My story

What in the world is this?! My 4th grade brain exploded as the guitar and drums built into Lose Yourself’s legendary opening lines. From then on I was hooked, memorizing dozens of songs and dabbling with the pen before I was tall enough to read Torah.

I been rockin beats and a beatbox since we thought Doc was droppin Detox

Here’s to our heroes - the Dillas, Premos, the Pete Rocks

Leadin the culture to be a beacon of free thought

In temple I’d eat lox then pop on my Reeboks

(Excerpt from “Traditional Posse Cut”)

In high school I spent more time rapping than sleeping. I was bumping into people in the hallways with no cellphone to blame, just jotting down an endless stream of rhymes in a marble notebook.

Like most artists, I look back on my early output with a sublime mix of nostalgia and horror.

I knew I should do this shit ever since I murdered my first mic

Kickin raps in the back of the class

Flippin them words like questions in Jeopardy

What is frickin absurd?

(Excerpt from “Gates of God”)

In 2012, a few incoming freshman and I started the Harvard College Rap Collective, Harvard’s first performing arts rap group. We held weekly cyphers, put out two mixtapes packed with bangers, and were fortunate enough to open for both Cunninlynguists and Apathy at The Middle East in Cambridge.

We pumpin substance to beats like peanut butter to Reese’s, cups and the pieces

I’m nutty with bars like Mars, the candy company

Got a plan - keep comin with heat til fans see somethin in me

and you damn creeps lumpin me in with band geeks jump in

A buncha pansies bumpin me like chimpanzees humpin me

(Excerpt from “Duke Westlake Cypher”)

After graduating from college, I made the tough decision to put music aside and focus on building a stable, impactful career.

After three years in NYC at an amazing startup - that’s a whole other story - a chance encounter with a neighbor in my building’s elevator pulled me back into the world of hip hop. Since then it’s been an exhilarating balancing act - from 8am client workshops to 1am showcases in Brooklyn; from org strategy sessions to studio sessions.

I was lost in the haze, now I’m tossed in the maze

Gettin lost in the Matrix, escapin from Boston to Harlem

In grade school I’d pump up the bass and, stomp up the basement

Now I make a living off of my brain helpin organizations walkin away from their toxic arrangements

I’m coppin the payment

You wanna learn? Let’s start with the basics:

Play is the ultimate of motivation

Replacing inertia with purpose will serve you

And change is a constant, so constantly learn through debate and confront what you saw on the surface

(Excerpt from “Elevator Pitch - Remix”)