Dr. Andre Samuel, founder, president, and CEO of Pittsburgh's first community life sciences laboratory, The Citizen Science Lab, was watching reruns of The Jeffersons, What's Happening!!, and Sanford and Son when he noticed a theme emerge. When someone in their community needed financial help, the characters in the show came together to put on a benefit concert.
“I grew up in the days of Farm Aid and Live Aid, where benefit concerts were thrown to address world issues,” says Samuel. “I think we can do the same to address issues at home in our communities, and that’s the kind of trim that I was hoping to start with this type of fundraising event.”
Enter The Citizen Science Lab’s forthcoming Flying Beyond Intergalactic Boundaries Through STEM concert. Featuring some of the best hip-hop artists and rappers from the ’90s — Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Rakim, Das EFX, and Positive K — the concert, set for Sun., May 29 at Stage AE, will help the lab continue its mission of increasing the number of underrepresented groups in the sciences.
“Music is what keeps us going, and a lot of times, it guides us,” says Samuel. “Making sure that we connect through music, and connect music to science, is a great way to keep us connected to the younger generations.”
Founded in 2015 through a partnership with Duquesne University and the former nonprofit Urban Innovation 21, The Citizen Science Lab is essentially a playground for science and STEM. Their team creates science pipelines for diverse communities, ensuring students across the Pittsburgh region get access to hands-on experiments and relevant, real-life experimentation — using the same equipment and items found in research labs at the industry or university level.
This year is the second fundraising concert the lab is hosting, and it is the first time the event will be held in person; the inaugural show was planned right before the pandemic and ended up going virtual. The 2022 space theme, Flying Beyond Intergalactic Boundaries Through STEM, was chosen to remind minority communities that, like the recent influx of millionaires and entrepreneurs flying into space, they too can be a part of the exploration of the cosmos.
But why the retro hip-hop and rap lineup? Well, it’s partly because Samuel wanted to choose acts that people haven’t seen in a while, but he felt they would love to see “before it’s too late.”
“These were some of the greatest MCs and pioneers of hip hop, and I grew up listening to them,” he says. “I wanted to keep us connected to the ’90s and the roots of the ’90s.” But the decision also stemmed from one of Samuel’s continuous goals: dispelling myths about Black people in the sciences.
“One of those myths is that if you’re Black and into science, you’re nerdy and geeky and not into all of the things we [as Black people] tend to be into culturally; that make us the unique wonderful people that we are,” says Samuel. “So why not have some of the greatest MCs in the universe come and get people together to celebrate STEM?”
The Citizen Science Lab’s programming generally serves around 400 kids throughout the year, and, since 2015, they have reached over 4,250 students. The forthcoming benefit concert is the lab’s one, big fundraiser of the year, where, along with music, they will highlight the accomplishments of their students. In addition, one program alumni currently enrolled in a science discipline in college will receive the Madura Award, consisting of a scholarship and blown glass trophy handmade by Black glass artist Percy Echols II.
“It’s really important to get people to come out and support the event because all of that funding goes directly to supporting one of those 4,250,” says Samuel. “That's really what this is all about. We are an organization that is very much about making sure that doors of opportunity to STEM and STEM career pathways are opened up for our community.”
Flying Beyond Intergalactic Boundaries Through STEM with Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Rakim, Das EFX, and Positive K. 3 p.m. Sun., May 29. Stage AE. 400 N. Shore Drive, North Side. $78.75 - $128.75. thecitizensciencelab.org
‘90s hip-hop artists to perform concert benefitting young Black scientists
