Volunteer Spotlight
Congratulations to Zell Miller III, SaulPaul, and Da’shade Moonbeam!
These fine gentlemen prove over and over again why they are positive role models for the young people of The Cipher by making news on their own accord. Dedicated to their art and their community, the three terrific talents help keep Austin hip hop on the map and are paving the way for the next wave of conscious hip hop artists.
In the August 22 issue of The Austin Chronicle, Zell Miller III’s head (and face) finally emblazons the cover. He’s been reviewed and revered numerous times in the Chronicle for years, so a full-length feature story is long overdue and definitely deserved.
A mentor, a teacher, a father, an award-winner – Zell is many things to many people. For The Cipher crew, he is their inspiration. He’s given them the opportunity to perform regularly for his Hip Hop Theater Explosion production and helps fine tune their writing and poetry skills. Read about why we love Zell Miller III here.
Although not really considered an athlete, SaulPaul was swooped up for an interview in the September issue of the Capital City Sports Report. The feature article lays out his whole life story of going from one bad tower to one good tower. But he does have a little to do with sports – he is ESPN Radio’s [1530 AM] “rap-up artist.” After each weekday morning and afternoon talk show, he raps a summary of the day’s topics off the top of his shiny dome, unscripted in a magical way only SaulPaul can do.
As a Board Member for The Cipher program, his wealth of knowledge and commitment helps keep everything moving in the right direction. He brought in a producer last year to get the youths familiar with music production and has shared his experiences with them to encourage positive thinking and smart choices. He attended the Hip Hop Education training along with The Cipher founders in July and is well-respected by his community and fellow hip hop artists. Be inspired and read his story here.
Da’Shade Moonbeam and the Austin Poetry Slam team took 3rd place at the National Poetry Slam Championships held in Madison, Wisconsin. Officially retired from competitive spoken word, he is known around some parts as just good ol’ Jeff Johnson. One half of hip hop duo Blacklisted Individuals (which has recently established a whole band), Da’shade is also admired by The Cipher crew for his advocacy in social work and his martial art skills.
He has shared his writing wisdom with the youths several times and is one of their biggest fans. Simply searching for Da’shade on Google will give a good glimpse into the breadth of his poetry and hip hop career thus far. Check out what went down at Nationals here.
[Blogger’s note: When someone says “good people,” I think of these guys. I am extremely fortunate to know all three of them personally and find it extremely unfortunate that not enough positive messages about young African-American males are reported on in mass media. These guys are hard-working, caring, creative, and intelligent human beings and The Cipher will have continued success with their involvement. You guys are awesome and I’m proud to know y’all!!]
These fine gentlemen prove over and over again why they are positive role models for the young people of The Cipher by making news on their own accord. Dedicated to their art and their community, the three terrific talents help keep Austin hip hop on the map and are paving the way for the next wave of conscious hip hop artists.
In the August 22 issue of The Austin Chronicle, Zell Miller III’s head (and face) finally emblazons the cover. He’s been reviewed and revered numerous times in the Chronicle for years, so a full-length feature story is long overdue and definitely deserved.
A mentor, a teacher, a father, an award-winner – Zell is many things to many people. For The Cipher crew, he is their inspiration. He’s given them the opportunity to perform regularly for his Hip Hop Theater Explosion production and helps fine tune their writing and poetry skills. Read about why we love Zell Miller III here.Although not really considered an athlete, SaulPaul was swooped up for an interview in the September issue of the Capital City Sports Report. The feature article lays out his whole life story of going from one bad tower to one good tower. But he does have a little to do with sports – he is ESPN Radio’s [1530 AM] “rap-up artist.” After each weekday morning and afternoon talk show, he raps a summary of the day’s topics off the top of his shiny dome, unscripted in a magical way only SaulPaul can do.
As a Board Member for The Cipher program, his wealth of knowledge and commitment helps keep everything moving in the right direction. He brought in a producer last year to get the youths familiar with music production and has shared his experiences with them to encourage positive thinking and smart choices. He attended the Hip Hop Education training along with The Cipher founders in July and is well-respected by his community and fellow hip hop artists. Be inspired and read his story here.Da’Shade Moonbeam and the Austin Poetry Slam team took 3rd place at the National Poetry Slam Championships held in Madison, Wisconsin. Officially retired from competitive spoken word, he is known around some parts as just good ol’ Jeff Johnson. One half of hip hop duo Blacklisted Individuals (which has recently established a whole band), Da’shade is also admired by The Cipher crew for his advocacy in social work and his martial art skills.
He has shared his writing wisdom with the youths several times and is one of their biggest fans. Simply searching for Da’shade on Google will give a good glimpse into the breadth of his poetry and hip hop career thus far. Check out what went down at Nationals here.
[Blogger’s note: When someone says “good people,” I think of these guys. I am extremely fortunate to know all three of them personally and find it extremely unfortunate that not enough positive messages about young African-American males are reported on in mass media. These guys are hard-working, caring, creative, and intelligent human beings and The Cipher will have continued success with their involvement. You guys are awesome and I’m proud to know y’all!!]
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12:37 PM
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