The Creative Team
BORIS “BLUZ” ROGERS
Words are a formless grouping of letters with very little meaning until poet and author Bluz speaks them. Born Boris Rogers, Bluz has been unwavering in his quest to stretch the boundaries of poetry. During the past seven years of performing, Bluz has won four Emmy Awards, 2010 Southern Fried Poetry Slam and is Slam Master and Coach of the 2007 and 2008 award-winning competitive slam team Slam Charlotte.
BLUZ
BREE STALLINGS
Breanna "Bree" Stallings is North Carolina native, multi-media artist, illustrator, writer and activist. Bree graduated from Queens University of Charlotte in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in Studio Art and Creative Writing. She resides near uptown Charlotte where she works as a painter, illustrator and muralist. Currently, she teaches adults and children intermediate and advanced drawing and painting techniques at her studio called the Learning Lab. Using art as her vehicle, she raises awareness for many causes that affect her life and those closest to her such as economic mobility, sexual health advocacy, homelessness and environmental consciousness.
BREE STALLINGS
AJ GLASCO
AJ is the founder of CrayzeeBeat Dance, one of Charlotte’s premier street dance/choreography companies. AJ attended Johnson and Wales University in Charlotte, NC but left school to pursue his heart’s true desire, which is to dance and teach young adults all over the world. His dream is to inspire others to reach their goals both in and out of the studio.
AJ GLASCO
GREG JACKSON
GREG JACKSON
Greg Jackson was a rapper and a sous chef when the September 2016 protests in Charlotte began. He showed up with others to protest the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department at its headquarters the day after the Keith Lamont Scott shooting, but a crucial conversation that day changed his trajectory. After creating his nonprofit Heal Charlotte, he partnered with CMPD to train officers how to communicate with the community in volatile situations and has created an after-school camp for at-risk youth in his northeast Charlotte neighborhood.
BLUMENTHAL PERFORMING ARTS
We Are Hip Hop fosters peace, love, unity and creativity. Blumenthal aims to give Charlotte’s amazing creative community greater visibility, recognition and support for the energy they inject into our city. We bring together artists from around the world and around the corner who innovate and inspire. Blumenthal connects Hip Hop fans who enthusiastically support everything from old school to cutting edge innovation. The launch of We Are Hip Hop creates a year-round opportunity to lift-up our artists, connect fans, and unite our city.