UC

The Ultimate Cipher Foundation

Education • Innovation • Culture

Hip-Hop × AI × Education — powering literacy and culture

We blend culturally relevant pedagogy, game design, and AI to help students read, write, and think critically. Funders and partners fuel our scale to schools, HBCUs, and community centers nationwide.

501(c)(3) Nonprofit
Community-rooted
Research-driven

> 500

Students served (Yr 1–3 target)

> 25

Educators trained

> 90%

Program satisfaction

$875K

Funding goal (3 yrs)

Featured Initiative: AI-Driven Hip-Hop Literacy (NSF RITEL) — research on how AI lyric analysis and gamified learning impact literacy, creativity, and engagement.

Our Mission

Preserve hip-hop’s cultural legacy and empower future generations through education, creativity, and technology. We translate the energy of the cipher into classrooms—centering identity, voice, and community.

Culturally Relevant Learning

Hip-hop pedagogy + literacy + social-emotional learning.

The Ultimate Cipher™

Card game & curriculum with our 5-Point Rhyme Rating System™.

AI-Powered Insight

Natural-language models turn rhythm & rhyme into feedback.

Program Snapshot

A twelve-week immersive experience for high schools, HBCUs, and afterschool programs. Students analyze lyrics, build vocabulary, write, and perform. Educators gain ready-to-teach lessons and AI-enhanced assessments. Each cycle features guest speakers and mentors drawn from cultural icons, entrepreneurs, and hip-hop enthusiasts who model creative careers and community impact.

Standards-Aligned Curriculum

ELA, Music, and Social Studies integration with rubrics and lesson plans.

Workshops & Tournaments

Cipher sessions, Versuz-style team play, and live showcases.

Educator Training

PD on culturally responsive teaching + AI tools.

Flexible Delivery

In-school residencies, after-school, or weekend intensives.

Impact & Traction

We measure literacy growth, student engagement, and creative confidence. Our evaluation plan pairs educator rubrics with AI-assisted analytics and independent reviews.

30%

Reading engagement increase (target)

10+

Partner schools / HBCUs (Yr 1–3)

6+

Published research outputs

NSF RITEL: AI-Driven Hip-Hop Literacy

Competitive three-year research initiative (budget target $875K) investigating how AI lyric analysis and gamified hip-hop learning impact literacy, creativity, and engagement for underrepresented students.

  • Co-led with a university research partner; Ultimate Cipher LLC as technical sub-awardee.
  • Ethics-first: privacy, bias mitigation, and accessibility by design.
  • Open-access findings; educator toolkits for scale.

Funding Participation

Grantmakers, corporate partners, and donors can support research, classroom pilots, educator training, and student showcases.

$25K — Sponsor an educator cohort
$50K — Fund an HBCU + HS pilot pair
$150K — AI R&D + evaluation stream

Customized partnerships available. Naming opportunities for showcases and research briefs.

Partners & Supporters

We collaborate with schools, HBCUs, afterschool programs, artists, and technology leaders. Interested in partnering? Let’s build a pilot that fits your goals.

Public Schools
HBCUs
Community Centers
Cultural Icons
Foundations
Corporate CSR
Ed-Tech Labs
City Agencies

Let’s build this together.

Request our proposal packet, book a briefing, or start a partnership conversation. We’ll respond within 2 business days.

Email: chantell.harris@ultimatecipher.com

Web: foundation.ultimatecipher.com