CAP City Breaking Jam 2022

All of the Above Hip Hop Academy and 99Stylez Crew proudly present CAP City!

CAP City is a two-day dance event in Lansing, Michigan's Capital, on Friday August 5th and Saturday August 6th. Summer vibes will be in full effect: fresh air, fresher music, and the freshest dancers on the scenic Lansing River trail!

SAVE THE DATE, spread the word, and prepare for TWO battles:  

2v2 breaking, $1500 first place prize, $500 second place

1v1 kids breaking, $200 first place prize, $100 second place

Schedule: Friday 8/5: Workshops with Bgirl Kate & Bboy El Nino, 5:30pm - 7:30 pm

Saturday 8/6: 1v1 kids prelims and battles, 2v2 prelims & breaking battles

Location: Friday venue: The Cadillac Room

Saturday venue: Shiawassee Street Bridge, Downtown Lansing.

For more details and to register https: HERE

Above & Beyond: The Promise of an Anthem

We’re proud of these young men!

This year All of the Above Hip Hop Academy launched our AYO (All of the Above Youth Organization) residency under the guidance and leadership of Jahshua Smith.

These talented gentlemen were commissioned by Lansing Promise to produce, write, record, and perform an anthem for the city of Lansing.

The song debuted June 9, 2022, at the Promise Gala at Lansing Lugnuts’ Jackson Field and it went hard! Shout out to The Player Music, 5am, Juice, and Devin Jones for knocking this opportunity out the park!

You made your folks and the city proud. Congrats!| Hip Hop. Education. Community. All of the Above. – Photos by Ozay Moore

Above & Beyond: AOTA at Black Wall Street of Lansing’s 2nd Annual 5K Family Fun Day

Members of All of the Above Hip Hop Academy – Rayshawn “Y’z Council” Grisson, Ozay Moore, Alexis Rosado, James Gardin, and Rashad Muhammad - took part in Black Wall Street of Lansing’s 2nd Annual 5K Family Fun Day!

Our crew enjoyed the great weather, fun and festivities, and were happy to support this community event.

Y’z and Ozay provided an excellent mix of music for everyone to vibe to while Alexis and James took 1st and 2nd place in the 5K respectively!

Hip Hop. Education. Community. All of the Above. | AOTA – Photos by Alexis Rosado

Above & Beyond: Smile

This is what we want the community to see whenever they attend one of our classes, sessions, or events.

This is what we want the community to walk away with after sharing time and space with us.

This is what we want to pass along to one another no matter where we are or what we’re doing.

Hip Hop. Education. Community. All of the Above.  | AOTA – Photo by Yo Joe Photo

All of the Above Hip Hop Academy is Nominated for a Deucey Award

Wow! We’re honored to have been nominated for the 10th annual Deucy Award!

Check it out!

VOTE FOR US HERE: Vote for them! https://www.unodeuce.com/deucey-awards-2022/

Above & Beyond: Table the Discussion

This is where we greet and welcome everyone who comes to Foster Community Center for our Breaking 101 and Breaking 102 classes.

It’s a simple table decorated with flyers and backed by our Breaking 101 banner. The setup doesn’t require a lot to be inviting.

People that are unfamiliar with who we are and what we do as All of the Above Hip Hop Academy, but have their attention caught by what we’re doing at Foster, can stop and talk with us, ask questions and get answers that build awareness, interest, and an increased sense of community.  | AOTA - Photo by Yo Joe Photo

AOTA Photo Friday

Photo by Yo Joe Photo

Above & Beyond: H is for Hip Hop

“All of the Above Hip Hop Academy is a non-profit organization made up of artists, educators, and advocates that mentor youth, support artistic expression and serve communities as a Hip Hop Cultural resource for the purpose of youth development.”

Hip Hop. Education. Community. All of the Above. | AOTA - Photo by Yo Joe Photo

CAP City – August 5th and 6th

All of the Above Hip Hop Academy and 99Stylez Crew proudly present CAP City!

CAP City is a two-day dance event in Lansing, Michigan's Capital, on Friday August 5th and Saturday August 6th. Summer vibes will be in full effect: fresh air, fresher music and the freshest dancers on the scenic Lansing River Trail!

SAVE THE DATE, spread the word, and prepare for TWO battles: 2 vs 2 breaking, $1500 first place prize, $500 second place; 1 vs 1 kids breaking, $200 first place prize, $100 second place.

Schedule (exact times TBD): Friday 8/5: 2v2 breaking prelims, Saturday 8/6: 1v1 kids prelims and battles, 2v2 breaking battles.

Location: Friday venue in the works, stay tuned! Saturday venue: Shiawassee Street Bridge. Stay tuned for more event details!

Judges and DJs TBA | AOTA – Artwork by Chris Kaku

The Jump Off Beat Battle: Champions Edition [Full Show]

If you missed The Jump Off Champions Edition live on March 26, 2022, you can watch the event in full now!

Thank you, UnoDeuce Multimedia!

