get to know us

building legacIES building leaders

We connect you with working professionals, provide access to professional studios, and teach you the business side of the industry.

All our programs are free because we believe in investing in the next generation of Hip-Hop leaders.

THE FOUDNING OF THE RESIDENCY

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We started The Residency because we kept seeing the same heartbreaking pattern: young artists with raw talent, real stories, and unstoppable potential, but nowhere to build.

The traditional industry didn’t speak their language. School programs didn’t reflect their culture. And most “youth” spaces didn’t actually center youth voices or needs. We watched gifted MCs, producers, poets, and dancers navigate a world full of gatekeepers who told them to tone it down, clean it up, or wait their turn.

But here’s what we knew: when you give young people the right tools, authentic mentorship, and room to grow without compromising who they are, they go from feeling unseen to unstoppable.

Building What Was Missing

As working artists and veterans in the culture, we’ve always known the barriers. We’ve seen talented young people with the drive, the vision, and the skill shut out because they didn’t have access to studios, mentors who truly understood them, or spaces to create without being judged, tokenized, or told to change.

Too often, youth were forced into a false choice between authenticity and opportunity. That’s not a personal failing—it’s the result of systems built to keep certain voices out. We know that reality firsthand, and we refused to accept it as the norm.

The Residency was built as an intentional answer to that problem. Not just another program, but a home. A movement. A place where Hip-Hop is honored in its fullness, where young artists can grow their craft and their careers without leaving themselves—or their culture—at the door.

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How can we help YOU?

We're so glad you asked!

We want to help young artists step into their power, knowing they can build sustainable careers while staying true to who they are and the culture that shaped them.

Check Out Our Programs

We’re Built From the Inside Out We built this from scratch, designed by, and for, the culture. Our mentors are working professionals who’ve walked the same paths our youth are navigating.

We Carry the Whole Weight Professional development, cultural education, business skills, creative growth, and personal empowerment. We don’t pick one lane because real careers require the full spectrum. We handle the barriers—stipends, meals, transportation, equipment—so talent can focus on growing.

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What Makes Us Different

We Think Beyond the Showcase We’re building career architects. Our alumni launch studios, start nonprofits, become the mentors for the next generation.

We’re playing the long game because the culture deserves sustainability.

how we work

Deep Mentorship One-on-one guidance from working artists who’ve been where you are. We offer real relationship building and individualized support that grows with you.

Experiential Learning You’re not sitting in classrooms learning about the industry—you’re in studios, at industry panels, collaborating on real projects, and building your network while you build your skills.

Cultural Authenticity Hip-Hop is our foundation. We teach all the elements, honor the history, and make sure you understand your place in the lineage while you create your own path forward.

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our foundation is Built to last

9+ Years Strong

Since 2015, we’ve been proving that when you invest in young artists authentically, they transform—not just their own lives, but their entire communities.

Trusted Partnerships

Founded in collaboration with the Museum of Pop Culture, Arts Corps, and Grammy-winning artists Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, we’ve maintained relationships that open real doors for our artists.

Proven Impact

Our alumni are building sustainable careers, opening studios, launching nonprofits, and becoming culture carriers. They’re not just surviving in the industry—they're reshaping it.

Help Us Change Lives

You Belong Here If...

You’re hungry to grow and willing to put in the work. You’re rooted in the culture and serious about your craft. You’re looking for real development and sustainable success.

You bring heart, curiosity, and a deep love for the community you come from. You understand that hip-hop is bigger than just music. You understand it’s a movement, a mindset, and a responsibility.

You’re ready for mentorship that challenges you, opportunities that stretch you, and a community that sees your potential even when the world tries to make you invisible.

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READY TO BUILD

We See in You…

The late-night studio sessions funded by a part-time job. The bars you’ve been perfecting while everyone else sleeps. The beats that sound different because they come from somewhere real.

We see the leader you’re becoming, the voice your community needs, and the future you’re building for yourself, and for everyone coming up behind you.

We see an artist who doesn’t just want to make it—you want to make it matter.