GHOTIING #1: The Art Of MIT—Lupe Fiasco with the MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble

A part of the MIT Artfinity Arts Festival and the inaugural season of events in the Edward and Joyce Linde Music Building at MIT.

Prof. Wasalu Jaco (aka Lupe Fiasco)
MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble, Frederick Harris, Jr., Music Director

Arrangers:
Prof. Evan Ziporyn, Matthew Michalek (G), Kevin Costello, ’21

To conclude Artfinity, Grammy Award-winning artist Wasalu Jaco, known as Lupe Fiasco, collaborates with the MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble to unveil music inspired by MIT's public art collection. Jaco describes "Ghotiing" as a fusion of plein air painting, field recording, and rap. He emphasizes its significance in his MIT Rap Theory and Practice course, where students engage in innovative in situ rap creation through outdoor brainstorming, writing, and recording activities, expanding their creative capabilities. The concert features performances by Jaco's rap students at MIT as well as MIT Hip-Hop dancers.

This performance serves as Jaco's debut public showcase of his Ghotiing pieces. The members of the MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble will provide arrangements for Jaco's raps and perform additional compositions inspired by visual art. The ensemble and music director Fred Harris have previously worked with Jaco and his rap students in spring 2024.

About the Artists

Lupe Fiasco https://www.lupefiasco.com/

MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble https://mta.mit.edu/music/performance/festival-jazz-ensemble

Fred Harris https://mta.mit.edu/person/fred-harris

View the Concert Livestream