Check out the SoundCloud events that amplified on-campus and alumni talent — and learn how you can join the SoundSquad in 2026.
Making its official debut for the Fall 2025 semester, SoundSquad is SoundCloud’s college ambassador program. To celebrate how deep music runs through college culture, SoundSquad connects with ambassadors to elevate on-campus creativity, give students opportunities to record, perform and promote their music, and amplify their work through digital and experiential activations hosted by SoundCloud. You can read more about SoundSquad’s mission here.
Behind SoundSquad’s Jump In The Booth
For the Fall 2025 Semester, SoundCloud launched SoundSquad in collaboration with Morehouse College, Spelman College and Clark Atlanta University — aka the Atlanta University Center, or AUC. Celebrating the AUC’s strong musical culture, SoundSquad touched down on Morehouse College Promenade on Hump Wednesday with Jump In The Booth, in collaboration with Top Barz, which gave students the opportunity to record, perform and promote original music in a mobile studio, and take home exclusive merch.
Jump In The Booth was guided by SoundSquad ambassadors, who surprised attendees with a guest appearance from the acclaimed Atlanta rap DJ/producer Sonny Digital, who joined the event and offered creative advice to students looking to elevate their craft. After Jump In The Booth wrapped, Sonny Digital even invited some students back to his own studio to record.
“SoundCloud played a major role in my whole, entire journey, as far as getting my earlier hits, like ‘Red Opps’ with 21 Savage,” Sonny Digital shared. “SoundCloud always looked out for me; it was always a place to put your music up before it was easy to get your music up.” You can hear some of the verses from Jump In The Booth on the SoundSquad SoundCloud profile.
Presenting The SoundCheck Lounge at Homecoming Kickoff
Rolling into October, SoundSquad brought the Soundcheck Lounge to the Spelman College campus, for their Homecoming Kickoff 2025 event. Tapping into Homecoming’s action-packed week of social events, and hosted by the on-campus SoundSquad ambassadors, the SoundCheck Lounge presented an installation of listening stations with curated playlists showcasing music from key AUC alumni and ambassadors: DJ Drama, DJ Trauma, Dos Dias and Rayymon Beatz.
Throughout the evening, over 500 AUC students rolled up to the Lounge and listened to exclusive playlists of the DJs’ mixes, productions and collaborations. During the event, those in attendance were greeted with surprise hang outs with Dos Dias and Rayymon Beatz, who talked with the students and gave sage career advice.
To amplify the Homecoming experience, the Lounge hosted a vintage photo booth and themed photo wall for students, who took Polaroid photos of themselves and their friends to bring home. In addition, the event set-up featured an interactive “Song of The Semester” display wall, where students were invited to write down the songs that captured the spirit of their year. Afterwards, students went home with SoundSquad merchandise to keep representing on campus.
CHECK OUT THE SONGS OF THE SEMESTER PLAYLIST ON SOUNDCLOUD
SoundSquad Ambassadors Hosted Events Across The AUC
From DJs to rappers, producers to content creators, event organizers and beyond, SoundSquad’s 10 AUC ambassadors have deep ties to music communities and student activities, from Morehouse Music Group and Spelman's Women in Hip Hop, to student unions like Morehouse’s C.A.S.A. and Spelman’s P.U.L.S.E. On campus, the ambassadors connect students with SoundCloud where they drop exclusive SoundSquad merch and amplify the best on-campus talent through dedicated events and digital promotions. You can find out more about the ambassadors’ own music here.
Connecting SoundSquad to their respective campuses, select ambassadors hosted their own events throughout the semester. How to make the right career moves is a key topic for the AUC’s creative students to explore. For SoundSquad ambassadors Isaiah “Zai” Evans and Dylan “Kenzo” Curtis, they saw a chance to bring students together and explore the topic further.
Curtis, aka WeWorkin Kenzo, is Morehouse College’s official DJ, director of Hump Wednesday and a member of Psi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi. He’s also spent 10 years as a DJ, producer and entrepreneur, from DJing for President Barack Obama’s 55th birthday to working with hip-hop legends like Jazzy Jeff. Evans, aka Zai Steppa, is a digital creator and key figure in Morehouse’s C.A.S.A. board, where he serves as the special events coordinator leading events like Hump Wednesday and Homecoming.
