Yolanda Wyns is an innovative music educator, veteran performer, and creative force among senior leaders, rebuilding the Harlem School of the Arts. As Music Program Director, Ms. Wyns has boosted enrollment, attracted students of all ages, and forged partnerships with New York City’s top arts organizations by refining the department’s strategic vision.

She’s executed classes and programming across genres and given the school’s music output a contemporary refresh while preserving the original vision of HSA’s founder, Dorothy Maynor, to enrich the community through artistic expression and appreciation. Through her extensive network, Ms. Wyns has made HSA a powerful contributor to the city’s cultural scene with branded master classes, artist lectures, and outreach programs from recognized musicians and leaders.

Ms. Wyns has a long history in music, beginning at just 4 years old, singing gospel in church. For 15 years, she was a backup singer for Freddie Jackson, Stephanie Mills, Patti Austin, and other pop and R&B stars. She then joined the cast of The Color Purple, as one of the Church Ladies, and the lead role of Sophia.

Ms. Wyns has been included among the top 30 influencers on Musical America.com. Yolanda Wyns is a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music.

Hailing from Bucktown, a borderless place where otherwisewarring Brooklyn neighborhoods find peace, hip-hop duo Smif-N-Wessun, aka Tek and General Steele, are recognized and respected worldwide for their steady lyrical control.

Their presence commands with simple Timberlands, and since their debut in on Black Moon’s Enta Da Stage, and an appearance soon after on Mary J. Blige’s “I Love You” remix from her chart-topping sophomore album, My Life, Smif-N-Wessun never once strayed. They’ve never gone pop.

In true hip hop form, Tek and Steele flipped the spelling –– and meaning –– of a common device often used against the community. Like “bad” became “good,” Smif-N-Wessun became a nod to our most powerful life-giving force.

However, as swiftly as Smif-N-Wessun jumped out the holster, the gun company sent a cease and desist as thick as a book, muffling their merchandising potential the same year they released. Undeterred, Tek and Steele changed their moniker to the Cocoa Brovaz for their next LP, Rude Awakening.

Smif-N-Wessun also believes in working with the next generation and contributing to making the world a better place at the grassroots level. They are working with BKLYN.Combine.com, a non-profit community organization, focused on working with schools, city officials and to help provide critical education, leadership and social support programs to young adults. Tek and Steele also participated in the Black Men's Health Expo in Brooklyn on a panel discussing the importance of preventative health care.

Real hip-hop followers can stay in the know with tour news and more from Tek and Steele via smifnwessun.com.

Most of us know the legend of Queensbridge-bred icon Roxanne Shanté. She is a legendary emcee who grew up in Queens, NY, battling boys and being undefeated amongst them, leading to her becoming a protege of hip-hop producer Marley Marl. Brooklyn group U.T.F.O. released a record about a neighborhood girl that they each admired and stepped to for the chance at romantic pleasures and was turned down. The name of that record, which was released in 1984, was "Roxanne, Roxanne." The independent song led to the young 14-year-old Queens rapper, under the tutelage of Marley Marl, releasing a diss record, "Roxanne's Revenge" with her using the persona of Roxanne (hence the name, Roxanne Shanté) to individually diss the rappers known as Kangol Kid, Educated Rapper, and Doctor Ice. Shanté's recording career started when she blew up with one of the first diss records in hip-hop.Throughout her legendary career, she has helped with the careers of legends like Big Daddy Kane, Nas, and MC Shan as she toured the world, recorded songs, and did shows to show off her talent. She was recently honored with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award earlier this year, an amazing 40 years after Shanté's introduction to the world. In 2018, the world got to see her story in a way that many people can't tell their stories, through film, as her biopic, "Roxanne, Roxanne," produced by Pharrell Williams and Forest Whitaker, was released on Netflix.Now, you can hear Shanté regularly as she hosts a show on LL COOL J's platform, Rock the Bells Radio on SiriusXM, where she draws over 7 million listeners daily. When she's not entertaining people through her radio program,Continuing to bless the world with her talent, she is a dedicated philanthropist and activist and serves as a spokesperson for the Diabetes Association and Breast Cancer Awareness. She and her husband also run a nonprofit organization, Mind Over Matter, which is based in Newark, NJ. The program is dedicated to mentoring and uplifting the community.The Industry Cosign got an opportunity to speak to Shanté to acknowledge her greatness in hip-hop and beyond. We spoke about the many awards she's received, the causes she champions, and how she is a living legend.#RoxanneShante #hiphop #Grammylifetimeachievement #queens #podcast #theindustrycosign #interview #blackgirlmagic #queensbridge #TheJuiceCrew #rockthebells #rockthebellsradio #siriusxm #radio #llcoolj #BIGCED #netflix #netflixoriginal #RoxanneRoxanne #queensnewyork #legendary

