Emile YX? is a South African Hip Hop elder, educator, and award-winning changemaker with 40+ years in the culture. In 2024 he received the National Order of Ikhamanga (Silver)—a top civilian honor—bestowed by President Cyril Ramaphosa for contributions to arts and Hip Hop culture. Honors include: Words Beats & Life Award for Best Hip Hop Organization (2010), LeadSA and e.tv South African Heroes Awards (2016), induction into the South African Hip Hop Museum Hall of Fame (2019), and the American Association for Applied Linguistics Distinguished Public Service Award (2022). A breakdancer since 1982, Emile co-founded pioneering group Black Noise (third at Battle of the Year, 1997) and established Heal The Hood Project, which has funded 250+ young artists. A former schoolteacher, he launched Da Juice, South Africa’s first Hip Hop magazine, and built an early Hip Hop cultural-education syllabus through his Practical Hip Hop School, Mixed Mense. He also holds an international Breaking teaching certificate (2020). A prolific creator, Emile has released 256 songs and authored 41 books, including Creating Solutions (2025), Reconnect The String, and Neva Again. He co-created five plays—including Afrikaaps—and founded events such as African Hip Hop Indaba, African Battle Cry, Cape Flats Film Festival, Shut Up Just Dance, and the Hip Hop As Healing Festival. Onstage, Emile braids story, rhythm, and research into actionable frameworks for schools, foundations, public-health and corporate teams. Core topics: Hip Hop as Healing; Afrocation (community-rooted learning); building creative economies; Ubuntu leadership; youth belonging and safety. He has spoken at universities including Harvard, Stanford, UCLA, GSU, USF, UCT, UWC, and UJ, and served as artist-in-residence at UCLA, GSU, and Stanford. Bring Emile to your campus, conference, or city for a high-energy keynote, workshop, or multi-day residency tailored to your goals—and leave your people ready to learn, create, and lead.