New single “Happy 4th” launches a nationwide call for gratitude, reflection, and recognition
| As millions of visitors descend on Philadelphia for America’s 250th birthday and a summer of global attention, Philadelphia artist, community leader, and PHILLY TRUCE co-founder Mazzie Casher is asking Americans to embrace a simple Fourth of July message:“Thank a Black Person Today.” “We can’t invite the world to the birthplace of America for its 250th birthday and forget to thank the people who helped build it and continue to make it magical. That’s what ‘Thank a Black Person Today’ is all about.” Through a national challenge and the July 3 release of his new Grand Agent single, “Happy 4th,” Casher hopes to make gratitude part of the national conversation heading into Independence Day. |
| Listen to “Happy 4th” HERE |
| Many Philadelphians know Casher as the co-founder of PHILLY TRUCE, the violence prevention and community engagement organization he helped establish in response to Philadelphia’s gun violence crisis. What some may not realize is that long before becoming known as a nonprofit leader and public advocate, Casher built an international reputation as Grand Agent, a recording artist, performer, promoter, and cultural commentator whose career spans more than three decades. For Casher, the “Thank a Black Person Today” challenge represents the convergence of several lifelong commitments: music, community, history, and civic engagement. Since June 5, he has been conducting a daily social media conversation through the hashtags #250Bars and #TOROA250 (The Official Rapper of America 250), challenging artists, fans, historians, and cultural leaders to consider hip-hop’s role in America’s semiquincentennial celebration and the stories that should be told as the nation reflects on its past and imagines its future. The challenge also arrives at a personal crossroads. Following PHILLY TRUCE’s Year of Brotherly Action initiative, which was scheduled to culminate on Independence Day with the Second Annual Brotherly Action Parade & Games, Casher found himself reflecting on how Philadelphia’s communities would be represented amid the growing attention surrounding America’s 250th birthday. As public attention increasingly shifted toward large-scale tourism-oriented events surrounding America’s 250th birthday, Casher chose to return to the medium that first gave him a voice, using music to ensure that community perspectives remained part of the conversation. “Before the nonprofit work, before the advocacy, before the organizing, there was music,” said Casher. “As America approaches 250 years, I wanted to contribute to the conversation in the language I’ve been speaking my entire life.” That contribution comes in the form of “Happy 4th,” a new Grand Agent recording that serves as the soundtrack to the broader “Thank a Black Person Today” challenge. Built around the message “Thank a Black Person Today,” the song challenges listeners to consider the contradictions of American independence while reframing the holiday through a lens of gratitude, recognition, and historical reflection. Drawing inspiration from Frederick Douglass’s enduring question, “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?”, the record invites Americans to engage more deeply with the nation’s founding story and the generations of Black labor, sacrifice, innovation, military service, entrepreneurship, artistry, and cultural contributions that helped build the United States and continue to shape its identity today. As America celebrates its 250th birthday, Casher’s challenge is simple: before the fireworks, before the cookouts, and before the celebrations end, thank a Black person today. Casher is encouraging DJs, educators, elected officials, community leaders, influencers, and everyday citizens to participate by sharing the phrase, discussing the challenge, and publicly recognizing the contributions Black Americans have made to building the nation. “Happy 4th” will be available on all major digital streaming platforms beginning July 3. |
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| About Mazzie Casher: |
| Mazzie Casher, also known as Grand Agent, is a visionary artist, activist, and community leader from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Through his work in music, theater, film, and social advocacy, he has become a force for change, using his talents to inspire and empower communities. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Casher adopted the stage name Grand Agent and became a significant voice in the 1990s underground hip-hop scene. His debut album, By Design (2001), was praised for introspective lyrics and innovative production, earning recognition from The Source, XXL, and Vibe. He collaborated with legends like Common and Pete Rock, and his international tours connected him with audiences worldwide. Casher’s creativity expanded into theater and film after time in Los Angeles. He wrote and produced the Off-Broadway play Hustle ’Til It Hurt (2011), inspired by his album of the same name, exploring ambition’s personal costs. His storytelling skills extended to screenwriting with works like The Opposite of Art and The Ghetto Ain’t A Place, which highlighted hip-hop’s rise in 1980s Philadelphia. In 2020, Casher co-founded PHILLY TRUCE to combat gun violence. Partnering with Steven Pickens, the organization launched a conflict-resolution app connecting residents with volunteer mediators. Through his dual roles as Grand Agent and Mazzie Casher, he bridges artistic expression and social change, leaving an enduring impact in Philadelphia and beyond. |
