Global 2022
From September 10 to September 24th, 2022, twenty-two Hip Hop artists traveled to Washington, D.C. and New York City as part of the Next Level program.
Dancer Zai Forte (Argentina), Beatboxer Miloo Moya (Argentina), Dancer Mally (Barbados), Poet Cyndi Celeste (Barbados), Dancer Betzy Ticona (Bolivia), MC Taki Amaru (Ecuador), DJ Mic (Ecuador), Beatmaker Dave on the Track (Ethiopia), Visual artist Prince Kojo-Hilton (Ghana), Singer Reka J (Ghana), Dancer Amer (Jordan), Dancer Zew (Mongolia), Dancer Jenisha Dangol (Nepal), DJ Sonu Nepali (Nepal), Community organizer Jonathan Fernández Romera (Peru), Aerosol Artist Asker (Peru), Dancer Bartosz Maryjka (Poland), MC Flavour Ka (Poland), MC Miguti (Portugal), Beatmaker Nuno Varela (Portugal), MC Mira Ahmed Al-Sayegh (UAE), Dancer Waleed Abuhasheesh (UAE), joined together to perform for audiences and collaborate with local artists to learn more about Hip Hop through workshop and practice, promote cross-cultural creative exchange and conflict transformation.
The first week of the program, which was held in Washington, D.C., focused on entrepreneurship and professional development offering workshops in conflict transformation, community building and program development, cultural preservation and sustainability, and performing rights.
During the NYC portion which focused on arts education, the visiting artists were grouped with NL alumni mentors who served as coaches and conducted daily intensive workshops/collaborations in their respective elements. Next Level alumni Ryan “Future” Webb (Team Egypt), Hannah George-Wheeler (Team Portugal), Performing Rights Associate Kerwin Young, Mark Martin (Team Jordan), Danielle Mastrion (Team Dominican Republic), DJ Dirty Digits (Team Thailand), Jon “Phes” Souza (Team Peru), Corey James Gray (Team Turkey), and Aysha Upchurch (Team Barbados) served as individual coaches for the visiting artists during the NYC portion of the program which focused on arts education.
In addition to the workshops and trainings, the visiting artists toured the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Smithsonian Institute for Folklife and Cultural Preservation in Washington, D.C., and the Universal Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx. The two weeks culminated with the Next Level Mixer at the New School hosted by NL alumnus and professor Sam Sellers and featured impromptu performances by visiting Global artists as well as attending Next Level alumni.
The team is part of a Next Level international contingent of MCs, DJs, beatmakers, and Hip Hop dancers recruited from Next Level countries.
