Genesis Be is a critically acclaimed songwriter from Biloxi, Mississippi. She is also a Hurricane Katrina Survivor who relocated to New York City after helping in rebuilding efforts after the storm. Since graduating NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, her work has been positively critiqued by The L.A. Times, The Village Voice, Soultrain, Billboard Magazine and more. She began rapping at the age of 13. Genesis utilized Hip-Hop as an educational tool for the first time, when she was approached by The Mississippi Aids Task force in 2004. They asked her to write a song that informed youth about the AIDS virus. The piece was a success and was turned into a music video that featured youth from her hometown Biloxi, MS. Around the same time, Genesis linked with Lynn Meadows & Ken Leonard to produce “Rapsody”, a LIVE rap piece featuring a full orchestral arrangement that educates youth about the element of the orchestra. It was the beginning of a long line of activism for the young rapper, music being her main tool for change. Since graduating college, Genesis launched a youth empowerment campaign called Strive Till I Rise. She has worked with established organizations like The Boys & Girls Club, Mississippi AIDS Task Force & Lynn Meadows Discovery Center to complete workshops with hundreds of kids. The workshops use audio/visuals (mainly Hip Hop music) to explore topics like HIV/AIDS awareness, resume building, gun violence, conflict resolution, teen pregnancy, the voting process, bullying and community activism. She currently resides in New York City but continues to operate and collaborate with local youth organizations back home in Mississippi.