Music. Education.
Community.
The Beast is
Now in its eighteenth year, an innovative and electrifying hip hop and jazz ensemble known for pushing creative boundaries through dynamic collaboration. Straight outta Durham—an emerging cultural and entrepreneurial hub of the New South—The Beast is a homegrown artistic force.
In live performance, audiences experience storytelling, improvisation, and call-and-response traditions in American music through a unique blend of TED Talk–style interactive presentation, live band energy, and breakdancing. Their flagship educational program, SANKOFA, traces a powerful journey through oral traditions—from the West African griot to coded language in spirituals, the improvisational roots of jazz—culminating in a high-energy celebration of classic hip hop.
The Beast
For all ages
Genre
Bending
Jazz
&
Hip Hop
Music
✶
Genre Bending Jazz & Hip Hop Music ✶
Sankofa
African American Music From Spirituals to Hip Hop
* Our Flagship Educational Program*
Performance Description
In SANKOFA: African American Music from Spirituals to Hip Hop audiences will learn elements of Storytelling, Improvisation and Call and Response in American Music. A brilliant mix of TedTalk-style interactive lecture with an exciting live band and breakdancing, SANKOFA educates and entertains. Audiences will learn about the oral tradition through the West African storyteller/poet known as the Griot; explore coded language in Spirituals; join musicians on stage to discover improvisation in Jazz; learn call and response in Reggae, and party with their teachers to some classic Hip Hop.
Origin
Developed by Pierce Freelon, a college professor, hip hop artist, author and father of two, the curriculum is entertaining and informative for all ages. The performance will be tailored to appropriately address elementary, middle, high school or multi-generational community audiences. We take careful steps to use tone, vocabulary and interactions that specifically relate to corresponding age groups. Sankofa has been consistently lauded as "the best show EVER" by listeners of all ages.
Who Is Our Audience
The Beast Performs Sankofa for audiences of all sizes around the country. We regularly entertain large school assemblies packed of 500 students or more but can also cater to smaller groups. This shows fits in auditoriums, cafeterias, performance halls, community centers, outdoor amphitheaters, music venues and more. Just ask and we can probably make it work in your unique space!
Happy Listeners Say
“If you are interested in exposing your students to various music genres, in a fun and innovative way, invite The Beast to your school. Also, if you are looking for a way to expose your students to African-American history in an engaging and memorable way, invite The Beast. The Beast is extremely talented, professional, and kind.”
“You all are incredible. Our school was buzzing with enthusiasm, hope, joy and gratitude for your work! I was stopped countless times in the hall by students, teachers and staff to talk about how impactful the performance was, I enjoyed every conversation and opportunity to relive the experience. We are big fans of The Beast!”
“The Beast is a truly engaging musical group which teaches African-American history in a fun, effective way. They are wonderful musicians and story-tellers”
Let’s chat!
