About Us
Hen House Forum is an independent record label and creative collective rooted in Dayton, Ohio. We bring artists, producers, filmmakers, and supporters together to create original music, visual media, live experiences, and lasting connections.
Inspired by Dayton’s rich musical history, our mission is to carry its hip-hop legacy forward while keeping the city’s funk spirit alive. Through collaboration, mentorship, and projects such as Rap Campp, we give artists across generations a place to create, experiment, and be heard.
Our Story
Hen House Forum was founded by Cooley The Curator and Don Johnson out of a shared love for hip-hop, collaboration, and the creative community that shaped them. Built in Dayton and grounded in the city’s musical legacy, Hen House Forum grew from making records into something larger: a home for artists to connect, challenge one another, and build together.
That spirit comes to life through Rap Campp, a series of marathon recording sessions that brings together a rotating cast of Ohio emcees, producers, and creatives. What began as a 24-hour session on a farm in Springfield became albums, videos, live events, and a growing movement representing multiple generations of Ohio hip-hop.
Hen House Forum exists to preserve what came before, create opportunities in the present, and help shape what comes next.
Our Founders
Founder/Funkateer
Cooley The Curator
A DJ, emcee, producer, engineer, and lifelong student of music, Cooley brings the vision behind Hen House Forum into focus. As its curator and executive producer, he connects artists across generations, develops collaborative projects, and creates opportunities for Ohio’s hip-hop community to be seen and heard. His mission is rooted in preserving Dayton’s hip-hop legacy while carrying its unmistakable funk spirit into the future.
Founder/Music Director
Don Johnson
Producer, DJ, and engineer Don Johnson is a driving force behind the sound of Hen House Forum. From creating beats and cutting records to mixing and mastering complete projects, Don helps artists turn raw ideas into fully realized music. His hands-on approach and collaborative spirit have shaped Rap Campp and a growing catalog of releases from voices across Ohio.
Together, Cooley and Don have built Hen House Forum as more than a label: it is a creative home where artists connect, experiment, and move the culture forward.
Meet The Team
Art Director
Seth Rock
Dayton-born artist Seth Rock brings an insider’s understanding of hip-hop to the visual identity of Hen House Forum. As both a seasoned emcee and visual creator, he understands that powerful artwork should do more than decorate a release: it should extend its story, capture its personality, and make listeners want to discover what is inside.
Seth develops album artwork and design that gives each project its own distinct world while keeping it connected to the larger Hen House Forum vision. His style draws from underground hip-hop, pro wrestling, late-night television, offbeat humor, and the beautifully imperfect character of suburban life.
With years of independent music experience and credits across multiple projects, Seth brings originality, cultural knowledge, and an unmistakable point of view to every release. He doesn’t simply package the music ... he helps people see what makes it worth hearing.
Co-Director of Film & Visual Media
City of Gems × Hen House Forum
Brian Ward Sr.
Brian Ward Sr. helps transform the sound and spirit of Hen House Forum into stories audiences can see and experience. As co-director of film and visual media, he works across filming, editing, creative development, and production to build a visual identity that feels as authentic and independent as the music itself.
Brian’s strength lies in recognizing the story inside a moment. Whether he is documenting an artist’s creative process, developing a music-video concept, or capturing the energy of a live environment, he approaches every project with resourcefulness, curiosity, and respect for the people in front of the camera. His work adds context to the music, reveals the personalities behind it, and gives Hen House Forum a visual history that will continue to matter long after a release date has passed.
That commitment is captured in Welcome to Rap Campp, the City of Gems documentary Brian directed about the making of Rap Campp Vol. 2. With cameras positioned throughout the marathon recording session, the production generated nearly a terabyte of footage. Brian shaped that material into an hour-long film that documented not only how the album was created, but why the artists felt called to be part of it. The documentary earned a sold-out premiere at The Neon and brought the collaborative world of Rap Campp to the screen.
From ambitious documentaries to fast-moving, guerrilla-style music videos, Brian knows how to make the most of the people, locations, and resources available. Through City of Gems and Hen House Forum, he helps ensure that the movement is not only heard but that it is documented, preserved, and brought vividly to life.
Co-Director of Film & Visual Media / Creative Communications Lead
City of Gems × Hen House Forum
Charles Bielefeld
Charles “Chuck” Bielefeld helps shape both the visual presence and public voice of Hen House Forum. As co-director of film and visual media, he works alongside Brian Ward Sr. through City of Gems Video Production to film, edit, and develop content that gives HHF artists a strong and recognizable presence on screen.
Behind the camera, Chuck combines technical skill with an understanding of what makes an artist compelling. He looks beyond simply capturing a performance, searching for the details, personality, and atmosphere that make each project distinctive. His shooting and editing work (including Cas Metah’s “Launch Day” music video) helps turn individual releases into complete visual experiences built to reach audiences beyond the recording studio.
Chuck’s role continues after the final edit. As creative communications lead, he helps manage the way Hen House Forum and its artists are presented across social media, websites, and promotional outreach. He develops written materials for DJs, publications, and other platforms, translating the story behind a release into language that gives people a reason to listen, watch, and share.
His impact also reaches into the everyday work that keeps Hen House Forum moving. Adaptable, dependable, and willing to step into whatever role a project requires, Chuck supports the team across creative, promotional, and organizational needs. That range makes him an essential bridge between the work being created behind the scenes and the audiences it is meant to reach.
