Pierce Freelon

Pierce Freelon is a professor, journalist and musician.[1] He is the founder and CEO of the Black Academics, an online community of young black thinkers to discuss their opinions on current events of interest to the larger black community.[2] He is the founder of Jazz and Hip hop group the Beast[3][4][5] He is currently working in Ghana with the Contemporary African Diasporan Art (MoCADA) on a film about Pan-Africanism featuring Blitz the emcee and Les Nubians.[5] He is the former Director of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz’ Bebop to Hip-Hop program.[6]He is currently a Political Science and African American Studies professor at North Carolina Central University, UNC-Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University. He is also a board member of the North Carolina Arts Council.

Career

Musical Education Career

Freelon developed a Hip-Hop curriculum for high school and universities students that has been implemented in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Ghana.[6]

Music career

He has performed internationally with jazz artists Nnenna Freelon (his mother), Herbie Hancock, Bob James, Earl Klugh, Patti Austin, Robert Glasper, Chris Dave and Derrick Hodge. He has also done arrangements and rap for Nnenna Freelon's album, "Home Free".[7] He has also performed with hip-hop artists Doug E. Fresh, Grand Master Flash, The Last Poets and Dead Prez.[1]

Family

He is the son of Grammy nominee Nnenna Freelon and Philip Freelon.[8] He is the brother-in-law of M.K. Asante, Jr. who is married to his sister.

References

  1. 1 2 "N.C. Arts Council - Board Biographies". Ncarts.org. Retrieved 2011-12-07.
  2. ↑ "About Blackademics". blackademics.org. Retrieved 2011-12-07.
  3. ↑ Ashley Melzer (2010-05-20). "Gimme Five! Pierce Freelon of The Beast | The Mill". Carrborocitizen.com. Retrieved 2011-12-07.
  4. ↑ "The Beast | Durham, NC | Hip Hop / Soul / Jazz | Music, Lyrics, Songs, and Videos". ReverbNation. 2010-03-17. Retrieved 2011-12-07.
  5. 1 2 Freelon, Pierce. "chapelhillnews.com". Thedurhamnews.com. Retrieved 2011-12-07.
  6. 1 2 "Contributors". blackademics.org. Retrieved 2011-12-07.
  7. ↑ "Cincinnati's Fox Sports 1360". Foxsports1360.com. 2010-04-20. Retrieved 2011-12-07.
  8. ↑ "Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz: Nneenna Freelon". NPR. Retrieved 2011-12-07.
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