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Toni Blackman

First US Hip Hop Ambassador, Rapper & Mindfulness Educator

Toni Blackman
Travels From Travels From:
Brooklyn, NY, USA
Speaking Fee Speaking Fee:
Live Event: $5,000 - $10,000
Virtual Event: $5,000 - $10,000
More Fee Info
Categories Categories:
Categories Categories:
Authors, Black Heritage, Celebrity, Civil Rights, Culture, Diversity & Inclusion, Entertainers, Literary, Music, Poetry, Social Activism, Social Justice, Women
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Toni Blackman Biography

Toni Blackman is a cultural ambassador, public speaker, and an advocate of improvisation. Specializing in freestyle hip-hop, she was the first Hip-Hop Ambassador for the U.S. State Department, showcasing the versatility and dynamism of this art form. Her experiences as a diplomatic worker and public speaker enable her to navigate various communities (the arts, political circles, international gatherings, youth groups, academia, and the music industry) with ease. As America's inaugural Hip-Hop Ambassador, her work has consistently communicated that hip-hop is an international platform to portray the US as a good global citizen.

Blackman has traveled and worked in over 30 different countries, including Senegal, Ghana, Botswana, Swaziland, Ivory Coast, the DRC, Brazil, South Africa, Angola, and various places in Europe. Her diplomatic work encompasses peace and reconciliation, literacy, HIV awareness, and gender violence prevention. She proudly served as a 2006 Rhythm Road touring artist and was on the selection committee for American Music Abroad, further evidencing her international influence. In 2006, she was also the founding director of Freestyle Union, a cipher workshop using freestyling as a tool to encourage social responsibility, holding great sway in the world of hip-hop activism. A former Echoing Green Fellow, Blackman has also been a fellow with the Soros Foundation's Open Society Institute. Her work with the Freestyle Union and its woman-centric initiative Rhyme Like a Girl, which launched in partnership with Girls, Inc., and later partnered with the New School University, has greatly benefitted from her creative organizing efforts.

With a knack for turning her passion for creativity and improvisation into a compelling presentation on "getting open," being centered, and harnessing personal power from the inside out, Blackman has spoken at international conferences and facilitated artist residencies. She has performed and spoken at the Aspen Institute Summit in Oman, the prestigious Pio Manzu International Conference in Italy, the World Cup at the ManUp Summit in South Africa, and the FORD Foundation and City Xpo Big Ideas Conference in Virginia. Her workshops and trainings have benefited organizations like the NBA, Craigslist Foundation, Julliard, Ross School of Business-UM, Smithsonian Museum, Harvard, and the Girl Scouts "Beyond Bars" program for incarcerated mothers. A former adjunct professor of hip-hop at Binghamton University and a visiting professor at the University of Michigan, Blackman is currently a judge for the US Department of State's American Music Abroad program.

Blackman's performance repertoire is equally impressive, having shared the stage with artists such as Erykah Badu, Mos Def, The Roots, Wu-Tang, and Guru, and at events like the Lilith Fair and Def Poetry. She has toured Southeast Asia with Jazz at Lincoln Center's Musical Ambassador Program, and her first book, "Inner-Course," was released in 2003. Her work has been featured in scholarly articles about hip-hop culture and she is a member of the Spoken Word Committee of the New York Chapter of the Recording Academy.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 08/01/2024.

Toni Blackman Speaking Topics

  • Wisdom of the Cipher Circle

  • Social Entrepreneurship: Big, Bold Ideas & Your Purpose

  • Free Your Style, Free Your ______

  • Hip-Hop Diplomacy, Pop Culture & Politics

Toni Blackman Videos

  • Toni Blackman on The Wisdom of the Cypher | Loop
    Toni Blackman on The Wisdom of the Cypher | Loop
    At the most recent Loop summit, we invited participants to give short presentations on an aspect of music making from their own personal perspectives...
  • Toni Blackman A Dove Real Woman Role Model - DOVE Real Beauty Campaign
    Toni Blackman A Dove Real Woman Role Model - DOVE Real Beauty Campaign
    Toni is living proof of the power of words to transform lives. She overcame body issues and self-doubt as a little girl to succeed as a hip-hop...
  • Toni Blackman at TEDxUMassAmherst
    Toni Blackman at TEDxUMassAmherst
See All Videos »

Toni Blackman Books

  • Inner-course: A Plea for Real Love
    Inner-course: A Plea for Real Love

Speaker Lists Featuring Toni Blackman

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  • How do I book Toni Blackman to speak at my event?

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  • What topics does Toni Blackman speak about?

    Toni Blackman is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Authors, Black Heritage, Celebrity, Civil Rights, Culture, Diversity & Inclusion, Entertainers, Literary, Music, Poetry, Social Activism, Social Justice, Women.

  • Where does Toni Blackman travel from?

    Toni Blackman generally travels from Brooklyn, NY, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.

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    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Toni Blackman for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Toni Blackman for your next private or corporate function.

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Toni Blackman is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Wisdom of the Cipher Circle, Social Entrepreneurship: Big, Bold Ideas & Your Purpose, Free Your Style, Free Your ______ and Hip-Hop Diplomacy, Pop Culture & Politics. The estimated speaking fee range to book Toni Blackman for your event is $5,000 - $10,000. Toni Blackman generally travels from Brooklyn, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Ursula Rucker, Alfre Woodard, Aisha Fukushima, Patti LaBelle and Vanessa Williams. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Toni Blackman for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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