Together, on November 13, they hosted an event titled The Come Up: Breaking into the Music Industry, at Morehouse College’s Welcome Center. With over 100 attendees, Zai and Kenzo hosted an entertainment industry panel discussion with current students and alumni — across record labels, talent agencies, artist liaisons and more — to share their experiences and give advice to the AUC student body.
Elsewhere across the AUC, SoundSquad ambassador Janay Trench-Lesley hosted an event for the students on her campus, representing for Atlanta’s Spelman College. Janay, who records as Nay $peaks, is an award-winning rapper from Boston who came up on SoundCloud and has made Atlanta her home away from home. As the co-creative chairperson of Spelman’s Women in Hip-Hop collective, she’s deeply committed to Black music culture and connecting students with opportunities in creative industries.
On November 14, Nay $peaks hosted Rap Night; a showcase of lyricism, poetry and storytelling through rap and spoken word. This event amplified the voices of talented poets, rappers and wordsmiths from across the AUC, who captured the attention of the packed MLK Chapel Hall of Fame. You can check out Nay $peaks’ recap of Rap Night here.
Meet Two of Our Fall 2025 SoundSquad Ambassadors, Nia Hipps And Terry “Yanko” Brock
New Jersey native Nia Hipps flexes her love for music by building up the on-campus creative community. As the president of Spelman College’s Women In Hip-Hop collective and the traditions chair of P.U.L.S.E. — which stands for Programming For a Unique and Lively Spelman Experience — Nia curates spaces where students, especially women, gain exposure to the creative industries.
An economics major and curatorial studies minor in her senior year, Nia is set on becoming the CEO of her own creative agency, working within the business and communications arm of the entertainment industry. As well as her on-campus music and sorority life — in the Eta Kappa Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta — she’s held internships at Live Nation Urban, Christie's Art Auction House and Apollo Global Management.
“My favorite part of being in the SoundSquad was definitely getting to learn more about SoundCloud itself, its perks, its creator tools, and all the different kinds of content the platform supports,” Nai Hipps says. “I’ve been a SoundCloud user since middle school, so getting this inside look felt full-circle for me. It made me appreciate the platform even more, and gave me a deeper understanding of how it uplifts emerging artists.”
“I loved getting to host so many great activations for the AUC community and create content that resonated with students,” she continues. “Being an ambassador allowed me to reach new audiences, connect with other creatives interested in music and entertainment, and make a real impact on campus through experiences that felt meaningful and fun.”
Over at Morehouse College, Terry Brock is another of our SoundSquad ambassadors. During school hours, the Dallas native is a sophomore marketing major. In addition to managing his academic courseload, on campus, he’s involved in the Morehouse Music Group, hosts events and owns a marketing brand called Young Dreamerz Collective. To the Atlanta music scene, he’s known as Yanko, an artist, producer and songwriter who has dropped two projects in 2025, ‘Dreamstate’ and ‘Death To My Teens.’
Terry “Yanko” Brock joined the inaugural SoundSquad because he wanted to “connect with like-minded creatives, step out of my comfort zone, and gain valuable experience in my career field,” he says. “My favorite part of the program this semester was participating in the various on-campus initiatives, especially events like Jump in the Booth and the Homecoming activation.”
“Working on event execution and supporting the creative concepts — from content creation to promotional strategy — gave me hands-on practice in producing quality work, and understanding how to tailor messaging to different audiences,” he continues. “Through this program, I developed a clearer sense of how marketing, branding and community engagement work together to create meaningful experiences.”
Want to Be a SoundSquad Ambassador?
Are you a college student committed to campus life and music? Follow the SoundSquad account on SoundCloud to stay tuned for updates, including how to get more involved as the program evolves. From exclusive SoundSquad merch to unique opportunities to make connections on and off campus through SoundCloud, being an ambassador isn’t just a semester-long role — it’s a chance to be heard beyond campus grounds, develop skills and grow your career in music.
FOLLOW THE SOUNDSQUAD ACCOUNT ON SOUNDCLOUD
Interested in ad-free listening, high-quality audio and more? Discover and support who’s next in music with SoundCloud Go+ for Students. Join today with one free month of our Go+ Student plan, then 50% off Go+ after that. Looking to upload your music? Use code SOUNDSQUAD2025 at checkout for one free month of Artist or Artist Pro. Learn more here.