Lyric145

FLINT, MI--Year-round, children at Greater Flint Boys & Girls Club get to meet career professionals, but Wednesday's guest was special: a hometown rap hero who spent weeks on national television.
Lyric 145, the rap trio that Flint native Lyric Da Queen joined as a contestant of "The X Factor USA," visited Boys & Girls Club of Greater Flint on Averill St. for a surprise concert Wednesday, April 17. Lyric 145 also plans a stop from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, April 18, at the offices of MLive-Flint Journal; the public is invited.

Administrators instructed children to go to the building's auditorium, where a DJ was playing other artists' music to excite the audience of about 75 children and supervisors. Lyric 145 -- Lyric Da Queen, Mr. Melee, and Sir Jewlz, all wearing t-shirts that read "Fli City"-- then came to the stage and briefly encouraged them to excel in school and chase their dreams.

"This is dear to me, because I'm from the same place, same streets, same schools as you," Lyric said. "...I was a straight-A student. I got good grades because now, when the business aspect (of music) kicks in, can't nobody tell me anything."


Harlem Shake: Lyric 145 and Flint Boys and Girls Club dance together
Lyric 145 and Flint's Boys and Girls Club do the Harlem Shake on April 17, 2013.
They then performed two profanity-free songs: "Clique," their cover of the similarly titled Kanye West song, and "I Get It," an original song they released several months ago.

Lyric instructed the children to "turn up," and they complied by dancing, chanting along with the choruses, and cheering upon mentions of "The X Factor" and "Fli City."

After their own solo songs, Lyric 145 allowed children from the audience to come on stage and show off their own talents. A young songstress and a 17-year-old rapper earned hearty applause from the audience.

"That's why it confuses me when people say there isn't any talent in my city," Lyric said afterward.

The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Flint was Lyric 145's second visit with children on Wednesday. Earlier, they visited Eisenhower Middle School, which Lyric attended as a child. The visit echoed the importance of academic excellence, chasing dreams and anti-bullying messages, while performing songs like "Boom! Shake The Room" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" that helped them become a finalist on "X Factor USA."

Five of Lyric's previous instructors and the school's former principal all came back for the event.

Lyric said that she mentored for Big Brothers Big Sisters before her success, and described working with children as her "duty."

"I know exactly what it's like to be raised in this city specifically," Lyric said. "You may hear things from your teacher or your parent, but it's different hearing it from someone who's been in your shoes, who you possibly look up to."

Bob Nelson, executive director of Boys & Girls Club of Greater Flint, said that Teen Services Program Coordinator Stacy Winchester had been planning the event for two months.

"She's (close to the children's) age, she's performed on the national stage and she's a prominent name in the music industry," Nelson said. "...They can see that there are actual professional outlets for their creativity and their passions."

Winchester said that other activities with children have included college visits, connections with other professionals such as lawyers and entrepreneurs and community service.

"Lyric Da Queen has definitely made an impact globally, and I thought it'd be great for her as well as the kids to see somebody from the city come back and show their abilities," Winchester said backstage while helping Lyric 145 prepare for a soundcheck. "...I knew bringing her here would be an inspiration to them, and also an opportunity for her to give back to the community." - William E. Ketchum lll

FLINT, MI--Year-round, children at Greater Flint Boys & Girls Club get to meet career professionals, but Wednesday's guest was special: a hometown rap hero who spent weeks on national television.
Lyric 145, the rap trio that Flint native Lyric Da Queen joined as a contestant of "The X Factor USA," visited Boys & Girls Club of Greater Flint on Averill St. for a surprise concert Wednesday, April 17. Lyric 145 also plans a stop from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, April 18, at the offices of MLive-Flint Journal; the public is invited.

Administrators instructed children to go to the building's auditorium, where a DJ was playing other artists' music to excite the audience of about 75 children and supervisors. Lyric 145 -- Lyric Da Queen, Mr. Melee, and Sir Jewlz, all wearing t-shirts that read "Fli City"-- then came to the stage and briefly encouraged them to excel in school and chase their dreams.

