Mysonne Linen

Mysonne “the General” is an independent hip hop artist and criminal justice reform activist from the Bronx whose singular work with impacted communities has made extraordinary contributions to stopping violence. As Paul Robeson said “Artists are the gatekeepers of truth. They are civilization’s radical voice”. And nobody uses their radical voice more effectively, or more impactfully than Mysonne.

As a member of the rapid response group Justice League NYC, and in his role as a valued member of Women’s March, Mysonne helped lead national demonstrations against police brutality and gun violence, including leading the 250 mile March2Justice from New York to Washington, DC in 2015 and organizing the Women’s March NRA2DOJ march in 2018. More recently, Mysonne founded the KINGS STOP KILLING KINGS Movement to honor the late Nipsey Hussle, which works with gang leaders to negotiate peace truces in communities ravaged by violence. So far the Kings marches have taken place in the Bronx, Newark and Baltimore, and have led to historic gang violence reduction in those cities.

Mysonne is the Founder of RAISING KINGS, a program he developed for youth and adults inside New York and New Jersey’s prisons and schools. Mysonne’s message of personal determination, self respect, nonviolence and racial equity has made such tremendous impact, that the program is now running in 3 schools and in Rikers.

And Mysonne is the Co-Founder of UNTIL FREEDOM, an intersectional social and racial justice organization led by diverse people to address systemic racial injustice. With Until Freedom, Mysonne has led efforts to #FreeMeekMill and fight for justice for Chikesia Clemons, Atatiana Jefferson, and more victims of police violence and oppression. Mysonne has also been on the frontlines of prison reform, working most recently in Mississippi, organizing with the families of victims of the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman. And with the support and stewardship of Until Freedom, Mysonne started the BOYCOTT BLACK MURDER initiative - a multi-pronged, neighborhood-by-neighborhood effort to significantly reduce and de-glorify gun violence in Black communities. By bringing together anti-violence organizers, gang shot callers, media influencers, artists, formerly incarcerated reformers, and victims of gun violence to reimagine public safety, Boycott Black Murder changes the narrative by advocating for peace and prosperity for our people.

Mysonne is the author of I KNOW MY RIGHTS: BILL OF RIGHTS, an illustrated children’s book that informs young readers of their rights guaranteed by the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Mysonne co-hosts “STREET POLITICIANS”, a dynamic, new video-taped podcast with Tamika D. Mallory. Their show takes an uninhibited look at the social and civil rights issues, pop-culture and politics.