Detroit is home to some of the most talented and resilient young people in the country — but nearly 60% of Detroit students are reading below grade level by middle school. The St. Brown Foundation, founded by NFL stars and brothers Amon-Ra, Equanimeous, and Osiris St. Brown, is on a mission to change that.

In Fall 2025, the St. Brown Foundation teamed up with Rhymes With Reason to spark excitement for vocabulary and literacy among Detroit students at the critical learning inflection point of 'back to school'. 


The partnership launched at Durfee Elementary-Middle School in September, where 100 middle schoolers received access to Rhymes With Reason’s digital learning platform — a tool that teaches vocabulary through the lyrics of popular songs students already love.

Students kicked off the experience with an interactive workshop led by Rhymes With Reason founder Austin Martin, exploring new words through music while building their confidence as learners. 

Starting with this first pilot group, the St. Brown Foundation and Rhymes With Reason aim to grow the program to reach 500 Detroit students — building a future where learning feels fun, familiar, and full of possibility.

Students are utilizing programming at Durfee Elementary in DPSCD and Beecher Community School District in 2026.

Rhymes with Reason is an educational technology program utilized in over 300 schools across the country. We make a difference alongside high profile organizations including Chance the Rapper’s SocialWorks, The Los Angeles Chargers Impact Fund, the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kaiser Permanente, The City of Detroit’s Grow Detroit Young Talent and San Diego’s Founders First Capital Partners CDC.

The program's music-powered approach to closing the vocabulary and reading gap serves as a refreshing learning experience for youth in grades 2 through 12.