ABOUT
Why We Exist
Over 4.6 million young people nationwide are labeled ‘opportunity youth’ - including 108,000+ right here in New York City - disconnected from traditional pathways but deeply connected to the culture that drives music’s biggest successes. Meanwhile, the music industry continues to hire from the same networks, missing the talent that actually shapes the sounds and trends they profit from.
The gap is real. The talent is there. The pathways don’t exist.
Until now.
Who We Are
With over 15 years in music marketing, Chanel has built her career at the intersection of global strategy and cultural impact. As Director of International Marketing at Sony Music Entertainment, she develops marketing strategies that connect artists with audiences worldwide. Her experience spans Warner Bros. Records, where she built a database of over 1,500 brand and agency contacts, to Housing Works, where she helped raise over $1.5 million annually through strategic events and campaigns.
Named a Billboard International Power Player in 2024, Chanel brings deep industry knowledge and a commitment to opening doors for the next generation.
The personal drive: “I didn’t have connections or support networks in the music industry growing up. The Hip Hop Project showed me that a career in music was possible, but it was mostly geared toward artists. I had to build my own relationships and find my own way into the business side. That experience inspired The Playback Fellowship - so other young creatives from similar backgrounds don’t have to figure it out alone.”
Chanel Auguste, Co-Founder
From his first job at a family shelter in Queens to pioneering Carnegie Hall’s first-ever Hip-Hop Masterclass, LeBrandon has spent over a decade creating bridges between Black music, cultural institutions, and underserved communities.
At Carnegie Hall’s Social Impact Department, he secured partnerships with Viacom/BET, brought Hip-Hop legend Black Thought to the historic venue, and managed programs serving justice-system-affected youth across NYC’s five boroughs. His work spans from Universal Music Group and HYBE America to curating Brooklyn Public Library’s “Night In The Library: The Philosophy of Hip-Hop,” attracting over 4,000 guests for a celebration of Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary.
LeBrandon Smith, Co-Founder
The Shared Vision
Both founders understand what it’s like to navigate the music industry without traditional connections - and they’re determined to change that reality for others.