As The Rapping Professor, my special skill is composing and performing original songs and raps for specific events-- Gift Raps^tm. This skill was learned in childhood and has been honed over 30 years of practice, from small private events to corporate gatherings of thousands. How does a Gift Rap work—what's the process?

Let's look at an example--the Canada Day Rap. I'm a dual Canadian-US citizen, and was hired by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai to host their July 1 celebration (like US July 4 Independence Day), a large event at an outdoor sports complex. First, I interviewed the organizers and got all the info I could, including little inside jokes about the people involved or funny things that happened in the event planning etc... I get all the names, not just the VIP sponsors and Board of Directors, but also those behind the scenes: organizers, volunteers... Have you ever heard your name acknowledged in a song or rap for your work? It feels great! I do my best to make the name lists rhyme, which can be a challenge, especially when like for the Canada event, some names are French, others English. I play with it, like making the last syllables of the names Nicholson and Gendron rhyme, even though they don't really. In a Gift Rap for Dow Corning's Asian Leadership Development Program, I rhymed 24 participants' names from Japan, Thailand, Korea and China!!

Not only do I perform live for you,
I'll record your song on DVD too!

After I write a first draft of the lyrics, I share them with the event organizer and we go back and forth a couple time with edits, additions, deletions... the work should be both humorous and informative. When we're satisfied, I go into the recording studio and record the work to a backing rhythm. We save both wav. and mp3 versions, which I give to the client. Then there's several ways to actually present the work. Of course, best is a live performance, and logistics permitting, we distribute the lyrics in advance to the guests, so that they can be a bit familiar with it. Then when I'm performing the song or rap, I can go into the audience and get people to rap along with me. The silver-haired gentleman rapping with me in The Ford China Rap is the CEO! Gift Raps are fun and interactive!

Whether private or corporate or conference event,
I'm sure you'll agree I'm money well-spent!

If logistics or budget don't allow a live performance, we can do it remotely via videoconferencing, or the client can play the recorded audio or video at the event... there are lots of options. Sometimes, I'll compose the work for the event host or other guest to perform him/herself! As an added value, we can add video, pics etc from the event or from the guest of honor's childhood etc. to business card-sized DVDs, along with the song, for guests to take home to relive the event at their leisure. We can put the event, company or personal logo etc on the DVD cover.

I'm highly confident about entertaining clients;
I've got this rapping art down to a science!

Sometimes the recipient of a Gift Rap is in on the planning and organization, and other times it's a total surprise! For example, back in the day when my company was called Matthew's Messages, I once showed up at a romantic restaurant on Valentines Day, spotted the unsuspecting boyfriend Lamar, plunked my beatbox on the table, and launched in, with the benefit of the inside info his girlfriend Amy had provided:

I'm Matthew The Rapper and I'm out on the loose; my man's name is Lamar but you can call him The Juice.

With him at the table, Amy so fine, wanted to send a Funny Valentine, so she called on The Rapper, set a date for today, and said my assignment was to entertain TK.

Here you go Amy, look what you done did: a surprise for Lamar aka The Kid....

Gift Raps are highly adaptable to any given event and no two are ever the same. What they hold in common is that you and your guests will never forget them! Make your next event truly unique. Give The Gift Of Rhyme!

If you're intrigued, I hope you'll inquire;
and soon I'll be taking your next event HIGHER!

Download Gift Raps Process.doc here!