Phenom Universal Phenom Universal
PHENOM, born The'Ray Hale, raised in Cabrini Green, developed his rhyme skill in the back streets of Chicago and has dedicated his life to empowering communities through his music. In 1995 as a recent high school graduate, who would later become First Lady, Michelle Obama chose him for the Public Allies program, where he trained youth to develop and implement violence prevention curricula in North and South Lawndale. It only took 3 years to win the city's top Youth Development Award over 400 program initiatives across Chicago. .
He then co-founded performance powerhouse POETREE CHICAGO (People's Organized Entertainment Teaching Righteous Education Everywhere) and assisted in the development of programs such as YouMedia's (Lyricist Loft), The GoodLife Organization, and L.Y.R.I.C. Mentoring Organization. Phenom is the inaugural host of the Teens In the Park Fest, Winner of The CLE-LBP Brother Mike Hawkins Mentoring Award, Iman Sacred Cipher Creatives Artist, and International HipHop Representative for HipHop Detoxx World-Wide.
In 2018, Phenom founded "EmceeSkool" , the innovative artist mentoring program which trains Chicago-based young adult artists as Peace Ambassadors who use their art as instruments of peace in music as well as their neighborhoods. Phenom currently serves as the Creative Pedagogy Manager in the Arts and Culture Department with the Legendary Inner-City Muslim Action Network.
