Uhuru Academy

"I told him my story, and he turned it into a flow.", says Eboni Essenz as she reflects on the birth of her first song with her husband, the D.O.K. called "Breaking Cycles". "I realized right away how powerful and healing expressing my feelings and sharing my story through Hip Hop could be". The D.O.K. (Descendant Of Kingz) had been in the music industry for over 15 years, first as a part of the ground-breaking 90s duo Eastside, then as a solo artist and President of Nazzdack Records. They'd known each other for years (Eboni Essenz once joked that DOK would be her husband one day while in Jr. High), but life's equation didn't bring them together until they were both single parents and professionals pursuing their respective goals and dreams. "When I finally got together with Eboni, she had 3 children, and I had 2. She was developing her business, and I was transitioning from the music business to focus on my vision to start a school. We were both very active in the community, so when we got together it was just a matter of time before we merged our passions and began making an impact", says D.O.K. "The music was born out of my love of teaching, her passion for performing (Eboni is also a dancer and model), and our shared love of Hip Hop and the Black community. The rest is history..." The DOK and Eboni Essenz would embark on a Hip Hop journey like no other. Instead of seeking popularity, fortune, and fame, the duo realized early on that the music they were making could make a powerful impact on the community that they lived in. Songs like "Breaking Cycles", "Black Love", and "You and Me", would not only bring the crowd to its feet but would spark people to get actively involved in their communities and engaged in their own self-improvement. "We would perform at clubs, rallies, conferences, and community events", says Eboni. "We would come away with supporters that wanted to help us open the school". That school is The Uhuru Academy, which would become Fort Worth, TX's first Afrikan-Centered private school, and eventually the national model for using culturally relevant curriculum to uplift Black children. "The next thing you know, we were performing multiple nights per week, hosting our own events, and booking shows across the country", says The DOK. "We're not rappers who engage in activism. We're activists who just so happen to rap." Fifteen years, and 8 children later (they've had 3 children together in addition to the 5 combined that they brought into the marriage), The D.O.K. and Eboni Essenz (aka Baba Amin & Mama Nkoyo) are arguably the most respected and revered couple in today's Conscious Community. They have performed thousands of shows and built a powerful reputation for bringing "next level" energy to the stage. "We haven't released a lot of our music. That has never been the focus. Hip Hop has truly been a healing factor in our relationship and a tool for galvanizing the community around education. This journey has taken us all over the country, and the rest of the world is calling", says a reflective Eboni Essenz. Hard work pays off. After nearly 15 years of making brilliant music while organizing internationally around Afrikan Centered Education, this power couple is in a position to solidify their efforts and build the stable environment that their family deserves. The Uhuru Academy is now Uhuru Academy Education Solutions, LLC. and stands on the frontlines of Black education worldwide. It has been an incredible story full of challenges, adventures, and blessings that The DOK only knows how to express one way: through music. "Our life together has truly been a movie, and our music is the soundtrack.", says The DOK. It's time to share that story with the world.