Post by FamFrequency Productions

Four years ago, Jonathan Edwards and Lanisha Otuonye co-founded FAMfrequency Productions around a belief that music could be more than an outlet — it could be a mirror, a career, and a path forward. At a time when young creatives in Philadelphia were constantly being pulled toward a narrow version of what their art should sound like and who it should serve, FAMfrequency offered something different: a space to figure out who you actually are, and build something real from that. The question was simple but urgent: what happens when you give young people a different direction to point their talent? Today, the The New York Times answered that question through the story of one of our own. Cassidy Brown, known as c12, is featured in a piece by journalist Sammy Caiola exploring how Philadelphia's young artists are using music to resist violence and find their voice. When Cassidy first came to FAMfrequency, he performed under a dark persona — masked, guarded, and disconnected from his own story. Over time, working through this program, something shifted. "As I progressed with my music I was like, I want everybody to know," Cassidy told the Times. "It feels amazing. It feels freeing. Because it's a coping mechanism for me, just to dump all of that out there and get it off my mind." That transformation — from hiding to being seen — is exactly what FAMfrequency was built for. Jonathan has always pushed young artists to look inward and lead with authenticity. "Reflect on your week; put THAT in the song," he told the Times. "Now half the city who is 15 years old...can relate to that lyric." And Lanisha has been equally essential in that mission — consistently pushing students to resist imitation and lean into what makes them singular. Their work reminds every young artist that walks through FAMfrequency's doors that their specific story, their specific sound, is the asset. Not a liability. Together, they've built something rare: a space where young Philadelphians are not just learning the music industry — they're learning themselves. This summer, Cassidy comes back. He'll be co-producing and engineering a special project executed entirely by recent FAMfrequency alumni — bringing everything he's built at Temple University, in the studio, and on the mic back to the community that helped shape him. We started four years ago with a vision. Today, our alumni are in the New York Times, on college campuses, in recording studios, and coming home to build the next generation. The work continues. 🎚️ 📖 Read the full New York Times feature: https://lnkd.in/e2DMHizT #FAMfrequency #PhillyMusic #CreativeEntreprenuership #MusicEducation #ViolencePrevention #Philadelphia #c12 #CassidyBrown