Zuhirah Khaldun-Diarra - From Music and Sneakers to the Good for the World

In this episode we are joined by guest, Zuhirah Khaldun-Diarra an award winning global branding and communications specialist, with over 20 years of experience in the creation and execution of powerful and impactful marketing and communications initiatives and events.

Before focusing on improving the world developing marketing and communications strategies for cause related organizations such as UNICEF USA and the National Urban League, Zuhirah began her career as a Hip Hop publicist representing Jay-Z, the Roots, De La Soul, Ludacris, Redman & Method Man, and Ja Rule among others at Geffen, Tommy Boy, and Island Def Jam Music Group.

Zuhirah shares her experience booking Jay Z on his first ever Saturday Night Live appearance and balancing securing magazine covers for some of the top hip hop artists in the world.

After forming her own agency Zuhirah worked with clients such as the Bronx Museum of the Arts’ “One Planet Under A Groove: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art,” exhibit, Bobbito Garcia on his seminal sneaker book on St. Martin Press, “Where’d You Get Those: New York City Sneaker Culture 1960 – 1987, and Converse before she joined in-house as Brand Infusion Lead, helping to bring the American icon and home to the Chuck Taylor All Star sneaker back from bankruptcy and yield an investor return of 2400%.

Developing the PR strategy and managing all entertainment marketing and product placement for Converse, Zuhirah produced media tours, influencer events and product placements with top celebrities such as Avril Lavigne, Pitbull, 50 Cent, Nas, Jay-Z, Lenny Kravitz, Snoop Dogg (facilitating his appearance for Footlocker’s Times Square store Grand Opening on behalf of Converse), The Strokes, Erykah Badu, Kelis, Ludacris, and Eminem’s “Anger Management Tour.”

A native New Yorker, Zuhirah spent time growing up in Bermuda and currently resides in Hudson, New York. Zuhirah holds a master’s in Cultural Analysis from the University of Amsterdam and graduated from Barnard College, Columbia University with a BA in Economics where she was music director of WBAR and co-host on WKCR.