In one of Hip-Hop’s greatest songs (“Roxanne, Roxanne”) UTFO’s lead member Kangol Kid is recorded saying, “I can sing, rap and dance in just one show”. Well, today he can add “teach, lecture and act in just one blow”.

Last month, New York City’s General Equivalency Diploma (GED) officials recruited Shaun Fequiere (professionally known as “Kangol Kid”) as a spokesperson for their “Finish Your GED In 2013” campaign to encourage enrolled students to acquire their diploma before this year ends. Apparently, all NYC GED test scores accumulated by students this year will NOT transfer to the following year and will be lost. Therefore, this citywide campaign will begin immediately with two locally televised PSA commercials featuring Kangol and will end on December 31, 2013.

In the mid 80’s Kangol Kid was the front man for the legendary rap group “UTFO” and was undisputedly one of Hip-Hop’s first poster pin-up sex symbols. His signature trademark hat and marketability enabled him to become Hip-Hop’s first ever product endorsed rap star. He snagged his groundbreaking deal with Kangol Headwear, USA before RunDMC & Adidas and MC Hammer & KFC. “At first the Kangol Hat Company threatened to sue me for using their name unlawfully until they realized the sales of their brand increased in every city that I performed in… surely it was time to make a deal”, said Kang.

BRIC’s (Brooklyn Information & Culture) Director/Writer Johnathan Lief and his team filmed this PSA/commercial confident that lightening will strike again with Kangol Kid’s presence. Instead of increasing the number of hat sales, the goal is to increase the number of student graduates this year. “Kangol’s many accomplishments and stainless creditability makes him the perfect mentor and role model for our youth”, said Lief. BRIC’s Senior Producer Kuye Youngblood adds, “He hasn’t aged one bit. My girlfriends and I agree… we wouldn’t miss a day of school if our teachers looked like Kangol”, she said and laughed.

It appears that more “teaching, lecturing and acting” gigs are in the future for this rap pioneer. Kangol has appeared at several speaking engagements in New York City (on the steps of City Hall and at The New School). He is also scheduled to be the Keynote Speaker at the African Women Breast Cancer Awareness Banquet in Washington, DC later this month as he represents his Mama Luke Foundation (Hip-Hop’s fight against breast cancer). In addition to the many hats he wears, Kangol will make his motion picture debut as “Professor Firestein” in “The Lost Book of Rap” later this year.

Kangol Kid’s GED PSA Commercial Links 1 & 2: