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Wordsmith

soloist

Wordsmith is a songwriter, poet, recording artist, actor, playwright, entrepreneur and philanthropist from Baltimore, Maryland. He earned a full athletic scholarship to play football at Morgan State University studying radio, TV and Performance. A transfer to Salisbury University two years later earned Wordsmith a bachelor’s degree in performing arts (music and theater arts) in 2002.

Wordsmith opened his independent label NU Revolution Entertainment in 2009; distribution and licensing deals with Ingrooves, United Masters, Redeye and APM Music helped the company flourish. He is a Grammy voting member, finalist for the 2023 Baker Artist Awards, ASCAP Plus awardee and winner of Best Album Rap/Hip-Hop for Perspective Jukebox at the 16th Independent Music Awards. His music has been featured on prominent networks and shows like Russian Doll (Netflix), Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix), Preacher (AMC) and many more.

Continuing to expand his reach, Wordsmith is an International Exchange Alumni with the U.S. Department of State to fund performances and workshops in Azerbaijan, Haiti, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Angola, Ukraine, Namibia, Côte d'Ivoire, Panama, Tunisia and Tanzania over the years.

Wordsmith’s career took a new direction in 2018 when he was hired to write new narration for Carnival of the Animals with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO). A second opportunity came when Wordsmith was asked to host the 2018 BSO Gala with special guest Cynthia Erivo. Officially becoming an Artistic Partner with the BSO in September 2020, Wordsmith and composer James Lee III debuted two commissioned pieces: Destined Words for the BSO Gala Celebration in honor of Marin Alsop, and the Fredrick Douglass-inspired piece Freedom’s Genuine Dawn. Wordsmith followed up these performances with landmark reinterpretations of Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale, Beethoven Ninth, his original classical fusion piece Made in America, and the world premiere of Network to Freedom on Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2024.

Wordsmith has opened a nonprofit “Rise with a Purpose, Inc.” and delivered his first TED Talk via John Hopkins University. He collaborated with composer-pianist Kory Caudill for the Progressions project and the Concert for the Human Family. He also wrote and directed an original play called The Purple Tape to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. He has also collaborated with notable hip-hop acts like Chubb Rock, Skyzoo, Camp Lo, Sadat X, Jaz-O, Ruste Juxx, Grand Daddy I.U. and his cousin Roc Marciano.