Put Em All To Shame

Put Em All To Shame (The Curriculum) is a one of a kind book. It was created to serve as an extrapolation of the concepts found within the songs of its namesake rap album, Put Em All To Shame. The word “Shame” which appears in the title is a tribute to the immense talents of DJ Shame who produced every track on the album and laced the entire project with his own signature scratches as well. The book fully correlates with many of the intricacies found within songs on the album, and it shines a light on many of the author’s experiences which led to the creation of the lyrics and music. Each chapter in the book aptly shares the same title as the corresponding track on the album. The lyrics to each song are included in each chapter, along with striking photographs taken by highly talented photographer, Raymond Jones. This book is appropriate for anyone looking to receive a broad overview of the main tenants of Hiphop culture and many of its pioneers, while additionally providing insights into the motivating factors which helped forge Lyrical’s unique career choice as an emcee and educator. Professor Lyrical narrates his own writing process and also provides creative tips for writers along the way. Lyrical’s understanding of the inner workings of the entertainment and music industries are laid out as virtual curricula for would be instructors looking to borrow from other disciplines to help foster a passion for education and/or mathematics. Firsthand accounts of the rap music industry (and many of its key players) are provided which take the reader on a fascinating journey of behind the scenes escapades and nonfiction adventures.

Put Em All To Shame (The Curriculum) is a one of a kind book. It was created to serve as an extrapolation of the concepts found within the songs of its namesake rap album, Put Em All To Shame. The word “Shame” which appears in the title is a tribute to the immense talents of DJ Shame who produced every track on the album and laced the entire project with his own signature scratches as well. The book fully correlates with many of the intricacies found within songs on the album, and it shines a light on many of the author’s experiences which led to the creation of the lyrics and music. Each chapter in the book aptly shares the same title as the corresponding track on the album. The lyrics to each song are included in each chapter, along with striking photographs taken by highly talented photographer, Raymond Jones. This book is appropriate for anyone looking to receive a broad overview of the main tenants of Hiphop culture and many of its pioneers, while additionally providing insights into the motivating factors which helped forge Lyrical’s unique career choice as an emcee and educator. Professor Lyrical narrates his own writing process and also provides creative tips for writers along the way. Lyrical’s understanding of the inner workings of the entertainment and music industries are laid out as virtual curricula for would be instructors looking to borrow from other disciplines to help foster a passion for education and/or mathematics. Firsthand accounts of the rap music industry (and many of its key players) are provided which take the reader on a fascinating journey of behind the scenes escapades and nonfiction adventures. Professor Lyrical passionately provides testimony how “some of the most seemingly negative or inconsequential events in [his] life have turned out to be the greatest and most important ones in disguise.” He narrates his early love for education via the creative arts—and his embarrassingly slow start in arithmetic—which later fueled his marked improvement as a mathematician. This book is the perfect complement to an album filled with an impeccable display of artistry created by its master craftsmen. About the Author: Professor Lyrical is truly the nexus between education and entertainment. As an emcee, his career has spanned many years as a battle rapper and live performer winning accolades from his peers, fans and the local and national press. As a scholar and academic, he holds a BS in Business and an MS in Mathematics from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell and has taught at eight different colleges/universities in the Boston area. He is currently a Doctoral candidate at Northeastern University where he also teaches mathematics full-time in a unique freshman cohort known as Foundation Year. The creation of this book, and the corresponding album, brings together both of his unique careers.

Lyrical, or “Professor Lyrical” as he is affectionately called by his Foundation Year students, is a full-time Lecturer of Mathematics within Northeastern University’s College of Professional Studies. A student before teacher, Lyrical is enrolled in Northeastern’s Doctoral degree program where he studies Higher Education. Lyrical cites his college education at UMass Lowell, where he earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Business and a Master’s of Science in Mathematics, as crucial to his success as an educator and musician. As an award winning rapper, Lyrical has recorded singles that have topped national college radio charts (as a solo artist and with his earlier group X-Caliber and Invasion) and received mainstream airplay from a variety of stations—across many formats. Professor Lyrical has simultaneously managed to teach an amazing variety of courses at eight Boston area colleges, in a multitude of subject areas spanning from “Hip Hop Culture & Lyricism” to “Calculus.” He is also the co-founder of the legendary Mass Industry Committee Hip Hop Awards (est. 2006), and has promoted countless shows in the Boston area. Lyrical’s musical content and subject matter is as varied as the courses he teaches. He has been featured in scores of national and local TV programs, magazines, and other publications. He is known for creatively using the power of music and mathematics to build culture in the classroom, and to bridge connections to the larger outside communities he serves. He regularly speaks and performs at institutions and other organizations that seek to harness the power of Hip Hop culture to help foster positive change.