Boston native Paul Willis is a hip-hop and spoken word artist whose career has long intersected with youth development and education. Now, he’s bringing it all together in Hip Hop Leadership.

The multiplatform project, set to release April 29, includes an album, book and classroom curriculum designed to teach leadership through the lens of hip-hop, exploring themes such as authenticity, community building and values-driven leadership. Willis said it’s the culmination of his 20-year journey.

“There’s so much that I’ve learned in the process about leadership. It’s not just something that you’re born with. It’s something that you can learn. It’s a skill to be developed,” Willis said on Boston Public Radio.

Willis believes that hip-hop, when rooted in community and expression, is an incredible tool for development.

His inspiration began in his work with Boston-based nonprofit Beat the Odds, which focuses on creative and human development for youth. He would hold hourlong conversations with high school students —students who typically struggle to stay focused in a classroom for more than a few minutes.

“I challenge them to create intentionally, thinking about these values in mind, and what does art look like when we think about authenticity and self-expression?” Willis said. “How does your art change when you think about social commentary and advocating for something that you really believe in?”

His curriculum was implemented with youth ages 14 to 24 and aligned with Common Core state standards at Conservatory Lab Charter School in Dorchester, covering reading and writing at the eighth-grade level.

Willis’ roots in both art and community are deeply personal.

“I didn’t see my community reflected in books that really focused on corporate leadership or nonprofit leadership,” he said. “But for me, growing up, leadership looked like my grandmother. It looked like the bodega owner who kept the tab open so that you could get groceries or what you needed, even if you didn’t have the money that day.”

From being a performer at BAMSFest to later becoming its managing director, Willis has continued to merge his passion for hip-hop with his commitment to building a beloved community.

“Taking 20 years of experience and to package it in this way is a really exciting next step of the journey,” Willis said.