Welcome to Episode 12 of Beats, Rhymes y Comunidad — Where Community Management meets the Culture!

Today we are privileged and honored to present you with a special Mother's Day edition of Beats, Rhymes y Comunidad featuring an exclusive look into the theatrical musical concert, The Three Kings and Their Queens.

The Three Kings and Their Queens celebrates the Golden Era of Latin music and the Palladium Ballroom, focusing on legends Machito and Graciela, Tito Puente, Tito Rodríguez, Celia Cruz, and La Lupe. The show features a live big band and pays tribute to these figures as royalty of Mambo and Salsa.

In this episode, we interview some of the cast including Miss Yaya Vargas who played Graciela, Grizel “Chachi” Del Valle who played La Lupe, and Caridad “La Bruja” De La Luz who narrated the show. We also feature highlights from the show and debut a never before seen interview with the real life Graciela, known as the First Lady of Latin Jazz.

🔗 Learn more about The Three Kings & Their Queens and connect with the cast: https://www.instagram.com/threekingsqueens/

https://www.instagram.com/the.miss.yaya/

https://www.instagram.com/chachination/

https://www.instagram.com/labrujanyc/

Welcome to Episode 11 of Beats, Rhymes y Comunidad — Where Community Management meets the Culture!

Today we are privileged and honored to present you with our very first Beats, Rhymes y Comunidad EXCLUSIVE featuring Elaine Del Valle, Director of Brownsville Bred.

Elaine Del Valle is a proud Nuyorican filmmaker, storyteller, and the visionary behind Brownsville Bred, a powerful coming-of-age feature that has been called one of the most anticipated films of 2025. Based on Elaine’s own life, the film takes us to 1980s Brooklyn, where family, identity, and community intertwine in ways that are deeply personal yet universally relatable.

Brownsville Bred opened to sold-out screenings in New York City and is now expanding its theatrical run thanks to the overwhelming support of the very communities that inspired it. And today, we’ve got an exclusive for you: when this film premieres in Puerto Rico on October 9th, audiences will know it under a new name, Brooklyn Boricua.

Elaine is not only a filmmaker but also the founder of Del Valle Productions, a director recognized by Sundance, WarnerMedia, and the Alliance of Women Directors, and a creative force who continues to expand opportunities for underrepresented voices in Hollywood and beyond.

In this episode, we talk about her origins in Brownsville, the process of bringing her life story to the screen, the business side of independent filmmaking, the cultural responsibility of storytelling, and the legacy she hopes to leave behind.

🔗 Connect with Elaine Del Valle & Brownsville Bred: https://www.elainedelvalledirector.com/

https://www.brownsvillebred.com/

Welcome to the Season 1 Finale of Beats, Rhymes y Comunidad — Where Community Management meets the Culture!

Francisco Opazo is the Founder of Led by Community, a digital hub for community professionals to connect and thrive. He’s also the Founder of Community Week, a dynamic, decentralized event series dedicated to connecting the brightest minds in community leadership, innovation, and impact.

In this episode, we uncover a seemingly endless number of Gems about community management, culture, and business development. 💎

Special thanks to everyone who made the inaugural season of this experiment worth every stitch of work. We’re excited for Season 2 and can’t wait to see you again soon!

🔗 Connect with Francisco, Led by Community & Community Week: https://www.ledby.community/

https://www.community-week.com/

Welcome to Episode 9 of Beats, Rhymes y Comunidad — Where Community Management meets the Culture!

Pablo Gonzalez is the Chief Evangelist at Vendoroo, a personal AI-powered maintenance expert designed to assist property managers. In addition to being a real estate investor, Pablo is the founder of Be The Stage, an agency that designs strategy and leads content creation for brands.

In this episode, Pablo and I take a deep dive into community building as a business development tool, the importance of content creation, events, and category design as we head further into the age of AI.

🔗 Connect with Pablo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablotheconnector/

Carrie Melissa Jones is a renowned community builder, author, and entrepreneur who has dedicated her career to helping organizations create meaningful connections and foster strong communities.

Jones began her professional journey working at various startups in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she honed her skills in community management and digital marketing. In 2014, she co-founded CMX, an organization dedicated to bringing together community managers. As the Chief Operations Officer, Jones played a pivotal role in developing the company's content strategy and educational resources. Her work at CMX led her to become a sought-after speaker and consultant for organizations looking to improve their community engagement efforts.

