For the people
and stories
that define us.

MY STORY

I've loved music and creativity my whole life. For a long time, I thought that meant the job I wanted was making art for people to consume, and that the fulfillment would come from that. It doesn't. But, as time passed, I got more out of watching something succeed for somebody else than I ever got from credit for my own talent.

I'm Ghanaian American, and I grew up in one of the most statistically disadvantaged communities for Black men in America. But my story wasn't defined by statistics or narratives. Milwaukee is understated, and it shaped the simplicity and hunger I bring to everything. A working-class city that wants to be known for more, and still appreciates its own kindness and warmth.

When I was 12, I built my own program for other people for the first time, as a student leader, with my mom and fellow students. With $47,338 from State Farm, we launched A Greener Day, which addressed environmental sustainability and leadership for students in the Youth Leadership Academy, a program designed to develop Black boys into leaders of men. We worked with students in 2nd-6th grade as mentors and program leaders every Saturday, while assisting with serving food and facilitating programming. 

The Youth Leadership Academy was rooted in an idea that my grandfather developed, the Rites of Passage, which invited people of all backgrounds to explore their identity and purpose through Ghanaian tradition. It was more than a project for me. It was an early example of my own potential being realized, and it's the same legacy I'm building with YMD. 

Back then, I was just a kid bringing resources together so we could all be better. Yes, it had its ups and its downs. But it gave me the foundation of leadership, ownership, and audacity that energizes the work I do today.

What I want now is bigger than individual success. I want to be directly responsible for developing the next Stan Lee, Issa Rae, Mike Judge, Kendrick Lamar, or Cree Summer. Dynamic performers, creators, and auteurs with a love and mastery of their craft.

I want more money and resources funneled directly to the organizations dedicating their lives to changing the world for the better. And I want artists with talent and passion to give it everything without fear.

Creativity At The Highest Level isn't a description of what we deliver. It's aspirational, the same way "Just Do It" is for Nike or "Why Not?" is for Russell Westbrook. Creativity solves problems, heals, and challenges you when nothing looks like it's moving. It's the engine that gives my life purpose, and it means more to me than the money it generates or the acclaim I personally receive. My legacy is defined by the lives I changed for the better. That's at the heart of YMD and who I am as a creative.