Craig M. Wilson

Chairman, Board of Governors
Chairman, Executive Committee
Chief Executive Officer
As Vice Chairman and President of the National Museum of Hip Hop, Mr. Wilson is responsible for the oversight of strategic direction and all operations for the organization. Under his leadership, the NMoH strives to make the institution relevant to the issues facing its community, members, partners and the hip hop industry by providing access to information, resources and education; and by driving change through innovation and outstanding community service. Mr. Wilson views his role as an extension of his personal commitment to improving the general state of hip-hop as well as the lives and prospects of those who share a common love for its culture.

In addition to his current post, Mr. Wilson serves as Chairman for PYC Corp., a fashion and entertainment conglomerate and as Chairman for Mantis Management Solutions, a business management & marketing consulting firm.

Dr. Benjamin Chavis

Member, Executive Committee

Dr. Chavis serves as Co-Chairman of the Hip-Hop Summit Action network alongside Russell Simmons and other notable hip-hop industry executives. Ben earned a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from the University of North Carolina and a Master of Divinity from Duke University and a Doctor of Ministry from Howard University. Soon after, Dr. Chavis became a statewide youth coordinator in North Carolina for the Reverend Dr. martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Dr. Chavis also worked for the presidential campaign of Robert F. Kennedy in 1968. In 1993, Dr. Chavis became the youngest Executive Director and CEO of the NAACP. He was ordained in the United States Church of Christ and later joined the Nation of Islam and changed his name to Benjamin Chavis Muhammad.

Dr. Chavis joined the NMoH Board in 2008 to bring a much-needed mature and wise perspective to the development of this project.

Bill Adler

Bill Adler has devoted the last 25 years to a career in hiphop during which he’s worked as a journalist, critic, publicist, biographer, archivist, label executive, curator, editor, film documentarian, and teacher. When Russell Simmons hired him as Director of Publicity for Rush Artist Management and Def Jam Recordings in 1984, Bill became Russell’s second full-time employee. During the next six years he worked with Kurtis Blow, Whodini, Run-DMC, Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde, the Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Slick Rick, Public Enemy, Eric B & Rakim, Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, Big Daddy Kane, EPMD, Stetsasonic, De La Soul, the Jungle Brothers, 3rd Bass, and others. Between 1998 and 2000 Bill consulted Seattle’s Experience Music Project regarding the conception and construction of their hiphop exhibit, which opened to the public in the summer of 2000. Bill opened the Eyejammie Fine Arts Gallery in the spring of 2003. Bill and the artist Cey Adams co-authored “DEFintion: the Art and Design of HipHop,” which was published by Collins Design in October of 2008.

As can be seen above, Bill has a long and rich history within hip-hop culture. Mr. Adler joined the NMoH Board in 2008 and has brought with him a significant level of expertise andlends great credibility to the authenticity of the Project.