When I sat down with Craig A. King, music executive, educator and co-founder of Rap Plug Academy, his energy was electric, like someone who knows he’s standing at the intersection of legacy and future. For King, this summer isn’t just another program. It’s a portal.
“I didn’t want these students to just hear about success,” he tells rolling out, leaning forward with conviction. “I wanted them to see it, touch it and ask it questions.”
Through a groundbreaking partnership with the City of Atlanta’s Summer Youth Employment Program (S.Y.E.P.), Rap Plug Academy has opened its doors, and the city, to a group of Atlanta Public Schools students who are now getting the kind of industry access most adults dream about. Over the course of the summer, interns have moved through the back halls of State Farm Arena, sat in sessions at LVRN, got a real-world breakdown from Morgan Stanley and learned storytelling techniques at Milk and Cookies.
The architect’s vision
Craig King’s musical pedigree runs deep; collaborations with Kanye West, Quincy Jones, Aaliyah and Timbaland sit on his résumé like platinum plaques. But instead of holding that experience close, he’s flipping it into curriculum.
“I created Rap Plug Masterclasses to break down barriers,” he explains. “Not everyone wants to rap or sing. We’re teaching them there are over 50 careers in this industry that don’t require a mic — streaming strategy, AI in music, brand marketing, content creation. This is ownership education.”
And King isn’t just teaching; it’s clear he’s planting seeds.
A seat at the table: student perspective
One of the students, Edris, said walking into places like Jay Carter’s One Music Fest headquarters wasn’t just a tour, it was a spark.
“They saw us. They didn’t talk down to us. They broke the game down.”
Another student originally signed up thinking he’d just get some cash over the summer. But things changed quickly.
“We met Mike Will Made It last week,” he said. “He told us how he built his first beat in his bedroom, and now he’s working with Kendrick and Miley. I didn’t think someone from Atlanta could really go global like that, until I heard it from him direct.”
“Craig King told us, ‘You’re not just future execs. You’re current creators.’ That hit me different.”
Bridging legacy and innovation
Backed by The Living Legends Foundation Inc., chaired by David Linton, the program stands firm in preserving Black music’s past while building new lanes for its future.
“These students are learning how to pitch, how to present, how to produce — and how to protect their ideas,” says King. “They’re learning AI through music. Coding through beats. Their ideas are sharp. We just needed to create the table.”
Through its partnership with ALX, an African-based online school, Rap Plug Academy is already thinking globally. With collaborations extending to Johannesburg, Ghana and Nigeria, the academy’s curriculum will outlive the summer — and so will the mindset it’s cultivating.
What’s next
Before we wrapped up our interview, Craig King leaned back and smiled. “This isn’t about celebrity. It’s about access. We’re normalizing excellence.”
For this cohort of students, that access has already reshaped what’s possible. And for Atlanta, this isn’t just a summer job. It’s the birth of a new generation of cultural architects — grounded, educated and plugged in.
