If you are comfortable with the status quo, you are in the wrong place. But you’re hungry for disruption. You know that you – and your team – can and should be more. Let’s ignite your inner Troublemaker, through Ahmen’s one-of-kind fusion of speaking, storytelling, and hip-hop music that transforms hearts and minds.
Why should you take a bold leap with Ahmen, when there are safer options out there? Because he knows what it’s like to stand on the edge of possibility and fear. Ahmen has built award winning social impact organizations and campaigns. He has shaped and stewarded dramatic, exponential change. He has also been targeted for his identity and story, for a “song and dance” – as stated by one of his teachers – that wouldn’t cut it. He has won and lost, all while dealing with burnout. And he continues to show up, pushing the boundaries of what is possible through courage, music, justice, and leadership – in sync with partners like you.
“When Ahmen took the stage at the opening of IFC 2017 in the Netherlands, no one knew what to expect. Including Ahmen. One thousand leaders, thinkers, visionaries, strategists and other changemakers from over 60 countries sat waiting in their seats as the lights dimmed and he made his way up the center aisle, microphone in hand. Very few of us knew who he was or what he would have to say.
But six short minutes later, we were his. And we were moved, many of us to tears.
Ahmen’s passion, his bare-naked honesty, his courageous storytelling – beautifully entangled in the rhythm of his infectious music – bewitched us and set the tone of the next three days of learning, inspiration and collaboration about changing mind sets and the role that each person can play in making the world a better place. He challenged us. He reminded us that the world is not perfect, that racism, and poverty, and slavery, and cruelty and injustice of all kinds still exist and must be eradicated – or at least mitigated – through love and disruption and philanthropy (in both the financial and true sense of the word – love of humankind). And that we are on the front lines of the change that needs to happen.”
Kyla Shawyer, CEO, The Resource Alliance
I AM A TROUBLEMAKER
What if the labels that haunt us during our formative years can actually become badges of honor? Ahmen takes you on his journey from stumbling into Trouble in classrooms and boardrooms to proudly owning the title of Troublemaker in Chief.
“They say it’s far harder to frown than it is to smile and we are dam convinced it’s a hell of a lot harder to write music and poetry with a positive message than a negative one – especially in light of current events. That said, positive hip hop artist Ahmen must be one of the strongest men to come up on the music scene in quite a while.”
Coming Up Mag
“I’m from Venezuela and I’ve been hearing political speeches my entire life. When I saw Ahmen perform and speak, that’s the first time I saw someone and said, ‘That is a leader.’ That is someone who is using their fire to help others to find their fire.”
Attendee at the NYU Social Innovation Symposium 2017
“With the flow of a socially conscious Eminem, and the speaking ability of Common, Ahmen makes this album is a must listen. At the end of the album, if you are not asking yourself “Whose fire are you going to light?”, you need to go back and not only LISTEN to the album, but HEAR the album.”
Jamie Robinson, Mr. TBT
The forces of the status quo are built to perpetuate inequity and the suppression of voice and identity. A generational challenge requires an uncommon solution – Troublemaking – to catalyze our agency to create transformative change. Ahmen illustrates a blueprint for Troublemaking to channel your voice, story, and action in pursuit of dismantling an unjust status quo.
TROUBLEMAKING IS A FORCE FOR GOOD
“Mohan is such an engaging and dynamic speaker that we were lucky to have for our talkback event. Covering topics of tremendous social weight such as gentrification, diversity and feeling disenfranchised, his message was motivational, thought provoking and behaviour changing. With his personal insights, he connected with the audience and gave them plenty of material to digest and reflect on. It is evident with Mohan that you are dealing with someone who works from the heart. His genuine approach and personal interaction are things we could all emulate. A rare find.”
Kathryn McConnell, Executive Producer, Squeaky Bicycle Productions
“I had the privilege of sharing the stage with Ahmen at a social justice conference in New York City and, thank goodness, they had me go first. I would not have wanted to follow his powerful act! Ahmen took the stage and immediately enraptured the audience with his potent combination of social consciousness and keen intellect, flavored by an outstanding performance capacity. I would be hard-pressed to think of someone better suited to motivate a crowd of activists (or would-be activists) than he is: an impressive next generation leader in the social good sector.”
Rob Acton, Principal and Founder, Cause Strategy Partners
THE MOONSHOT
When you gaze at the infinite possibility of the stars, what do you envision for yourself and loved ones? Go on a ride with Ahmen to reimagine the idea of a moonshot, and to tap into your own rocket fuel.
“Ahmen has an insightful perspective on many issues, and he is able to share his mindset through clever, direct and unapologetic lyrics. At times ironic and thought-provoking, while at times cathartic and personable, Ahmen really managed to create a very compelling release that reminds why I love hip-hop so much.”
