ABOUT US

Rhymes Over Beats is a collective of hip hop and theater artists who share a passion to create and produce theater with a hop hop aesthetic to tell seldom-told stories of our diverse, culturally-rich community. Founded by Off-Broadway Producer Patrick Blake in 2015, we are a theatre collective of MCs, DJs, Beat Makers, Actors, Playwrights, Directors, and Theater Producers from all over the US, with a variety of musical and artistic styles, who all share a passion to produce theatre that reflects us and the US at this point in our history. It is our goal to continue the trend successfully demonstrated by Hamilton to connect popular music and musical theater, in order to build a new generation of theatergoers. We will increase the number of roles for a diverse pool of actors in order to win awards and to increase visibility, and will provide a safe and supportive environment especially for younger artists to express their creativity in their own style of music and theatrical vision.

Current projects in development are:

• When Reagan Killed Roosevelt – a documentary film directed by Seith Mann about how Public Enemy became Public Enemy
• Freedom – a new hip hop musical about unjust convictions by Patrick Blake and Chi-Ill
• Masta Ace’s The Falling Season – his early albums are being developed into an exciting new hip hop musical

Hip Hop culture is the world’s culture. We are dedicated to making it theater’s culture. If you would like to help us in our mission, please consider donating with us and supporting us on social media. Hamilton has shown that the world is ready for hip hop theater.  Let’s give the world more of what they want. Musically yours, Patrick Blake and the Rhymes Over Beats Collective