Global 2023 — Next Level

From October 14 to October 28th, 2023, ten Hip Hop artists traveled to Washington, D.C. and New York City as part of the Next Level program.

Dancer Lema (The Philippines), Dancer AC (The PhilIppines), Dancer Matt Padilla (The Philippines), MC Cypher (Romania), MC Woodie (Romania), MC Diego (The Netherlands), DJ TOYA (The Netherlands), Breaker Rubreak (Chile), Aerosol Artist Magia (Chile), and MC 0phelia (Ireland), cane 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 Melanie Aguirre (Team Turkey), Ken Fury (Team Zimbabwe), Corey James Gray (Team Turkey), Jazzmyn Red (Team UAE), Sincerity Garcia (Team Netherlands), MeccaGodZilla (Team Uzbekistan and Team Nepal), Vince Ballentine (Team Ethiopia), Danielle Mastrion (Team Dominican Republic), and Performing Rights Associate Kerwin Young 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 and the Smithsonian Institute for Folklife and Cultural Preservation in Washington, D.C. In New York, these artists were also joined by Hip Hop legend and guest speaker Grand Wizzard Theodore. The two weeks culminated with the Next Level Mixer and cypher 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.