Founding Member of Iconic Hip-Hop Group Wu Tang Clan, Co-founder of The Science Genius Program.

On stage, he shares anecdotes from his childhood and the genesis of his scientific curiosity growing up in the inner city of Staten Island. With deft lyrical skill, he recites narrative “freestyles”—often off the top of his head—that truly tell the story of the powerful relationship between hip-hop, rhythm, wordplay, and science.

Considered one of the founding fathers of hip-hop music, GZA is one of the most recognizable music artists in the world. His program combines STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) with Music in a way never before seen by a speaker or artist on the lecture circuit. GZA will demonstrate firsthand on stage the power of combing scientific concepts, lyrical rap, and storytelling by performing freestyles during his talk.

Gary Grice, better known by his stage name GZA a.k.a. The Genius, is an American hip-hop artist and founding member of the seminal hip-hop group the Wu-Tang Clan. Within the group, he is known as the “spiritual head,” being both the oldest and the first to receive a record deal. Steve Huey of Allmusic has called him “one of the best lyricists of the 1990s,” while the editors of About.com ranked him #17 on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007), making him the highest-ranking Wu-Tang Clan member on the list.

As a co-founder of the Science Genius program, GZA educates students about science through hip-hop, one of today’s most dominant cultural forces. He enters classrooms as an artist and provides a model for students to communicate what they learn in science class.

As a child, GZA’s interest in science far outmatched his interest in school. His enthusiasm for the sciences heavily influenced his music, however, GZA doesn’t just rap about science. He educates listeners about fundamental scientific principles in a new and exciting way, helping audiences understand how we are all connected to the natural world and the universe around us.