GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Thiel College, a leading liberal arts college in northwest Pennsylvania, hosts Baba Brinkman, a renowned Canadian rapper, science communicator, and award-winning literary hip-hop artist.
Brinkman will lead a discussion on consciousness on Monday, March 19 from 2-3 p.m. in the Stamm Lecture Hall of the James Pedas Communication Center. He will also present his “Rap Guide to Climate Chaos” at 7 p.m. in Stamm Lecture Hall as part Thiel College’s Earth Week celebration.
“Mr. Brinkman will be talking with psychology, neuroscience and DHI students in an afternoon session on consciousness,” Associate Professor of Neuroscience Greg Q. Butcher said. “He presents an interesting combination of performance art and science that will be new to most students. I’m also intrigued by his ‘peer-reviewed rap’ approach in which he seeks feedback on his lyrics from actual scientists.”
Brinkman found his acclaim for his “Rap Guide” or literature rap productions featuring science themed plays. His early career was launched with his solo performance “The Rap Canterbury Tales” at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2004. Followed by later hip hop adaptations of Beowulf, the Epic of Gilgamesh, and the Finnish Kalevala.
In 2008, Brinkman was commissioned to create a scientific rap show about evolution. Following that effort, he began an album series of rap guides covering: Human Nature, Business, Wilderness, Religion, Medicine, Climate Change, and Consciousness. Many of which, he has performed at several TEDx conferences, the SoHo Playhouse in New York City, and the World Science Festival.