Wrongfully imprisoned during his second year at Harvard Law, Bryonn sued the NYPD, was interviewed by Mike Wallace on "60  Minutes," and wrote the Village Voice cover story - "Walking While Black" - which drew the largest response in the history of the  nation's most widely-read progressive newspaper. Bain's grassroots organization, Blackout Arts Collective, which developed the  annual Lyrics on Lockdown Tour, has reached prisons in 25 states, and spawned a series of university courses using the arts to teach critical literacy in correctional facilities.  His new book, The Ugly Side of Beautiful: Rethinking Race and Prisons in America, will be published in 2011.

Bryonn has lectured and performed at over 100 colleges and correctional facilities in the U.S., Africa, Asia, Latin America and  Europe.  Named resident artist for the National Urban Alliance for Effective Education in 2006, Bryonn founded the Lyrical  Minded project -- which brings hip hop, theater and spoken word to high schools in New York, San Francisco and Boston.  A Nuyorican Grand Slam Poetry Champion, Bain ranked #1 in the nation and placed second in the world during the 2000 International Poetry Slam.  Bryonn has taught courses at Brooklyn College, New York University, The New School, Long Island University (Brooklyn), and Columbia  University in areas ranging from Hip Hop and Spoken Word to critical perspectives on the prison crisis.

Bain played a Nat Turner-inspired cult leader in the award winning action thriller "Pig Hunt." Directed by Academy Award winner Jim Isaac  ("The Fly," "Return of the Jedi"), Bryonn was lauded by Variety Magazine for having the "stand out" performance in the film.  His own  poetry is featured in the soundtrack and on the latest album by rock legend Les Claypool of Primus.  Bain's one-man multimedia show -  LYRICS FROM LOCKDOWN (Official Selection, NYC Hip Hop Theater Festival) - tells the story of his wrongful incarceration through  hip hop, theater, spoken word poetry, calypso and classical music, and letters exchanged with a fellow poet and friend, Nanon Williams,  sentenced to Death Row at 17 years old.  After 18 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit, a federal judge recently  ordered Nanon's release -- one year after the show's New York premiere at The Public Theater.  Developed in prisons, public schools and universities nationwide, the show has received extraordinary reviews.