Joey Bada$
Joey Bada$$ is without a doubt the dressed up baby of the 90s. Dressed up in the sense that Bada$$ truly masters the rap element of hip hop and his style is reminiscent of the music from one of the genre’s most famous eras, the boom bap era, where lyrical prowess and raw vibes were the dominant force.
The Harlem-based artist, born Jo-Vaughn Virginie Scott, represents a demographic that has benefited from the genre’s increasing popularity. After founding the rap collective Pro Era in 2010, he pursued a varied career and moved into acting, where he is best known for his role as Unique in Power Book III: Raising KananAlthough he had already achieved success in early adulthood, this experience made him realize how critical leadership and mentorship are for young black men on their journey to manhood.
In our exclusive interview last month, Bada$$ spoke about his motivation for starting the Impact MENTorship program: “I’ve always been motivated and inspired to help other people, especially when it comes to their life journeys. I’ve been successful at such a young age, so helping other people find that for themselves has always been particularly inspiring to me. I just believe in us as a whole, especially when I recognize talent or determination.”
In 2023, his commitment to empowering others inspired him to create the Impact MENtorship program. The program aims to provide men of color with the necessary guidance, confidence, and resources they need to become independent in their careers and finances. Thanks to the program, Joey Bada$$ has become a spokesperson who amplifies the voices of underrepresented communities.
Mentoring plays a critical 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. A mentor provides 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 Adolescents: A Systematic Review of ResearchResearchers found that mentoring programs can lead to better academic performance, increased self-esteem, and stronger social-emotional skills among young black men.
Mentoring is critical to the career success of young black men. A 2018 study published by the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation titled: Improving the life chances of young men of colorsupports the fact that young black men often face systemic barriers that limit their opportunities for advancement. Mentoring can help young men overcome barriers such as criminal justice involvement and educational difficulties by providing them with guidance, support, and access to valuable networks.
Joey Bada$
Sophia Chang, a key 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 to mentor women of color, Chang was the primary influencer for Bada$$’s initiative.
“Sophia was one of the people who was instrumental in pushing me to challenge myself and push myself to new heights and limits. Even with the mentorship program, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but she definitely inspired me to do it. There are certain people in my life and I like to call them expanders,” explained Bada$$.
Bada$$ is actually building a valuable network. The mentor network is made up of men of color who are experts in their niche, including Swizz Beats, Vic Mensa, Chef Kwame Onwuachi, and many more. Each month, these hardworking impact mentors take an hour to provide personalized guidance to their mentees in one-on-one sessions. Young men of color who want to break into the arts, music, activism, culinary arts, film and television, and sports are ideal participants. According to the Power actor, approximately 3,700 young men of color apply to the free program each year, with admissions being extremely competitive.
In partnership with the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, and HipHopEd, the program hosted its annual Impact Summit in June at Teacher’s College of Columbia University in New York City. With journalist Dometi Pongo as moderator, the event featured a series of panels on important topics such as leadership challenges, networking strategies, and career aspirations. Panelists included actor Malcolm Mays, Jon Gray of Ghetto Gastro, Colm Dillane of KidSuper, painters Tony Whlgn and Jalili Nzinga, and influencer 19 Keys, some of whom also served as Impact mentors. Carl Lamarre, Billboard’s deputy director of R&B/Hip-Hop, and veteran hip-hop journalist Rob Markman served as moderators. Chang also participated as a panelist.
“We focus on an underrepresented group of people, namely men of color. These people very rarely have professional mentorship in the form of being able to connect with successful professionals in their respective fields,” said Bada$$.