In 2020, Jones published Building Brand Communities: How Organizations Succeed by Creating Belonging alongside Charles H. Vogl. The book serves as a comprehensive guide for organizations looking to build authentic and lasting connections with their audiences. It has become a go-to resource for community managers and marketing professionals alike, receiving praise for its actionable insights and real-world examples.

As an author, speaker, and entrepreneur, Jones continues to push the boundaries of community-building and inspire others to create both physical and digital spaces where people feel a genuine sense of belonging.

🔗 Connect with Carrie: https://www.carriemelissajones.com/

https://www.buildingbrandcommunities.com/

Welcome to Episode 7 of Beats, Rhymes y Comunidad — Where Community Management meets the Culture!

This week we're joined by Swel Swient Lopez aka Swel Boogie of The Arsonists. In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of The Arsonists' debut album, As the World Burns, Swel reunited with his former bandmates to publish a memoir for the group as a first time author.

Formed in 1995, the Arsonists followed an unlikely path to global superstardom. Emerging from Bushwick, Brooklyn, during the height of the college radio era, with platforms like Stretch and Bobbito Radio, The Source Magazine, and Fat Beats Records, they went on to collaborate with Bobbito Garcia, MC Serch, and eventually signing with indie label Matador Records.

With a style as distinctive and eclectic as their debut album As The World Burns, this memoir offers a fresh take on the music narrative. In addition to the band's story, the book includes rare memorabilia and an exclusive, unfiltered glimpse into the creative process of a group whose legacy resonates with Hip-Hop’s most legendary artists.

For nearly thirty years, the Arsonists have made a lasting impact on underground culture, and this book provides the opportunity to learn the full story of how their spark ignited a lasting blaze.

🔗 Connect with Swel Boogie & buy Arsonists: As The World Burns on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Arsonists-World-Swel-Swient-Lopez/dp/B0DSB5B267/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0

Welcome to Episode 6.5 of Beats, Rhymes y Comunidad — Where Community Management meets the Culture!

Erik Elijah Brumfield is a photographer who captures Hip-Hop history, mixing beats, infusing flavor in food & ventures, while shaking up clean energy. His latest exhibit, GOLDEN documents the "Golden Era" of Hip-Hop - a time when 90s Hip-Hop wasn't just music, but a movement. GOLDEN offers an intimate, powerful look at the culture that shaped a generation, through rare and never-before-seen photographs by legendary image-makers.​​

From iconic album cover sessions by Danny Hastings, to raw, personal portraits captured by T. Eric Monroe; from behind-the-scenes candids by Erik Elijah Brumfield, to in-the-moment energy by Koi Sojer - this exhibition reveals Hip-Hop at its most unfiltered, untamed, and unforgettable. Before the internet. Before the algorithms. When the lens was the only witness.

🔗 Connect with Erik & The Golden Group: https://www.onegreenplanet.org/human-interest/50-years-hip-hop-impact-on-social-justice-veganism-susta/

https://www.kismithgallery.com/

Welcome to Episode 6 of Beats, Rhymes y Comunidad — Where Community Management meets the Culture!

Zenobia Simmons has always been able to see and communicate with spirits since she was a child. She’s been working as an intuitive for over 10 years and appeared on the TV show “America’s Psychic Challenge” on Lifetime, which allowed Z to showcase her abilities as a psychic and connect to help people all across the country.

Since then, Zenobia’s interest in the psychic world has led her to pursue and develop other abilities. One of the unique things about the way she works is that Z is able to provide various types of insight. As a psychic medium, her intuition empowers Zenobia to answer questions we often ask ourselves about life. Some of the tools Zenobia uses include tarot cards, pendulums, crystals, and tea leaves depending on the preference or the nature of the reading.

Zenobia also has a successful career life working in PR. Over the course of her career, she has worked with Hip-Hop acts like the Arsonists, Smif N Wessun, Fat Joe and more. She's currently working PR for Mannie Fresh and co-hosts the Beats, Bud & Bites Show on Beatminerz Radio.