Shout out to The Record Lounge, Heather Frarey, all the contestants, judges, special guests, crew, and attendees who made this The Jump Off one for the books! | AOTA

The Jump Off Beat Battle: Champions Edition Judges

The Jump Off is back, but this year will feature returning champs for the first ever Top 8 Champions Edition Tournament!

All of the Above Hip Hop Academy has been giving beat makers a platform for over a decade, and on March 26th, 8 of the best to do it will go head-to-head competing for $1,000 and heavy bragging rights!

Fans and admires in attendance and everyone who watching online via various web sites, social media platforms, and live streaming outlets will be able to vote during each round using an app.

There will also be a panel of four judges – DJ Bizzy B, Ward Skillz, John Beltran, and Kaz Drumatik – on hand to assist with selecting de facto winners.

Tune in live either at The Record Lounge in REO Town or on Twitch (twitch.tv/aotahiphop) March 26th from 3-6pm!

Mark your calendars for this free event.

It’s The Jump Off! | AOTA

Breaking 101: Guess Who’s Back?

Our second 8-week Breaking 101 session at Foster Community Center is underway!

We’re excited to have everyone back and we welcome all the new breakers and supporters joining us!

With an incredible increase in interest and signups, this is our chance to impact more young lives in our community and teach them the art of breaking, one of the key elements of Hip Hop culture.

Our 101 classes are the perfect introduction for beginners and our newly established 102 classes will further the development of intermediate breakers.

Breaking is a community and we’re endlessly thrilled to grow it. | AOTA - Photo by Yo Joe Photo

The Jump Off Beat Battle: Champions Edition (Official Trailer)

The Jump Off is back, but this year will feature returning champs for the first ever Top 8 Champions Edition Tournament!

All of the Above Hip Hop Academy has been giving beat makers a platform for over a decade, and on March 26th, 8 of the best to do it will go head-to-head competing for $1,000 and heavy bragging rights!

Traditionally, this tournament-style event puts artists who are behind the scenes in the spotlight. The only difference this time around is all 8 contestants are individually known and praised as producers for what they bring to Hip Hop music.

Like in other installments, each competitor will come prepared with an arsenal of beats to battle with. The production is masterfully crafted to win the judges’ approval showcasing technique, creativity, quality, and passion with every carefully selected track.

Everyone watching virtually will also have the opportunity to vote for their favorite producer during the event.

Tune in live either at The Record Lounge in REO Town or on Twitch (twitch.tv/aotahiphop) March 26th from 3-6pm!

Mark your calendars for this free event.

It’s The Jump Off! | AOTA

The Jump Off Beat Battle: Champions Edition

Lansing’s premier producer “Beat Battle” returns March 26th!

This year, The Jump Off will feature returning champions for the first ever Top 8 Champions Edition Tournament!

All of the Above Hip Hop Academy has been giving beat makers a platform for over a decade! The longest running community event has literally been the “jump off” for some of the most exciting producer careers in Michigan.

On March 26th, 8 of the best to do it will go head-to-head competing for $1,000 and heavy bragging rights!

This year’s The Jump Off event will offer both an in-person and virtual experience live via Facebook. Attendees, in-person and virtual, are a part of the experience. Everyone watching has the opportunity to vote for their favorite producer during the event.

With 4 professional judges in the room, the 5th vote will be the collective voice of the crowd. This will add an incredible dynamic to the experience, and in some cases, the outcome of the round.

Tune in live either at The Record Lounge in REO Town, or on Twitch (twitch.tv/aotahiphop) March 26th from 3-6pm!

Mark your calendars for this free event.

It’s The Jump Off! | AOTA

The Player: Build New Bonds

“AOTA has helped me express myself creatively and build new bonds”

Anthony “AJ” Jones AKA The Player is an aspiring MC who could very well be on everyone’s radar in the next couple of years. 

Following up his debut recording of “Eyes of The Famous” for our B.A.R.S (Beats and Rhymes Sessions) program, it was clear that AJ has the juice.

His first time on stage was performing at the Wharton Center for our “Be In The Room” AOTA showcase. 

[He’s] a natural on the microphone; so natural there was no indication that this was his first experience rocking in front of a crowd. It was like a switch flipped and he went from all nerves to all out.

The Player spazzed for a solid 32 bars of rapid fire, clearly articulated, verbal gymnastics while we all stood in amazement of the transformation. It was like watching Clark Kent hit the booth and come out as Superman! 

We’re proud of Anthony and his Fresh Class comrades.  They have created a community with each other, [and] that makes us proud as facilitators to see [it]. It’s rich in talent, potential and support.

Help us continue to provide young artists in Lansing, MI with healthy community, meaningful relationships, and skill and character-building opportunities through Hip-hop.

Your financial donations are making an impact.

Acea Spades: Community Outside of School

“AOTA has impacted my life by giving me community outside of school”

Acea Spades joined our Breaking 101 classes at 5-years-old. Now Spades is competing in breaking battles all over the region.

He has found an international community among breakers young and old. His growth as a B-Boy has also translated into his development as a leader.

He helps teach newer breakers coming into All of the Above HipHop Academy and serves as a source of inspiration to them.

We are proud of Spades as he models the benefits of having access to positive communities in hip-hop culture.