Kane Smego is an international touring spoken word poet and Hip Hop Artist, educator, and National Poetry Slam finalist. He is the Associate Director and an artist alumnus of Next Level, a cultural diplomacy program that sends American hip-hop artists around the world to use music and dance to promote cultural exchange, entrepreneurship, and conflict prevention. Kane has performed and taught poetry and Hip Hop programs across the country and abroad on five continents.

As a recording artist, Kane has featured on Grammy Award-winner King Mez’s debut album My Everlasting Zeal, and topped the Spotify Viral 50 billboard in May 2017 featuring on the song North Cack with G Yamazawa. The music video for the song appeared on BET Jams, and went on to win Best Music Video at the Hip Hop Film Festival in Harlem, NY.

Kane’s work as a teaching artist has led him to perform and facilitate workshops at dozens of colleges and K-12 schools across the country. He has also been a performer and keynote speaker at various events including TEDex UNC, the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, the Shriver Report Live hosted by Atlantic Magazine, the National Association of Social Workers conference, and the Global Youth Leaders Conference, among many others. A native of Durham, NC, Kane currently resides in Los Angeles, CA.