With the recent announcement that Nia Long and Lorenz Tate will be hosting The 29th Annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF) as ambassadors for the annual film fest, the audience still wonders and hopes that they will reprise their roles as Nina and Darius from their romantic movie, "Love Jones" which came out in 1997. As both actors have done so much since the iconic love story was told, the duo doesn't look older than when they filmed the project.The couple reunited for a Walmart promotion over the holidays, reprising their roles as the young couple, but in their later years, giving thoughts as to what the couple would be doing in these current times.THE INDUSTRY COSIGN spoke to both Long and Tate to discuss the chances that an upcoming movie may be on the horizon. Just like fans of the movie, they are just as excited as we are with the anticipation that it could happen.The two have stated that they have been friends all these years, and even the two of them would be excited about rehashing the roles that the public still questions them about, especially when they are out together."I think this is something the fans have been waiting for, for a very long time. Lorenz and I have a shorthand with one another," Long said. "We are like brother and sister, honestly. I mean, you guys see the characters in this romantic setting, but we really have a wonderful shorthand with one another that is timeless. And, 'Love Jones' is one of my favorite films. Wherever I go where, wherever we are, everyone's like when are you guys gonna do something together? And it was so cool when Walmart asked to do this commercial.""It's been really a joy to reunite with Nia," Tate says. "Obviously, we continue on with our strong friendship in real life, but when we're able to find moments like this man, it just feels so good and we've tried many times to figure out what we can do, but this just seems seamless. This opportunity worked with Walmart, which is such a great brand and we were like this makes absolute sense. Let's give our fans and the people that we consider family who've been supporting us for so many years a little peek into where Nina and Darius could be, or where they are right now."Knowing that after the Walmart commercial came out last year, the audience would be clamoring to see Nina and Darius once again and they both know that it should open the door for any possibility of rehashing the continuation of what may arguably be one of the best love stories seen on film. Tate speculates that it will place both actors in a better position when it comes to negotiations about doing a "Love Jones" sequel."That puts us in a position that we want to be in, to be able to create what that next thing is," said Tate. "And so with Nia being smart and creative and the incredible businesswoman that she is, I'd like to meet her on that same level. This will open up the doors for us to answer those questions after really, you know after this, but we're working on something."Long chimes in by thanking Walmart and saying, "We're going to have lots of offers after this commercial, thank you, Walmart!"She does admit that with all the leading men she has shared the screen with, Tate, hands down is her "favorite."But, they did reveal a little tidbit that fans may have not been privy to. They both did reunite for an upcoming movie about the "King of Pop," Micheal Jackson. Long plays the legend's mother, Katherine Jackson while Tate takes on the role of Motown founder, Berry Gordy.Seeing the two of them on the screen together just makes the audience want to see Nina and Darius soon. Hopefully, after the recent Walmart commercial, the upcoming ABFF in June, and then the Micheal Jackson movie, tentatively scheduled to debut in October, may be enough to get the sequel to "Love Jones" going.#LoveJones #NiaLong #LorenzTate #blacklove #walmart #podcast #interview #theindustrycosign #BIGCED #romance #love #reunited #movie #blackfilms

Corey “CL" Llewellyn is a seasoned music magnate with more than 25 years of experience as a leader in promotion and marketing within the music industry.

CL's extensive resume boasts directorial positions at numerous major recording labels and reveals a go-getter attitude that propelled him into the music business at the young age of 17.

Elektra/Warner Music GroupSony/Crave RecordsCornerstone's 1200 Squad & Mixtape SeriesAnd The Fader Magazine

Though achieving success within all of these mediums, it is Digiwaxx Media that has been CL's greatest glory. Founded in 1998, Digiwaxx is a music marketing agency specializing in DJ Culture, Music Innovation and New Urban Culture

