Rafael Casal

Rafael Santiago Casal (born August 8, 1985) is an American writer, rapper, actor, producer, director, and showrunner. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Casal grew up in Berkeley and Oakland, CA. He attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he earned his undergraduate degree. Casal is known for his appearances on three seasons of HBO's Def Poetry Jam and his nationwide touring, performing, and teaching with YouthSpeaks. He is a two-time Brave New Voice Poetry Slam Festival champion. Casal also served as the creative director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison's First Wave Spoken Word and Hip Hop Arts Learning Community. He is active in creating music, poetry, web shorts, and political commentary online.