Underwood Legacy Fund is dedicated to sustaining the contributions of Bill Underwood.
The Underwood Legacy Fund is dedicated to sustaining the contributions of Bill Underwood.
Fueled by Underwood's wisdom, values, mentorship and knowledge, as a former entrepreneur in the music and entertainment business who successfully promoted, managed and jumpstarted the careers of top R&B and pop stars of the 80s and 90s, to his mentorship of young men in some of the harshest maximum security prisons in the United States, while maintaining an unrelenting devotion to his four children and grandchildren, the Underwood Legacy Fund will advocate for criminal justice reform, mentor young entrepreneurs, and promote the importance of life-sustaining wellness practices.
At 67 years old, Mr. Underwood re-enters American society in the midst of a pandemic. Fortunately, what he possesses is a breathe of knowledge and wisdom and intends on utilizing the rest of his days sharing this experience with the rest of the world as a consultant, public speaker, advisor, entrepreneur and advocate.
The resources pooled by this fund will enable Bill Underwood to impart his invaluable expertise for the greater good of his community.
“In light of Underwood’s exemplary record over the last three decades; his consequential mentorship of young men and contribution to a “culture of responsibility” in federal prison; and his commendable efforts in raising and supporting his children and grandchildren from behind bars, the Court finds that “[b]y any measure, [Underwood’s] good deeds exceed the bounds of what we consider ‘rehabilitation’” and amount to extraordinary and compelling reasons meriting a sentence reduction.”
Bill Underwood
is an American citizen who was born in the bowels of poverty, swallowed into street gang culture, catapulted himself into a successful career as a prominent music business promoter, manager and publisher, and survived 33 years in some of the harshest maximum-security United States prisons.
What originally was a way out of poverty when he was a teenager, and for so many others, eventually became a one-way ticket to prison that halted his music business career and life. In 1988, Underwood was arrested for a drug crime and later sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. Prior to his arrest, he had never been convicted of a felony. Despite the hopelessness of his life sentence, Underwood transformed his life while in prison and devoted his time and focus to his children, grandchildren and supporting the rehabilitation of others in his environment.
On January 15, 2021 (Martin Luther King, Jr's birthday), after 33 years of incarceration, Bill Underwood, received a compassionate release from federal prison. As noted by the Honorable Judge Stein, “In 33 years of incarceration, Underwood has not received a single disciplinary infraction, which in this Court’s experience is most extraordinary. In addition, a resounding chorus of letters of support attests to his character and integrity. Underwood presents strong evidence that he has been fully rehabilitated.”
Today, Bill Underwood is a Senior Fellow with The Sentencing Project’s Campaign to End Life Imprisonment where he advocates to create sustainable sentencing reform and second chances for economically marginalized communities. He is also a consultant, public speaker, advisor, entrepreneur and advocate at the Underwood Legacy Fund. There he advocates for Artist's Rights to ensure that Digital Service Providers (DSPs) create a more diverse, inclusive, viable and equitable music licensing landscape for songwriters, producers, composers, lyricists, and music publishers. During his incarceration, Underwood, had to personally litigate to maintain his publishing rights in order to provide for his family and himself.
To Contact Bill Underwood, click HERE.