Like a favorite rap and hip hop lyric, MK Asante came into the room and committed himself to memory.Not only did this brother make his entrance with mad swag, that sly grin, and cool nod of the head to the crowd like a neighborhood friend, “wassup”.Don’t get it twisted, Asante is a tenured professor, novelist, filmmaker, and spits lyrics like sunflower seeds.

Nate Nevado gave an introduction worthy of hip hop royalty after showing the audience a brief video for MK Asante’s “Buck”, which is also featured on the Skyline College website.Nevado is a Skyline College Counselor, who is also the Coordinator of Rock the School Bells and CIPHER.

“CIPHER stands for Center for Innovative Practices Through Hip Hop Education and Research,” Nevado said. “It is a program center that provides education and career opportunities for students, provides professional development opportunities for faculty members, and events to bring the community together to talk about the different hip hop pedagogy’sthat exist in our classrooms.”

MK Asante is all that.Peep the brother’s game. He tells his story with charming qualities that make you forget that he grew up in a rough part of Philly and saw a lot of horrible things that a child should be protected from seeing.

Asante kept the energy flowing, spitting dope rhymes and flow between readings from his memoir, “Buck.”The audience in all of its multicultural, all ages, genders, and colors gloryand reppin all neighborhoods.He had ’em all entranced with his gritty stories from one of life’s rawest universities, the corner in Philly where he grew up.

The audience got schooled.Asante ran a classroom of street knowledge, dropped so many smart bombs, wicked lyrics, sage advice, and hit people with clever quips that will evoke thought long after they were said.It would be difficult to flunk his class.

Asante is living proof that even the roughest upbringing does not mean you will be forever in your circumstances.Asante shared his gritty testimony to uplift and encourage Skyline students to find their voices.Understated yet commanding a presence in his jeans, hoodie, fitted Philly cap, and Tims, Asante turned it out.This brother tells his story with pride, and encourages others to find the opportunity in their situations.With a rich history of survival and lessons learned, Asante has been using his resources sincehe was young.

The room was filled to capacity, Blacks, Whites, Filipinos, Polynesians, and so many others it was exactly what an African- American History Month celebration crowd should be comprised of.African American history is all of our history.The multicultural crowd gathered that day, brought together by the dynamic lyrical genius of Asante was all that for a memorable event.All kinds of folks were brought together to hear this man spit, the glue that brought so many different pieces together.People who wanted to hear the man in person, after reading his books, people who were curious as to who he is, people who have seen him in YouTube videos creating “Godz” with Talib Kweli, people who appreciate his fresh honesty, clear confidence in where he has been and what he decided to do with what he had.

Asante says his target audience is everybody.

“This room today was my target audience, you know, perfect, yaknowwhatimean, multicultural; mixed in terms of ages, gender, people from all different walks of life.Urban, suburban, world whatever.People coming together, people who are interested in learning,” Asante said. “People who want to read about someone else’s experience, people who are interested in what’s real.You know, we live in an age where things are very transparent and nobody’s really interested in dealing with fakeness so my audience is people who appreciate the real.People who love obviously reading or literature.”Seems it turned out perfectly.

Armani Fuller, UYS and Criminal Justice majorenjoyed the entire lecture.

“A rose can grow anywhere,” Fuller said. “Everybody learns something.No matter what is thrown at you”.

Fuller appreciates that MK Asante came from a rough area, but still flourished.

“Hip Hop will tell you the positive aspect and the negative aspect,” Fuller said. “The hood is a beautiful place. “

Smiling and asking each person getting their book signed what their name was, calling that person by their name, and chopping it up with them earned him points.The old heads even got their pose on, snapping pictures with him.All were given photo ops, with their phones or cameras.Asante kept the energy flow with each person, making a fresh connection with each signing.Joking and super excited, he bust into his self-titled Hip Hop Tourette Syndrome during the signing, when something sparked his memory of his favorite lyrics.Gracious and manner able, Asante made sure he signed every last book placed before him with his trusty black sharpie.Dudes nodded with respect and the females were charmed by that smile and easy going nature.Asante schooled Skyline.Lessons to live by.