"This is dear to me, because I'm from the same place, same streets, same schools as you," Lyric said. "...I was a straight-A student. I got good grades because now, when the business aspect (of music) kicks in, can't nobody tell me anything."


Harlem Shake: Lyric 145 and Flint Boys and Girls Club dance together
Lyric 145 and Flint's Boys and Girls Club do the Harlem Shake on April 17, 2013.
They then performed two profanity-free songs: "Clique," their cover of the similarly titled Kanye West song, and "I Get It," an original song they released several months ago.

Lyric instructed the children to "turn up," and they complied by dancing, chanting along with the choruses, and cheering upon mentions of "The X Factor" and "Fli City."

After their own solo songs, Lyric 145 allowed children from the audience to come on stage and show off their own talents. A young songstress and a 17-year-old rapper earned hearty applause from the audience.

"That's why it confuses me when people say there isn't any talent in my city," Lyric said afterward.

The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Flint was Lyric 145's second visit with children on Wednesday. Earlier, they visited Eisenhower Middle School, which Lyric attended as a child. The visit echoed the importance of academic excellence, chasing dreams and anti-bullying messages, while performing songs like "Boom! Shake The Room" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" that helped them become a finalist on "X Factor USA."

Five of Lyric's previous instructors and the school's former principal all came back for the event.

Lyric said that she mentored for Big Brothers Big Sisters before her success, and described working with children as her "duty."

"I know exactly what it's like to be raised in this city specifically," Lyric said. "You may hear things from your teacher or your parent, but it's different hearing it from someone who's been in your shoes, who you possibly look up to."

Bob Nelson, executive director of Boys & Girls Club of Greater Flint, said that Teen Services Program Coordinator Stacy Winchester had been planning the event for two months.

"She's (close to the children's) age, she's performed on the national stage and she's a prominent name in the music industry," Nelson said. "...They can see that there are actual professional outlets for their creativity and their passions."

Winchester said that other activities with children have included college visits, connections with other professionals such as lawyers and entrepreneurs and community service.

"Lyric Da Queen has definitely made an impact globally, and I thought it'd be great for her as well as the kids to see somebody from the city come back and show their abilities," Winchester said backstage while helping Lyric 145 prepare for a soundcheck. "...I knew bringing her here would be an inspiration to them, and also an opportunity for her to give back to the community." - William E. Ketchum lll

"The X Factor" ended weeks ago, "American Idol" is in full swing, and "The Voice" Season 4 is just around the corner...and yet still I mourn the tragic 12th-place elimination of "The X Factor" Season 2's Lyric 145. But happily, the totally robbed hip-hop trio of Lyric Da Queen, Melee, and Sir Jewelz didn't go their separate ways after their all-too-brief "X Factor" run, and they've been hard at work in the studio ever since they left the show.
The result is Lyric 145's hot new original single, "I Get It," produced by V12 The Hitman (Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Wyclef Jean, Pusha T, B.o.B., Chris Brown). Have a listen:

Wow, this raw track really seems to be a better representation of Lyric 145's street-smart style than that silly "E.T."/"We Will Rock You" mashup that their misguided mentor Simon Cowell forced them to do. "I Get It" just might be my new jam.
What do you think of Lyric 145's new song? - Lyndsey Parker

"The X Factor" ended weeks ago, "American Idol" is in full swing, and "The Voice" Season 4 is just around the corner...and yet still I mourn the tragic 12th-place elimination of "The X Factor" Season 2's Lyric 145. But happily, the totally robbed hip-hop trio of Lyric Da Queen, Melee, and Sir Jewelz didn't go their separate ways after their all-too-brief "X Factor" run, and they've been hard at work in the studio ever since they left the show.
The result is Lyric 145's hot new original single, "I Get It," produced by V12 The Hitman (Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Wyclef Jean, Pusha T, B.o.B., Chris Brown). Have a listen:

Wow, this raw track really seems to be a better representation of Lyric 145's street-smart style than that silly "E.T."/"We Will Rock You" mashup that their misguided mentor Simon Cowell forced them to do. "I Get It" just might be my new jam.
What do you think of Lyric 145's new song? - Lyndsey Parker