I walked away from my conversation with Steff Reed totally inspired, which makes sense, because he’s an educator and a social justice worker and has been working in the music industry for years, and these are all things I believe in.

We explore how Steff went from grinding in the NYC music industry to teaching to starting non-profits.  Steff’s throughline is a total devotion of his life to social change, forward movement, hope and inspiration.

He shares why he pivoted away from the music industry, which he feels was a traumatic experience in some ways, to pursuing an independent music career more aligned with his own beliefs and values.

He also told me off-tape an important thing he learned producing music for the industry all these years: even if your track has heart, it’s gotta *slap* to hit the listener - a nugget I’m taking to heart as I work on my new album.

Steff says he’s hopeful about the future - so I am, too.  Give it a listen.

Steff Reed's Bio:

Steff Reed is a Musician, Educator, and Activist. By sharing his story, Reed shows others that they are not alone. He is a Black Man that loves and gives greatly, modeling that emotional sensitivity and compassion can make us stronger as a community.  

As a singer, songwriter, producer and multi instrumentalist, Steff Reed is known to affect audiences with his spiritual, uplifting energy and song. He is unafraid to be vulnerable and open in his own story, sharing lessons of resilience, healing, self-betterment. Reed blends genres of folk rock, alternative rock, pop rock to culminate in inspirational, humanitarian messages.  

Over the years, Reed has gained national acclaim as a producer and song-writer having worked with the likes of Trey Songz, Jhene Aiko, Eric Roberson, Swizz Beatz, Kenny Lattimore and Gordon Chambers on songs that made it to the Billboard Charts.  

As an Educator, Reed has taught thousands of youth between the ages 4-24 over the last 15 years. In 2013, he was nominated for the GRAMMY Music Educator Award and taught a “Power of Love” workshop at NYU/Ed Sullivan Fellows.  

Reed is currently building a Brooklyn-based non-profit, Power of Love, in partnership with Judson Memorial Church. His latest music project is of the same name. By using his social capital and influence, Reed is scaling his impact to empower wider audiences and impact real political change.  

Steff is inspired by socially-conscious artists like John Lennon, Prince, Tracy Chapman, U2, Jean Michel Basquiat, and Jimi Hendrix.