music industry career is broadly diverse. He offers and equally broad range of speaker topics upon request.

Speaker Topics more topics and workshops available upon request.
  • Vikter Duplaix: Discussion and Q & A
  • National Event Curating: Development, Branding, Marketing & Promotion, Execution and Management
  • Marketing: Global Culture, Independent Thought, Art & Music
Workshops
  • Music Producing
  • DJ Performance: Crowd Control


Apollo Brown Detroit Hip Hop Producer // Ugly Heroes (Apollo & Ugly Heroes) Album // Dice Game (Apollo & Guilty Simpson) Album // Trophies (Apollo & OC of D.I.T.C.) Album // Dice Game and Trophies Best Albums of 2012 Lists.

Apollo's credo is simple: "Everything I make, I try to make it my favorite album of all time."

    Hezekiah Producer // Rapper/MC // Singer-songwriter // Record Label Founder/Owner of 3CRATES // National Branded Event Curator Founder/Owner of Beat Society // Music Video Producer/Director // Public Speaker.

    Throughout his music career, Hezekiah's underground hip hop college fan base has progressively increased and contributed to motivating his drive and perseverance as an artist. Hezekiah shares empowering insights from his professional experiences, overcoming obstacles and discovering the rewards of persevering. He discusses methods of motivation for achieving creative goals and taking risks for achieving one's dreams. He encourages audience members to become leaders and inspire others to find their personal path and unique greatness.


    Gensu Dean DJ/Producer // Hip Hop Historian // Former Corporate Trainer // Public Speaker.

    Gensu Dean is a unique music enigma. Existing in a world of boundless digital technology, he is of the few to maintain and preserve the basic fundamentals of a culture that took the world by storm...HIP HOP!

    Equipped with a well balanced 8,000 plus vinyl collection, a vast knowledge of Hip Hop, it's origins, growth, and various styles Gensu Dean has been a valued source for insight and commentary. Often dubbed as the "last of the Jedi", Gensu Dean continues his quest in providing a musical balance of analog & digital. This he refers to as "...a choice and mind set."

    He has produced critically acclaimed records for a "who's who" of Hip Hop's elite such as GRAMMY® Award-winner David Banner and GRAMMY® Award-nominated Planet Asia, and Large Professor, Brand Nubian, OBD (of Wu Tang Clan) and Roc Marciano.

    In a world which seemingly has abandoned the roots of its culture, his music continues to provide a sense of relief and yet remains progressive. With 15 years of professional back ground in music production as well as corporate training/presentation, Gensu delivers a powerful, insightful and thought provoking presentation regarding Hip Hop, Jazz and music in general.


    Guy Routte,  Music Business Speaker: CEO, WAR Media LLC // Artist Manager, Pharoahe Monch, Jean Grae.










    _________________________________________
    BOOKINGS
    Lisa Maxfield
    347.770.1415 
    lisa@maxagency.net

    _________________________________________