Doug E. Fresh (with Dr. Olajide Williams)

For Doug E. Fresh, 2023 was 50 years in the making. As the world stopped to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop, The World's Greatest Entertainer was standing right in the center of the ring. The incomparable performer conceptualized a block party-style summer celebration tour with other legends called "Masters of the Mic: Hip Hop 50 Tour." He also used the golden anniversary to help raise awareness for an organization he founded with with Dr. Olajide Williams called Hip-Hop Public Health, a group dedicated to teaching health literacy to historically underserved communities. Fresh said in a statement, “When we celebrate that block party in ’73 with Kool Herc that started it all, we’re celebrating the true spirit of Hip-Hop; everyone coming together and having a party sharing the love of their music and community. That’s the true heart of Hip-Hop culture right there.” Fresh is also a heartbeat of the culture, having rocked stages around the world. He’s an author, entrepreneur and has even had a dance named after him. Fresh currently serves as vice president and co-founder of the Hip-Hop Public Health (HHPH) nonprofit whose mission is to amplify health literacy through music and to foster positive health behavior changes, beginning with school-aged children. According to his agency, Fresh is one of the most actively touring musicians in the U.S. with more than 200 live shows a year.