Smooth Moves

Ted Lucas has it good. The Miami Gardens native is the Founder of Slip-N-Slide Records, a super-hip label with musical talents such as Trick Daddy, Trina & Rick Ross on its roster. But for Lucas, his own accomplishments make him want to do what he can to help the city’s underprivileged youth find their own success stories. “I began to see a lot of kids dropping out of high school because they were unable to read,” he says. “I know now that education is the most important thing, so I wanted to go back and help solve the problem.” The music mogul created The Ted Lucas Foundation to partner struggling students with mentors who teach them about educational values, self-esteem improvement and other important life skills. “I hope to see these kids get full-ride scholarships to college and not just settle with being happy with a high school diploma,” he says.