About this episode

Jason Reyes discusses his journey from foster care to founding the Bronx School of Hip Hop, emphasizing the importance of culture and identity in education.

Jason Reyes is making history from the Bronx to the WORLD. Born and raised in the Bronx to Puerto Rican parents, Jason is the founder and principal of the Bronx School of Hip Hop, the first hip hop high school in the world, opening in New York City in September 2026. Before launching this groundbreaking school, Jason served as principal of MS 129 Academy and built his career around helping young people discover their identity, their voice, their brilliance, and their power. His journey was not easy. Jason grew up in foster care, experienced family loss and adversity, and still chose to dedicate his life to education and service. His story is rooted in resilience, culture, strength, and a refusal to let obstacles determine what is possible. In this conversation, we talk about how the Bronx School of Hip Hop came to be, why hip hop belongs in education, what it means to build a school around culture and identity, and how Jason is handling criticism from people who are not happy about his role as principal. We also get into books, fatherhood, leadership, his love of hip hop, and of course, his top five hip hop artists of all time.  Jason Reyes is not just opening a school, he…

People in this episode

Guest: Jason Reyes

Topics covered

• education
• hip hop
• youth empowerment
• cultural identity
• resilience
• leadership

Keywords

• hip hop education
• Bronx School of Hip Hop
• youth leadership
• cultural resilience
• foster care
• identity
• education reform

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Bronx School of Hip Hop, MS 129 Academy

Places: Bronx, New York City, Puerto Rico

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