“I’ve taken care of so many artists, helped shape so many careers, helped get so many artists on the track. What would it look like for me to give just half of what I’ve poured into others?”

Toni Blackman is an award-winning hip hop artist, cypher specialist, poet, writer, and social entrepreneur. From a young age, Toni’s love for language and words, combined with her curiosity about injustices in the world, resulted in writing her first book of poetry at age 8 on social justice. From there, Toni’s work evolved to theater, activism, and cypher circles. Tune in to hear how Toni’s journey led to her choosing one area to master, destigmatizing rap music, creating a safe space for women to develop confidence to tell their own stories, the downfalls of overachieving and being rewarded for it, facing burnout, and learning to prioritize self-care and intentionality.

For more episodes of On Course: The Podcast from Echoing Green, visit anchor.fm/echoinggreen.