Radio Veteran Felicia “The Poetess” Morris Teams with the Grammy Museum to Help Keep Music Arts in the Community

On April 20th 2011 over 200 students from the Pomona, Inglewood and Los Angeles School Districts filled the Clive Davis Theatre inside the GRAMMY Museum® to attend the launch of In The Lab Hip Hop Sessions, a music arts program that aims to inspire and educate youth on the early roots of hip hop and its positive contributions to mainstream culture. 

The inaugural program, hosted by radio veteran Felicia “The Poetess” Morris, featured Hip Hop & Technology: The Art of Turntablism which consisted of a brief presentation acknowledging pioneer hip hop DJ’s, Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa and Mixmaster Spade. The Scratch DJ Academy was on hand to demonstrate turntable techniques and provided lessons to all willing participants. The capacity crowd enjoyed classic hip hop music as students took the stage and showed off the latest dance moves.

Parents and teachers joined in the fun by giving an impromptu performance to the Aretha Franklin classic R-E-S-P-E-C-T.  

Just as the program was coming to a close, the audience was pleasantly surprised when platinum producer and rapper DJ Quik arrived and shared words of inspiration and wrapped up the event with a special performance. After the session ended, guests were invited to tour the current exhibit, Hip Hop: A Cultural Odyssey that features artifacts such as hand written lyrics from rappers Eminem and the late Tupac Shakur as well as clothing items from Outkast and the late Eazy E amongst other treasures. The Hip Hop A Cultural Odyssey leaves the GRAMMY Museum on May 4th 2011. In The Lab Hip Hop Sessions will continue throughout the summer starting June 2011. 

Special thanks to sponsors: The GRAMMY Museum, Ruthless Records, Black College Expo, National College Resource Foundation and The Scratch DJ Academy for making the In The Lab Hip Hop Session free to the community. 

In The Lab Hip Hop Sessions was created by Felicia “The Poetess” Morris. For more information and sponsorship opportunities contact The Poetess at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/INTHELABHIPHOPSESSIONS.

• < Prev in Music
• Next in Music >