Without a doubt, Joey Bada$$ is that put on ‘90s baby. Put on, in the sense that Bada$$ is a true practitioner of hip-hop’s rap element and his style is reminiscent of such throged during one of the genre’s most celebrated eras, the boom-bap era, one where lyrical prowess and gritty vibes were the dominant force.
Born Jo-Vaughn Virginie Scott, the Harlem-based artist represents a demographic that has benefited from the genre’s increasing prominence. After founding the rap collective Pro Era in 2010, he has pursued a multifaceted career, branching into acting, where he’s best known for his role as Unique in Power Book III: Raising Kanan. Despite achieving success at the infancy of his adulthood, the experience revealed to him the crucial importance of guidance and mentorship for young Black men on their journey to manhood.
Reflecting on his motivation for starting the Impact MENtorship program in our exclusive interview last month, Bada$$ shared, “I’ve always been moved and inspired to help other people, especially when it comes to their journeys. I found success at such an early age so I’ve always been particularly inspired to help other people find that for themselves. I just believe in us as a whole, especially when I can see talent or determination.”
In 2023, Bada$$’s commitment to empowering others inspired him to establish the Impact MENtorship program. The program is dedicated to equipping men of color with the necessary guidance, confidence, and resources needed to achieve self-sufficiency in their careers and finances. Due to the program, Joey Bada$$ has become a spokesperson for amplifying the voices of underrepresented communities.
Mentorship plays a crucial role in the academic and professional success of young Black men. Studies show that young Black men often face systemic barriers that limit their opportunities for advancement. Having a mentor provides them with guidance, support, and access to networks that can help them overcome these obstacles.
According to a 2018 study published in the Adolescent Research Review titled Mentoring for Black Male Youth: A Systematic Review of the Research, researchers found that mentoring programs can lead to improved academic outcomes, increased self-esteem, and stronger social-emotional skills for young Black men.
Mentorship is pivotal for the professional success of young Black men. A 2018 study published by the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation titled, Boosting the Life Chances of Young Men of Color, supports the reality that young Black men often face systemic barriers that limit their opportunities for advancement. Mentorship can aid young men overcome barriers like criminal justice involvement and educational challenges by providing guidance, support, and access to valuable networks.
Sophia Chang, a significant mentor to Joey during his Pro Era days, played a pivotal role in the creation of the Impact Mentorship program. As the founder of Unlock Her Potential, a program dedicated to mentoring women of color, Chang provided the primary influence for Bada$$’s initiative.
“Sophia has been one of those people who’s been really instrumental in the process of me challenging myself and pushing myself to new heights and past boundaries. Even with the mentorship program, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but it was definitely inspired by her. There are certain people I have in my life, and I like to give them the title of expanders,” Bada$$ explained.
Bada$$ is indeed constructing a valuable network. The network of mentors involve men of color who are maven’s in their niche including Swizz Beats, Vic Mensa, Chef Kwame Onwuachi, and many more. Each month, these industrious Impact mentors allocate one hour to deliver customized guidance to their mentees through one-on-one sessions. Young men of color who wish to enter the arts, music, activism, culinary arts, film and television, and sports are ideal participants. According to the Power actor, approximately 3,700 young men of color apply to the free program every year with acceptance being supremely competitive.
In partnership with the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, and HipHopEd, the program hosted its annual Impact Summit in June at Teacher’s College, Columbia University in New York City. With journalist Dometi Pongo stationed as the host, the event featured a series of panels on critical topics including leadership challenges, networking strategies, and professional aspirations. The panelists included actor Malcolm Mays, Ghetto Gastro’s Jon Gray, Colm Dillane of KidSuper, painters Tony Whlgn and Jalili Nzinga, and influencer 19 Keys, with several of them also serving as Impact mentors. Serving as moderators were Carl Lamarre, Billboard’s Deputy Director of R&B/Hip-Hop, and seasoned hip-hop journalist Rob Markman. Chang also participated as a panelist.
“We’re focused on an underrepresented group of individuals, which is men of color. These people are very unlikely to have professional mentorship in the capacity of being able to connect with successful professionals in their respective fields,” said Bada$$.
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