🔗 Connect with Zenobia and Beats, Bud & Bites: http://www.zenobiasimmonspsychic.com/

https://www.mixcloud.com/Beatminerz_Radio/beats-bud-bites-050425/

Welcome to Episode 5 of Beats, Rhymes y Comunidad — Where Community Management meets the Culture!

Born and bred in Bushwick, Brooklyn, Q-Unique opens up about his deep roots in Hip-Hop’s golden era, from Rap beginnings to arena tours with Rock royalty and collaborations that pushed both genres forward. We dive into the pivotal moments that shaped Q's artistry, the evolution of his creative process, and what it means to sustain longevity in a constantly changing industry.

Whether you know him as part of the Arsonists, a rock frontman, or a solo lyricist with iron-sharp precision, Q-Unique’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and righteous authenticity.

🔗 Connect with Q-Unique: https://www.q-unique.com/

Welcome to Episode 4 of Beats, Rhymes y Comunidad — Where Community Management meets the Culture!

This week we're joined by Rajiv Nathan aka RajNATION—Hip-Hop artist, MMA announcer, and founder of Startup Hypeman. Known as the Original Rap-preneur, Raj has made it his mission to help founders pitch like legends and connect like artists.

🎤 From Startup Grind Chicago to his GOAT to Market album, Raj shares how Hip-Hop culture and storytelling influence everything he does—from startup stages to national stages.

In this high energy episode, Raj shares how Hip-Hop sharpened his pitch skills, balancing artistry with entrepreneurship, and his collab with community OG Pablo Gonzalez.

🔗 Connect with RajNATION & Startup Hypeman: https://www.startuphypeman.com/

🎶 Listen to GOAT to Market: https://open.spotify.com/album/3UUgrDq1UOUWvHe8gseykR/

Welcome to Episode 3 of Beats, Rhymes y Comunidad — Where Community Management meets the Culture!

As we begin to pay homage to the Fourth Hip-Hop Element known as the DJ in honor of Hip-Hop Appreciation Week 2025, this week we're joined by DJ Bianca G. Influenced by growing up with a family of entertainers, DJ Bianca G set off to pursue a career in fashion, music, and entertainment. She has over 15 years of experience in the industry working with headlining artists, top brands, and established organizations.

In this week's episode, Bianca shares her experience as a native born Filipina growing up in LA, her career as a DJ/fashionista/entertainer, and how those influences shaped not only her career, but her world view.

🔗 Connect with DJ Bianca G: https://www.itsmebianca.com/

Welcome to Episode 2 of Beats, Rhymes y Comunidad — Where Community Management meets the Culture!

This week we're joined by Marjorie Anderson, Founder & Principal Strategist at Community by Association. In addition to starting her own consultancy, Marjorie serves as Director of Community at EXOS, a wellness company based out of Phoenix that promotes a holistic approach to health. Marjorie is also Co-Host of Connecting Across the Diaspora, a podcast highlighting stories of belonging from the Black, Latinx, and Indigenous communities.

In this week's episode, Marjorie shares her experience with imposter syndrome from her early days in community all the way through launching her consultancy, her career as a thespian, and her biggest takeaways from a notable moment in the community management industry.

🔗 Connect with Marjorie, Community by Association & Connecting Across the Diaspora: https://www.communitybyassociation.com/

https://catdpodcast.com/

Welcome to the Series Premiere of Beats, Rhymes y Comunidad — the show where Community Management meets the Culture!

Our first guest is Esteban Serrano, host of The Rap Dads Show. Esteban is a seasoned music television producer, director, and author with over 20 years of experience. The first time the world got a glimpse of artists like Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, A$AP Rocky, and Pop Smoke on live TV it was due to amazing individuals like Esteban and his groundbreaking work. He has worked on iconic shows including TRL, YO! MTV Raps, and is currently producing a documentary about the relationship between psychedelics and healing the BIPOC Community called We Are the Medicine. Esteban also wrote The Ten Dad Commandments: Fatherhood Through the Lens of Hip-Hop, available on Mahal Publishing.

In this first episode, Esteban shares his lived experience with community, his relationship with Hip-Hop, and the biggest takeaways from his wealth of experience in the entertainment industry.

🔗 Connect with Esteban & The Rap Dads Show: https://www.therapdadsshow.com/