Sheboygan, WI - C.J. Dimoff really enjoys listening to his Figureheads hip-hop CD. So when he found out they were performing at James Madison Elementary School on Wednesday, where C.J.’s a fifth-grader, he was really excited.

“They tell kids, if you hear other people like talking mean to other kids, go up there and stand up for them and say ‘Knock that off. It’s not right to treat other kids that way,’” said C.J., 10. “If you treat (people) that way, then they will do the same to you.”

Five years ago, Figureheads — Jeremy Bryan, 29, and Greg Marshall, 27, both of Milwaukee — took their hip-hop music from the underground scene in Milwaukee to classrooms in Wisconsin and several cities across the country. (more…)

Annie O’Brien, 10, would kick and scream as her mother struggled to get her out of bed, to the bathroom, to the breakfast table and out the door to school.

But Marshall, a therapist trained to work with autistic and developmentally delayed children, found a musical solution to the family’s frustration. He tapped into Annie’s love of hip-hop and recorded a rhythmic set of instructions that captured the girl’s imagination and got her moving. (more…)

A lot of hip-hop artists talk about giving back to the youth, but few actually follow up with serious actions. Enter the Figureheads. The Figureheads are a Wisconsin-based hip-hop group that has dedicated its last two albums to children and adolescents, creating songs that reach kids with real-life messages of understanding and hope.

The group, made up of three youth educators with backgrounds in therapy, mentoring and community service, is being recognized by educational programs all over the country for their ability to connect with kids through music. With an educational book and two highly-revered CDs already in circulation, the Figureheads have helped give rise to Kiddo Publishing, a non-profit which publishes resources that encourage and facilitate dialogue between children and adults. (more…)