Khaiim Kelly, also known as RapOet, is a renowned artist and educator in hip-hop and spoken word. Gaining recognition through Talib Kweli, he has performed with icons like Alice Walker and Common and lectured at institutions such as Yale and Trinity College. As Self Suffice, he reached the Indie Hip-Hop Top 40 with his album featuring Mez Davis of J. Cole’s Dreamville.
Acknowledged by outlets like NPR and The New York Times, Khaiim’s work has earned praise from the Obama White House. He holds certificates from the Kennedy Center, NVC, and the Connecticut Center for Nonviolence, where he serves as a Teaching Artist.
As Hartford’s first Hip-Hop Troubadour, Khaiim has five songs in Spotify’s Top 10% Most Played and was a recipient of the Free Center BIPOC grant. Through his “Make It Full Time” program, he mentors aspiring artists on Instagram.