Down Beatz
“Ahmen has been evolving himself and the people around him for decades. His speaking is 100% real talk and his heart is in his words. Ahmen exudes integrity and trustworthiness because he is a performer who is not performing; he is showing you who he is. That is why when you are in his presence, you feel refreshed and expanded–and you actually reconnect with the possibilities within yourself. You are lucky if you’ve had the chance to take in what Ahmen has to offer. If you haven’t, change that. :-)
Ahmen is so much more than a talented speaker. He is a passionate communicator who connects to his audience with a unique blend of confidence, humility, playfulness and wisdom. Given his unique positioning in the non-profit sector and the hip hop world, he relates easily and naturally with a vast range of people on a wide scope of topics.”
Laurie Mulvey, Executive Director, World in Conversation Project
Ambition. Aggression. Alpha Male. For generations, men have been taught to show up in a manner that exacerbated stereotypes. When left unchecked, that conditioning is actually ineffective and could harm the people we care about. Ahmen shares his story of confronting and challenging those stereotypes, as a parent and a CEO.
FATHERHOOD MAKES ME A BETTER CEO
“Ahmen’s performances, in our opening keynote presentation and at our key social event simply wowed people. Ahmen drew on his own family heritage, contemporary politics, the emotions and experiences of his audience, and the deep heritage of social struggle to create a mesmeric fusion of rap and spoken word performance.
This was the solution he generated within our event to the challenge of having to bring together and unite a global audience of incredibly varied cultures, mindsets, and expectations. This included some people who may have felt that they have been to too many changemaker events and have seen it all before. After hearing Ahmen, they were clear that they had not heard it all before!
In terms of playing a leadership role he was prepared to take risks in performing in a far from normal environment. 1,000 people seated in a conference venue are not expecting to hear a rapper confront them with words and images relating to the suffragettes and women’s emancipation, the American civil rights struggle, the current #BlackLivesMatter movement and more. He took the audience on a journey with him, stretching the hearts, minds and ambitions of all who were there.”
Derek Humphries, Creative Director, DTV Group
I’M NOT WHAT YOU EXPECTED
The American Dream story is cookie cutter, idealized, and for some, a fictional pipe dream. Join Ahmen on his story as a son of immigrants, whose search for identity in the United States led him to the discovery of a purpose that is unlike any other.
“We believe Ahmen is at the forefront of a global awakening to the collective responsibility we have as citizens, businesses, and institutions to use our voices and resources to address the urgent issues and injustices threatening our world. Our future will in large part be determined by our ability to cross lines of difference with compassion, stand up for others with courage and work collaboratively with allies – familiar and unexpected – to imagine and implement solutions for all. Ahmen has proven to be an exemplary model for the type of world-changer we need right now.”
Bobby Jones and Afdhel Aziz, co-authors of Good is the New Cool
“Every person who is worth listening to as a speaker must have some sort of unique spark that lives inside of them and energizes interesting ideas to share with others. I really can’t say enough about Ahmen and his unique spark and I highly recommend him.”
Sam Richards, Professor, Penn State University
In the age of cancel culture and clap backs in 280 characters or less, it is easier to burn bridges rather than build them. Ahmen paints the picture of adversarial, painful moments that nearly led him into the abyss, and how he ultimately sought to live and breathe the mantra made famous by Michelle Obama.
WHEN THEY GO LOW, I GO HIGH
“Ahmen is that champion music so sorely needs right now…a confident voice, powerful inspiration and serious light of hope in what threatens to be an ever-darkening planet. Our world needs heroes like this, more now than it ever has before…I’m definitely stoked to hear Ahmen embracing the power of
his words and passing the energy right on to the people – he’s created an insightfully brilliant, highly-relevant and important record with Timeout that advocates strongly for change and demonstrates the unity and strengths that exist between us all at every possible moment.”
Jason Vare, Sleeping Bag Studios
“‘Timeout’ is audacious, passionate, and powerful. It’s a hard job to seamlessly blend activism with entertainment, but with ‘Timeout’, Ahmen seems to have found a way. In his own words, Ahmen has said that ‘Timeout’ could be the ultimate catalyst for social change, and it’s very possible that if it got into the hands of the right person, he could be very, very right.”
Thomas Bedward, Broken 8 Records
WHEN YOU FINALLY GET A SEAT AT THE TABLE
We fight and sacrifice our entire lives for a seat at the table, where the big decisions are made. But once you arrive, another battle awaits. The stakes are higher, the spotlight is on, and there is more to lose. Ahmen peels back the curtain on his quest to claim a position among movers and shakers, and the heart pounding moments that led to triumph, failure, and growth.