Chad Harper
Chad Harper, better known by his stage name "The Brooklyn Globetrotter," is an American rapper, songwriter, educator, businessman and humanitarian. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Harper has been a resident of New York City for more than twenty years, the majority of that time in Brooklyn. He has worked with Hip Hop pioneers such as Kool Herc, Marley Marl, and Melle Mel; as well as Hip Hop acts like Mister Cheeks, Brand Nubian, Keith Murry, Smif n Wesson and many more.
| Chad Harper | |
|---|---|
 Chad1.jpg Chad Harper, founder of Hip Hop Saves Lives | |
| Born | Cleveland, Ohio |
| 🏡 Residence | Brooklyn, New York |
| 🏳️ Nationality | African American |
| Other names | The Brooklyn Globetrotter |
| 🏫 Education | Morehouse College |
| 💼 Occupation | educator, humanitarian, businessman recording artist, singer, songwriter |
| 📆 Years active | 23 |
| 🏢 Organisation | Hip Hop Saves Lives |
| Agent | Forever Publicity |
| 🏅 Awards | SIGEF - Music For Empowerment Award |
Early Life[edit]
Harper was born in the Shaker Heights section of Cleveland, Ohio to African American parents. He credits his mother, who was a life-long teacher, with being the inspiration behind his Hip Hop education career. He says his father's entrepreneurial spirit instilled his drive to become an independent businessman. The pivotal moment that drew him to the culture of Hip Hop was seeing the movie "Beat Street," at the age of 13. The film inspired Harper to take up breakdancing and by the 9th grade, he was penning his own rhymes. After high school, Harper attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, studying business management. There, he recorded his first songs.
Career[edit]
While attending Morehouse College, Harper began modeling, which led to an acting career. He appeared in several advertising campaigns, including a Reebok "Back To School" commercial. In Atlanta, Harper's involvement in the entertainment business inspired a dream to move to New York City.
Harper made that dream a reality in 1998, moving to New York to pursue a career in entertainment. There, he recorded his first three EP's. In 2004, he began volunteering for the nonprofit company "Charity Water," which was educating people on the lack of clean water in Africa. Harper recorded the theme song for Charity Water and it received rave reviews. The glowing response motivated him to switch the focus of his music to social responsibility, with the goal of approaching Hip Hop from an educational perspective. Harper soon created " Hip Hop Saves Lives," realizing the power Hip Hop had to educate and empower.
Within its first year of conception, Hip Hop Saves Lives became an international movement and Harper soon expanded it into a nonprofit organization. He began working with youth in New York City, teaching them about the history of Hip Hop and the everyday heroes of the culture.
The organization’s work received worldwide praise. Harper and his students were invited to perform at The United Nations on a day that was slated to acknowledge the eradication of extreme poverty. Mahatma Gandhi's foundation, "The Sabarmati Ashram," also brought Harper to India as a guest keynote speaker. And Desmond Tutu's foundation commissioned Hip Hop Saves Lives to write and produce a birthday song for his 83rd birthday. Later, Carnegie Hall brought Harper in to teach performing arts workshops.
Most recently, Harper has devoted his time to creating awareness about the innocent children victimized by mass incarceration. He has launched a Hip Hop apparel line, BBFLY, which helps fund monthly visits for children across the U.S. to visit their incarcerated parents. In 2021, Harper will release the album I AM BLACK AMERICAN, which celebrates the legacy of black Americans and breathes life into their countless achievements. The lead single, with the same title, speaks to Harper's personal experiences and honors all that black Americans have overcome and achieved. A website with the same name will feature interviews, music and documentaries that shine light on the accomplishments and untold heroics of black Americans.