DJ Hard Hittin Harry, born in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, and raised in Montreal, Canada, and Newark, New Jersey, has had a remarkable career spanning over 40 years in the music industry. He has showcased his talent in clubs, through mixtapes, the internet, and television, establishing himself as a versatile and accomplished figure in the world of DJing. Harry's skills and contributions were recognized when the Father of Hip-hop Culture, DJ Kool Herc, presented him with a plaque on October 3, 2009, celebrating his 30 years in the industry. This acknowledgment affirmed Harry as a Supreme Spinner, Master Mixer, and Divine DJ. Further solidifying his influence, The Haitian Roundtable Organization inducted Harry as one of the Haitian-American Changemakers of the United States on November 9, 2019. This honor was presented by Mona Scott-Young, an entertainment mogul, and Dr. Jeff Gardere, America’s psychologist. Based in Brooklyn, Harry captivates audiences with his diverse mix of music genres, including Hip-hop, R&B, Soul, Funk, Reggae, Pop, Rock, Soca, Afrobeat, Haitian Kompas, Zouk, House, Techno, and more. His mastery of these genres is evident in every event and party he DJs, leaving a lasting impression on attendees. A pivotal moment in Harry's career was his association with The Fugees in 1993. Meeting Wyclef Jean, Lauryn Hill, and Pras at New Jersey’s Booga Basement studio, he became their official DJ and contributed to the promo of their debut album, “Blunted on Reality.” Harry's talents also extend to publicity work. Starting as an intern at Double XXposure PR Firm in Manhattan, he quickly rose to Senior Publicist in just a month, holding the position from 1994 to 1997. Subsequently, he co-founded Meridian Entertainment, a boutique PR company, representing various artists and brands.As a DJ, Harry has held residencies in several New York venues, and performed at numerous corporate events and media outlets. His appearances include PIX-11 Morning News, and FOX 5 Good Day New York, in addition to being featured in publications like Metro New York, Details, GQ, and New York Post. Harry is a multifaceted Caribbean contributor, who, alongside his cousin, Jimmy “DJ Super JB” Brea, co-founded 305-718 Music, a music and film production company, achieving success with their documentary short film, “Dear Father.” Harry is also a dedicated philanthropist, supporting Haitian organizations and promoting Haitian culture through his work with nonprofits. He proudly promotes and showcases his Haitian culture and heritage, as host of the HAITIAN ALL-STARZ RADIO on WBAI 99.5 FM. Harry was honored for his work within the Haitian community with a Proclamation by the New York City Council on May 18, 2023 (Haitian Flag Day). His recent performances on the Capital Jazz SuperCruise 2024 and residencies at notable venues like the Apollo Theater highlight his ongoing relevance and skill in the industry. DJ Hard Hittin Harry has had a successful journey and remains a significant figure to watch in 2024 and beyond!

Rob Love is the Chief Executive Officer of Launchpad Worldwide Inc. which is a Marketing & Promotions Company that creates “ Organic Strategies and Solutions “ in Sports, Entertainment, and Technology. Rob Love is a music industry veteran and considered one of the most brilliant minds in multicultural lifestyle management. He founded the world-famous Def Jam Street team and has worked with the multi-platinum Jay-Z, Ludacris, LL Cool J, Methodman, and Redman. Branding these artists was the focus of Def Jam; this increased the market share of their parent company, Universal Music Group, by 35%, and it still holds a top position in the music industry. Rob's unique approach to lifestyle marketing and promotions spawned new branding opportunities for trans-cultural markets influenced by music icons. Fashion, Film, and politics have new branding strategies that integrate lifestyle and product marketing intelligence for consumer consumption that defines the trend. Rob's expertise in brand building and increasing the market share has produced the instrumentation that helps clients such as J Records, SonyBMG, Island Def Jam, Universal Music Group, Coca-Cola, HBO, Miller Brewing Co, Nike, Phat Farm, and Viacom Networks better relate with their consumers. Rob was a mainstay at SONY BMG and Universal Music Group Island Def Jam for many years.

Earl Christian III is a Howard University TV Production graduate, visionary, Creator, and Executive producer of the award-winning Urban Wall Street Project, as well as the dynamic, UWS Young Producers program. Since 2008, Earl has produced over 700 UWS and YP student-oriented short films/videos, garnering over 1.2 Million views on his YouTube channels. Having worked with thousands of students in NY, NJ, Boston public schools, and private organizations. Students learn the fundamentals of script writing, camera operation, directing, make-up, and other facets of video/filmmaking.

In the Summer of 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, UWS, in a collaboration with Team Management 2000 and BASICS INTERNATIONAL, a NGO in Ghana, launched a Virtual YP ACADEMY Media Production program with great success!! Earl's most recent independent projects, the feature documentaries "BLACK EXCELLENCE TOUR PARIS I & II” and “B.E. Tour London 2023”, received great praise from national and international audiences. With several feature-length films/productions currently on the UWS Youtube Channel, including the original series "MUSIC CITY", with the multi-platinum lead singer of the group SHAI, Dr. Garfield Bight, “Esquire Unlimited”, as well as the “HOWARD HOMECOMING: IMMORTALIZED” TRILOGY, Earl is a true asset to the culture, whose commitment to inspiring, motivating, and empowering others is unyielding!