“The force that drives students away from science is that they don’t think scientists are normal people.” explained Ragsdale, who is a researcher at R.W. Johnson & Johnson. “But when they see me, they say “Hey, this guy is cool. Maybe I can give    science a try.’”

Ragsdale began rapping about five years ago after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in chemistry. Looking for a way to get kids to appreciate science, he hit on the idea of using rap. “Rap music is what all students love, and I thought, why not use this as a tool to promote education?”

At Sacred Heart University, the students definitely got the message, clapping and swaying along the Grand Hank. One student wrote to Tyraine after the performance, “At first I was thinking of not going to college but when I heard your message I changed my mind. From your message I know that college can give me a lot of things. I also learned that scientists are just like regular people. I learned that anybody can be a scientist. It takes an education to get to college.”