Poetry Electric: Terry Lewis Tribute

Terry Lewis, also known by his stage name Kid Lucky, was an American beatrhymer, beatboxer, singer-songwriter, teacher, and activist born in New York City. He coined the term "beatrhyming", which he defines as "rapping, singing or performing spoken word while beatboxing simultaneously". Lewis's career began founding and performing with the first production company in America for beatboxing, "Beatboxer Entertainment". Beatboxer entertainment has been featured on shows such as MTV and Fuse, and has performed in Madison square garden. Lewis is a beatbox mentor who has worked with artists such as Kaila Mullady, Taylor McFerrin, D-Cross, Masai Electro, and Butterscotch. He is the founder and director of "Beatrhyme Communications". A collective of artists dedicated to promoting beatrhyming, beatboxing, and the vocal arts. He was featured in the movie Begin Again, beatboxing alongside Cee Lo Green. He is the organizer and curator of events such as the "American Human Beatbox Festival" and "The Hip Hop Subway series". He is currently being represented as a sound artist by "International Fine Arts Consortium". He is the conductor of "Nu-Voices". The first all-vocal orchestra consisting of beatboxers, beatrhymers, and vocalists of a wide variety of vocal styles. In 2018 Lewis received the lifetime achievement award for his role in the development of beatboxing and beatrhyming as paid professions through his work, promoting the careers of older and younger beatboxers and curating events and movements for these artists to perform in. Lewis had been battling cancer for several years and died at 9:30am on October 23rd, 2020.

RABBI DARKSIDE (MC/DJ/Beatboxer/Educator) Champion freestyle artist. Hip Hop Professor. One of NYC’s favorite and most versatile DJs. Global Hip Hop Ambassador. Label CEO. Wedding officiant… With an expansive discography begun on wax in 2001 and a performance career touching 5 continents, there are countless spaces and places in which you may have encountered Sam Sellers (aka Rabbi Darkside): international Hip Hop festivals and worldwide guest appearances on records, head coaching on MTV's MADE to headlining the Blue Note Jazz Festival, the New York Times Education section to HipHopDX and Okayplayer. And they continue to grow with his dedication to artistic evolution, human rights advocacy, freedom fighting, Hip Hop Education, independent business operation and a deepening catalog. In Fall 2019 he added to his solo discography with his first self-produced project, "A Skeleton at a Typewriter;" was minted End of the Weak Challenge of Champions Vice-U.S. Champ; and performed at the Breakthrough Festival in Zurich, Switzerland. In 2020 he was artist-in-residence at the AIR Residency in Cassis, France. He's been the official DJ for Saturday Night Live Season 43 & 44 afterparties; mark 4 years as resident DJ/MC at renowned jam session The Lesson; and is in his 6th year as faculty The New School, where he teaches Hip Hop Pedagogy & Practice, Hip Hop Skill, Style & Science, DJ Skills & Style, and is the Faculty Advisor to The New School Hip Hop Collective. In 2021 Say Word Ent is readying new labelmate releases from roster, as well as new ventures for the Hip Hop Re:Education Project, of which he is the co-founder.

Arabelle “AirLoom Beats” Luke is a Brooklyn-based beatboxer and educator who has been featured in Elle magazine and on BET. Arabelle strives to showcase the dynamics within her art while emphasizing a sense of community. Working with organizations such as BEAT Global and Kids Creative, she facilitates professional development workshops and classes in beatboxing, loop station song production, and hip hop culture with special-needs populations and participants of all ages within the tri-state area. When Arabelle is not teaching, she is collaborating with New York’s theater, improv, and hip hop communities. Arabelle incorporates her melody-driven beatbox style into original music for plays, media content, beatbox battles, and improvised performances. Along with performing at iconic venues that include La Mama Theatre, The Javits Center and Blue Note Jazz Club, she has opened for Rakim at the Stanhope House in New Jersey. With an emphasis on community, Arabelle moves forward with the desire to build hip hop consciousness and positivity with her business Beatbox Express.

Shawn Randall is a New York based singer, songwriter and musician. He is the founder and executive producer of Symphonics Live is an actor, poet, singer, writer, producer, and freestyle emcee. He competed in the National Poetry Slam with Team NYC URBANA of the Bowery Poetry Club. He has had extensive experience in Off-Broadway theater including the acclaimed "Blue Man Group," a staged reading of Middle Finger at the Joseph Papp Public Theatre and performances at the Bardavon Opera House, Ensemble Studio Theatre, La Mama E.T.C. and BAM. His film appearances include Slings and Arrows, an independent that won Best Feature at the Avignon/NY Film Festival. Shawn Randall currently serves on the Board of Directors of Ensemble Studio Theatre.

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