The Carbon Sound Community Listening Collective is a group of trusted DJ's, cultural workers, and community members who will help shape how Carbon Sound discovers and curates music. Created to ensure our intake process remains community-rooted, transparent, and accountable, the Collective centers Black musical expression across genres and generations while uplifting local and regional BIPOC artists. Members offer insight, perspective, and scoring during structured listening cycles, helping ground programming decisions in lived experience rather than trends alone.

The Collective is advisory in nature, reflecting a wide range of musical lineages, scenes, and creative communities. Through monthly listening sessions, members review and respond to new music submissions, strengthening equity in how artists are heard and considered. While final programming decisions remain with Carbon Sound, the Collective plays a critical role in shaping how we listen, learn, and show up for the community we serve.

We’re grateful for the artists and cultural workers who help shape how we listen. If you’d like your music considered, we invite you to submit here!

Meet the members of the Carbon Sound Community Listening Collective:

TIM WILSON

Tim Wilson has been the owner and operator of Urban Lights Music for the past 31 years.
He is experienced in retail sales, marketing, branding, and customer service. He is at Urban Lights because he loves music, the daily interaction with customers, and the opportunity to share his knowledge and insight into the music business with the next generation.

RICKI MONIQUE

Ricki Monique is a Minnesota-based musician, educator, and cultural curator. As a Co-Organizer of Tangible Collective, her practice centers on utilizing creative expression as a way to engage community in collective imagination and cultural development. Through intentional space setting in both the classroom and on stage, she aims to build a container for expressive and sustainable modes of being.

AWA MALLY, THE MAYOR

Awa Mally, aka The Mayor, is a Minneapolis creative, DJ, event curator, and co-creator of PureWaterRadio, home to an all-genre beat battle (4X). With a commitment to community-rooted curation and a belief that music has no limits, Awa champions Minnesota's artists as both keepers of musical legacy and pioneers of new sounds. She brings a diverse perspective and passion for elevating the voices shaping the future of the music industry.

Michelle Ndely, DJ MCSHELLEN

Michelle Ndely, known as “DJ McShellen,” is a Minnesota-based open-format DJ with Cameroonian roots and a deep, inherited love for music, quickly emerging as a rising force in the local scene. Recognized for her authentic yet infectious energy, thoughtful song selection, and genre-blending sound, she delivers a truly one-of-one, fun, and unforgettable experience with every set. Beyond the booth, Michelle channels her creativity into fashion and her community, working as a mental health practitioner and child welfare policy analyst—bringing the same care, intention, and passion to all that she does.

TOLZY, TOLZY SOUND

Tolzy, also known as “Tolzy Sound,” is an international DJ, curator, and producer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. With a passion for music that began at a young age, he has developed a distinct ear and signature sound. After emerging onto the scene in summer 2022, Tolzy quickly gained recognition for his originality, genre-blending style, and ability to connect with audiences. His sets fuse Afrobeats, Afro-Fusion, Amapiano, AfroHouse, R&B, and Deep House, creating high-energy experiences that resonate across diverse crowds.

Tolzy has played and curated shows at major Minneapolis venues including First Avenue, Fine Line, Union Rooftop, and Icehouse, and has performed at shows and festivals across multiple U.S. cities alongside artists such as Oxlade, BNXN, Ruger, DJ Tunez, Davido, Pheelz, Tyler ICU, Wande Coal, TxC, and Fireboy DML. He is also the founder of SoundWave Social, an event series dedicated to fostering community through music and connection. Beyond live performances, Tolzy produces for other artists, releases his own music, and shares curated DJ mixes on MixCloud and YouTube.

Major Sosa, Truly Humbled Under God

Major Sosa — aka Truly Humbled Under God, the Metro Transit Monarch, and the Two-Phone Tyrant — is a local artist, lyricist, producer, DJ, and aspiring philanthropist. He’s a co-founder of The Winners Club Collective and the 5 Star Radio Archive Project, blending sound, culture, and community with unapologetic vision.

Sasha Bangzz

Sasha Bangzz, a dancer turned DJ, is an AfroLatinx artist known for seamlessly blending genres like 90s Hip Hop, R&B, and Vogue to create sets focusing on the dancer's experience. Beginning in the male-dominated battle scenes of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Sasha has always been a passionate advocate for inclusivity, using music to champion underrepresented artists and celebrate diversity. Whether in the ballroom scene, club, or theatre, Sasha creates experiences rooted in pure Black joy and celebration.

Angel Beloved

Angel Beloved is the co-founder and Creative Director of MPLS HOUSE (MH), a Minneapolis-based artist collaborative founded in 2017 and centered on connection, creation, and inspiration. While MH spans multiple artistic disciplines, its primary focus has been music through DJing, production, and community engagement. In recent years, the collective has evolved from party-driven events into the corporate space, leading to partnerships with O’Shaughnessy Distillery, RockStar DJs, Hewing Hotel, Southdale Center, Bellosounds, Modist Brewing, and Women’s Advocates. Their work continues to grow through intentional collaboration and feedback from both partners and audiences.

On the production side, MPLS HOUSE has released five EPs over the past seven years, including two collaborations with local producer Jeff Swiff. Over the past year, the collective has expanded its studio into a dedicated recording space to further elevate its sound, create more original MH music, and open the door to new collaborative opportunities.

KWEY

KWEY is a Ghanaian-American producer, DJ, and multi-instrumentalist based in Minneapolis and self-described gentle giant. He began DJing in 2015 and has since developed a sound rooted in global rhythms, cultural connection, and diasporic influence. In 2018, he founded Samambo World, a platform created to connect the African Diaspora through music and shared cultural experiences. Through both live DJ sets and original production work, KWEY continues to build spaces that center African and diasporic sounds. He has performed multiple DJ sets for Carbon Sound, bringing his expansive musical knowledge and community-driven energy to the platform.