HARLEM ROOTS · GLOBAL VOICES

Every Life Has
a Soundtrack.

Every story deserves to be heard.

Music. Memories. Culture. Community. A gathering place for the voices that shape our world.

Begin Your Guest Journey

I HAVE STARPOWER

Charles Ray

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A RADIO.

THE STORY BEHIND THE SOUND

Ordinary People.
Extraordinary Stories.

WHERE IT STARTED · HARLEM · 2010

It started with a crew, one mic and a simple belief: everyday people are Stars.

StarPower Collective interviews the people who shape our lives about the music that shaped theirs: the neighbor, the teacher, the DJ, the grandmother who still knows every word. We've also welcomed legends like Kool Mo Dee, Kidd Creole, Don Blackman and Onaje Allan Gumbs.

Each interview becomes a guest's own accolade, something they share proudly with family and friends. Some of our Stars have since passed, and their interviews were their last recordings. We gave those recordings to their families. That is why we call StarPower Collective our life's work.

Do you have StarPower? Sure, you do.

Be a Guest Watch the Interviews

THE FOUNDING FOUR

Four Minds. One Frequency.
A Legacy Beyond the Airwaves.

Derek B., Dano B., Ron J. and Sid W. built StarPower Collective together, and with it a creative family: Nu Soul Hwy, Immoortal Souls and Psyba Village. Four voices, one shared belief: everyday people are Stars, and their stories deserve to live on.

The Founding Four of StarPower Collective: Derek B. (Power), Dano B. (SuperStar), Ron J. (Dast-One) and Sid W. (Da Creator)

Power

Derek B.

Founding Member

For Derek, music is "the score, the soundtrack to our life." He grew up with his brother Dano on 129th Street between Convent Avenue and St. Nicholas Terrace, "a place we call the Hill." On Saturday mornings his father ran the record player, and Derek's job was putting the records back in their sleeves, where he fell in love with album art and liner notes. Years later, at a low point in his life, Derek came up with the idea for StarPower, a way to create "a better, loving space." His brother and friends helped him build it.
SuperStar

Dano B.

Founding Member

Derek's brother Dano caught the DJ bug at ten years old. It was 1972, and their father's house parties brought guests carrying stacks of 45s with their names written on them. Dano stayed up late and manned the turntable. At Norman Thomas High School (1977–80) he turned the lunchroom into a daily party and threw school dances that drew students from all over the city. That's when, he says, "I realized my own star power." At 19 he moved to Park Hill, Staten Island, where he "grew up twice." For Dano, StarPower is "a sanctuary, a haven."
Dast-One

Ron J.

Founding Member

"Music is my life. Bottom line. Straight, no chaser." Ron grew up on 152nd and 153rd Street, down the block from the Jackie Robinson pool and a few blocks from the Polo Grounds. His mother played everything, from Funkadelic's "Cosmic Slop" on down, and Ron learned early not to sort music into genres: it's either good music or it isn't. Queen taught him how layered harmonies work, and Thin Lizzy, a rock band led by a Black frontman, Phil Lynott, opened his eyes to what a band could look like.
Da Creator

Sid W.

Founding Member

For Sid, music is "the shower of life." He grew up on 127th Street between Convent Avenue and St. Nicholas Terrace, where family didn't stop at your front door. His grandfather's alarm-clock radio made Kenny Rogers' "The Gambler" an anthem of his childhood, and Saturdays meant records and Soul Train. After Martin Luther King Jr. High School, he spent more than 20 years in design and education, leading the Visual Design program at Westwood College. He's also a published poet (Sidisms: The Rants of a Man Mad) and a songwriter with more than 55 registered songs. For StarPower, Da Creator builds the look and sound: logos, websites, video editing and interview audio.

One Vision, Four Brands

StarPower Collective Co-founded by the Founding Four
Nu Soul Hwy Co-founded by the Founding Four
Immoortal Souls Co-founded by the Founding Four
Psyba Village Co-founded by the Founding Four

THE STARPOWER NETWORK

Many Voices.
One Village.

01 / MUSIC

Nu Soul Highway Radio

Soulful sounds, cultural connections and music that moves generations.

02 / COMMUNITY

Psyba Village

Conversations, creativity and the power of collective storytelling.

03 / HERITAGE

SPC Alumni Edition

Celebrating the people and moments that shaped the StarPower journey.

YOUR STORY BELONGS HERE

Do You Have
StarPower?

You don't have to be famous to have a story worth sharing. Every life has a soundtrack, and every voice carries a legacy.

01 / DISCOVER

Meet StarPower Collective

We make thoughtful conversations about music, culture, creativity, community, and the experiences that shape a life.

