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From the depths of a society centered around the vain, materialistic
and frivolous in life emerges a breath of fresh air in the truest
sense. Upon first glance, his humble and grounded nature may mask
the track record of a man responsible for many of today’s celebrity
entertainers and athletes .Without
a doubt, this entrepreneur’s athletic and entertainment ventures
land him among the top tier of power players, but it is his nonprofit
organizations, which propel him into a league of his own.
Meet Glenn Toby. During the early ‘80s the cultural phenomenon
of hip-hop burst onto the scene and right alongside it, Glenn grabbed
the mic and spit more than just a verse or two. Known as ‘Sweety
G’, Glenn began his career rhyming with the likes of Doug
E. Fresh, Biz Markie, Treacherous 3, Boogie Boys, Cipher Sounds,
Disco Twins, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Kurtis Blow,
and of course Run DMC.
“My first love was always music,” says the emphatic
Glenn. “ Just to feel, see and connect with people on another
level was incredible in itself.”
After garnering a place in music, the Brooklynite stretched his
talent to create dance and house music internationally and shortly
after established Glenn’s Grooves Productions. Even though
he produced and wrote works for R Kelly, Sybil, Melba Moore, Positive-K,
and a host of national television and radio commercials, Glenn knew
early on that his calling was beyond pure entertainment.
In 1998 Glenn founded the Book Bank Foundation in an effort to
boost literacy among the nation’s youth - with a specific
emphasis on inner city children. Providing tutoring, alternative
education, career development and special projects such as celebrity
readings, the Book Bank Foundation aims to improve the quality of
education and life for the most helpless victims of this country’s
unequal social and economic system. Because the foundation exists
strictly nonprofit, Glenn and his associates seek corporate and
individual sponsors to continue funding the books, qualified teachers
and programs delivered to the children everyday.
“Out of everything I have accomplished in life, the Book
Bank Foundation is what truly gives me a sense of achievement,”
says Glenn. “Kids need to know that books are a passport to
life’s travels, and education is the key that unlocks the
chains.”
In addition to the foundation, Glenn works relentlessly to collect
and distribute clothing, food and toys for the homeless. In the
past, he also participated in the Camp Cool-J project, Americorps,
and the Jerry Lewis Foundation; the Book Bank Foundation was only
a natural progression.
Today, students in high schools and leading Universities across
the nation have the privilege of hearing first hand the story of
a warrior. As a guest speaker, Glenn travels around the country
sharing his long road to success – including 8 years of his
childhood spent on the streets of New York.
“One day I came home from school to find the landlord had
evicted us and all our belongings – clothes, books, toys –
were strewn in the street,” recounts Glenn. “Suddenly
we were homeless. For a long time we rotated among relatives . .
. staying here and there for as long as we could. It was a frightening
time for me and my siblings, but it was also an enormous lesson
in real character development and personal integrity.”
And perhaps it is this sense of character and conviction which
earn him the trust of the NFL's Elite Football players such as Asante Samuel,
Josh Evans, Damien Robinson and Chester Taylor.Via his companies,
Infinite Sports Concepts and Total Entertainment Athlete Management, Glenn
and his partner Alonzo Shavers provide full scale client services
which include contract negotiations, publicity, marketing and legal
assistance. And while negotiating these peripheral contracts for
his well-established athletes, Glenn still finds time to shape the
musical careers of new artists such as his latest protégé,
Saigon. As a former member of the LL Cool J management team, the
multifaceted businessman is able to provide the proper guidance
and support for an aspiring emcee already earning the respect of
everyone from Jay-Z to Dougie Fresh.
For Glenn Toby, the accolades of success can continue without end.
In 2003 he contributed a chapter in “The Souls of My Brothers;
Black Men Break Their Silence, Tell Their Truths, and Heal Our Spirits”
entitled “Prosperity Will Come”, a book edited by Dawn
Marie Daniels and Candace Sandy. A collaboration of excerpts written
by several distinct African American males, the book provides insight
into the hardships and eventual epiphany of the men who surpassed
all odds. Perhaps Glenn’s own words best summarize a man with
a cadre of success and blessings:
“I’m a firm believer in living in Hope and Faith. Hope
is desire accompanied by expectation, and Faith is the substance
of things hoped for. Hope keeps us believing in the tomorrows, that
tomorrow will be a better day, and Faith puts it all in God’s
hand.”
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