A student at Harvard University, 20-year-old Obasi Shaw, broke new ground at the Ivy League school this year by submitting his rap album as a thesis, marking the first time that’s happened in the college’s 381-year history.
Titled Liminal Minds, the album “combines elements of Middle English poetry with issues of racial identity in America,” according to the description on Harvard’s Instagram post.
“[African-Americans are] free, but the effects of slavery still exist,” Shaw said. “Each song is an exploration of that state between slavery and freedom.”
Although Shaw plans to move on to a Seattle-based internship in software engineering, he expressed his fondness for rap music. “Rap is a genre in which I can say everything I want to say,” he said. “I’ve been writing in different capacities, but I never felt that I found my art form until I started rapping.”
Shaw graduated with honors earlier this month.
Listen to Shaw’s 10-track album below.
Now thats incredible. Somewhere in the world Chuck D and KRS-1 are smiling. 2Pac would be proud.
KRS-One is smiling at a lil kid right now. …and who the fuck is a Chuck D? skrrt
Who is CHUCK D?! HAHAHA you must be joking.
Impressive, pure art, and refreshing especially since Obasi Shaw is articulating rap music is a meaningful way to express social injustice. He isn’t rapping about common frivolous shit like cars, designer clothes, strippers, money, drugs. This album is a good example of where rap music should be as opposed to where rap music currently is. Rappers, media, and music expectives are now unfortunately promoting minimal and degrading rap musical content in effort to make something silly like money!
Word Up! couldnt agree more.
Check my new project out-“Deutsche Marks” that is if u into real hiphop
Reading this gives me goosebumps…..heard the first track and its got the old school vibe to it too
Harvard went to shit a long time ago, but ol boy got rap skillz. Good for him for making History.
LOL his rap style is Eminem but his choruses are Old-School, similar to Joey Badass. Software-Engineering is where it’s at.
Engineering as a career and rapping as a hobby. Finally, some kids are getting it right
good for this dude.
cause thats the only thing black people knows how to do
Ummm did u see he graduated with honors from Harvard! Even that is so it would b bcuz of us whites holding them back! I’m but these ppl are stronger than us in every way! Look at what they go through and we still can’t stop them!