Jeff Johnson

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Urban Brand Specialist

Within the hip-hop community and abroad, Jeff Johnson serves as a voice of strength for a generation. An architect for social change, as well as an innate ability to both influence and inspire, Johnson is one of today's most gifted leaders in both the political and entertainment arenas. Recently, Johnson was named by Source Magazine as one of the hip hop generation's key political players.

Johnson's roles as an activist and strategist have spanned from serving as the National Youth Director for the NAACP to being the founder for My Nation Online.com, an online medium connecting young people ages 16-30 interested in activism, as well as local and national organizations. He was sent on assignment to the Dafur region of Sudan this year. Johnson is also one of only four news correspondents to interview Sudan's President Omar Bashir within the past twelve years.

In every aspect of his political leadership, Johnson has been highly instrumental in representing and articulating the views of young people and galvanizing voters to the polls. Johnson's powerful reputation as a political organizer caused hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons to take notice, leading Simmons to appoint Johnson as Vice-President for the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network.

In 2004, upon recognizing his socio-political influence and media adeptness, network executives at BET offered Johnson a unique opportunity to present his views to the hip-hop generation nationally through a consistent media vehicle. Thus, Rap City's Cousin Jeff was born. Johnson was the first correspondent BET sent to cover the Democratic and Republican National Conventions for their entertainment programming line-up.

Shortly thereafter, Johnson began producing his own show, the "Jeff Johnson Chronicles." The chronicles addressed issues relevant to young people in urban America. From sex to Hip-Hop to obesity, it provided a fresh venue for engaging youth in current affairs and news issues in a way not seen since BET's highly successful and groundbreaking forum "Teen Summit."