02 / TELL YOUR STORY

Find the moments that matter

As you prepare, think about:

Who you are and the work you do
Your creative or professional journey
How you contribute to your community
Defining experiences and the music that shaped you
What you hope listeners remember

03 / PRACTICE

Try a practice question

Question 1 of 12

1 of 12

What does music mean to you?

Your private notes (stay in this browser session)

04 / APPLY

Start your guest application

Submit your details for StarPower Collective to consider your guest application. Your information will be sent to Formspree and used to review your application and contact you.

Full name

Email address

Phone number (optional)

City and state

Artist, creator, entrepreneur, or community role

Short biography

Proposed interview topics

Why does your story matter to listeners?

Relevant website or social links (optional)

General availability

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05 / GET READY

Feel prepared for the conversation

Expect a relaxed, guided conversation about your experiences.
Use headphones and a reliable microphone when recording remotely.
Choose a quiet room and silence notifications.
Test your audio and internet connection beforehand.
Bring a few stories and the music that helps tell them.
We will confirm scheduling and recording details with you directly.

Begin your guest journey

ROOTED IN CULTURE. CONNECTED BY STORIES.

Our Creative Universe

From the soul of Harlem to the voices we preserve, discover the creative connections behind StarPower Collective.

THE CREATIVE HOME

Psyba Village

The esoteric home of all things created. Psyba Village is the creative umbrella where culture, consciousness, artistic expression, and storytelling meet.

Portal to the Soul of Harlem

THE RADIO PLATFORM

Nu Soul Highway Radio

A radio platform for soulful sounds, cultural connections, and music that moves generations.

THE INTERVIEW SHOW

StarPower Collective

A space for conversations with people whose music, experiences, and personal journeys deserve to be heard.

Explore the Interviews

StarPower Collective is produced for Nu Soul Highway Radio.

BORN FROM THE STORIES

Immoortal Souls

Some StarPower guests passed away after their interviews. Their recorded voices became irreplaceable memories, leaving us wishing we had captured even more.

Immoortal Souls grew from that experience: a commitment to preserving people's stories while they are here to tell them.

Discover Immoortal Souls

Every life has a soundtrack.
Every voice carries a legacy.

THE STARPOWER ARCHIVES

Voices of
the Village.

Every conversation is a piece of history. Explore the music, memories and personal stories that connect our community.

See the StarPower Wall

EVERY GUEST IS A STAR

The StarPower Wall

From hip-hop pioneers to the neighbors who raised us, every voice on this wall shared their music and their story with StarPower Collective.

AKIM
Andre Delange
Boyd H. Jarvis
Debra Wilson
Dennis Coffey
DLB
Doctor Dré
Don Blackman
Erik Jones
Funkadrill Santiago
Inspectah Deck
JDL
Josh Milan
Kool Mo Dee
LA Sunshine
Nikol Dov
Nkrumah Sekou Jennings
Onaje Allan Gumbs
Reggie Reg
Renee Neufville
Selena Mars
Zahra Muse

FROM THE STARPOWER ARCHIVES

Stories Worth Remembering.

THE STARPOWER EXPERIENCE

Every Story Deserves
to Live On.

Some memories begin with a conversation. Others begin with a song. Where will yours begin?

01 / FAMILY LEGACY ✦

IMMOORTAL SOULS

The Stories
We Carry

Your family history is more than names and dates. Discover 10 questions that can open a lifetime of memories.

02 / YOUR SOUNDTRACK ♫

VOICES OF THE VILLAGE

My Life in
Five Songs

Five songs. Five memories. One remarkable life. Build a personal soundtrack and remember the moments behind the music.

INTRODUCING IMMOORTAL SOULS

Give Them Their Flowers
While They're Here.

Their Voices. Our History. Your Legacy.

Since 2010, StarPower Collective has sat down with everyday people to talk about the music that shaped their lives. Some of those guests have since passed on, and their families told us those recordings became priceless. Immoortal Souls grew from that lesson: capture the voice, the stories and the wisdom now, while you can still laugh together.

Preserve the voice. Guided conversations that capture how they really sound.
Protect the story. Photographs, memories and family history, handled with care.
Build the legacy. A keepsake made to be passed down.

Five Families. Five Legacies. A Thousand Tomorrows.

We're opening a few spots for Founding Families who want to be first.

Planning a birthday, anniversary, family reunion or holiday? Honoring a parent or grandparent this way is a gift they'll never forget.

Your family keeps its memories. Nothing is shared without your consent, and real people review every step.

We'll only use this to contact you about Immoortal Souls.

WEAR YOUR STARPOWER

Do You Have
StarPower?

You don't have to be famous to shine. Every piece supports StarPower Collective, celebrating everyday people and their music since 2010.

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StarPower Collective Tee

Soft, unisex cotton tee in sizes XS–4XL, for everyone with a story and a soundtrack.

$23

Fulfilled by Amerukhan Basics, our family apparel brand.

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