Tahir Hemphill was immersed in the technical environment from a very young age. He attended vocational school and eventually earned a dual degree engineering program at his College at Morehouse and the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta.
Despite his technical prowess, Hemphill’s passion for art and design led him to graduate school at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, where he earned a master’s degree in communication design.
A multidisciplinary artist, creative technologist, and faculty fellow in the visual arts department at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) told Technical.ly during the South by Southwest panel. .
Drawing on his background in engineering and design, Hemphill takes an innovative approach to exploring the cultural impact of hip-hop. He demonstrates this approach at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) Center for Art, Design, and Visual Culture (CADVC) solo exhibition, “Rap Research Lab,” which runs through Saturday, March 18th this week.
Rap Research Lab is a community-based creative technology studio that uses the hip-hop framework to develop new avenues for individuals to interact with data and culture. Press His UMBC exhibition of this work coincides with Hemphill’s “turning CADVC into a learning forum” through another project, “Mapper’s Delight,” according to his release. Based on the semantic relationships within over 100,000 rap lyrics, this immersive tool leverages augmented and virtual reality, sculptural data visualization, and collaborative elements. As 2023 marks hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, these projects provide participants with a timely opportunity to explore the evolution and impact of this globally influential musical and cultural phenomenon.
A component of the “Rap Institute”. (Courtesy photo by Tedd Henn)
A New York City native and hip-hop enthusiast, Hemphill credits growing up in the home of the art form because of his deep understanding and appreciation for the culture.
“When I was a teenager, I grew up in Queens, New York, where hip-hop was an integral part of the culture. bottom.”
Hemphill’s passion for hip-hop and its wide range of influences led him to explore the intersection of technology and data, especially considering all the ways in which technology and data are misused.
“Being able to work with the kind of data that we have is important, especially in this century,” he said. “It’s important to understand what to do with that data, how to use it to tell stories, how to use it in services. That was not always the case in the century.”
Hemphill’s latest project, The Rap Almanac, is a manifestation of this intersection, allowing users to overlay hip-hop lyrics with other types of data such as crime statistics and political data. He sees ‘The Rap Almanac’, a component of ‘Rap Research Lab’, as a novel way of demonstrating hip-hop’s unique and unparalleled impact on global art and culture.
“By combining hip-hop and data, we can tell powerful stories and shed light on important issues.
“Lil Wayne I’m Me” by Tahir Hemphill. (photo courtesy)
Those interested in Hemphill’s tech-infused approach to hip-hop can see his work on display at CADVC in Catonsville, Baltimore County through Saturday. He will also attend a special closing his reception on Thursday March 16th. This reception will feature his discussion with Hemphill, 6pm and his DJ set for CX KidtroniK at 7pm.
Learn more about “Rap Institute”
Company: University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC)
Series: College Month 2023
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