Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Mervin Jenkins.
Hi Dr. Mervin, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am Dr. Mervin Jenkins, aka educator and hip hop artist Spectac. For almost three decades, I have served as a teacher, school district administrator, assistant director for a national nonprofit, and in various roles in the EdTech arena. I am also a hip-hop artist who, over several decades, has charted a single on Billboard and recorded with and opened shows for some of the biggest artists of that particular era. I founded Life Thru Music to help fuel this vision and purpose in education and music by serving as a keynote speaker at numerous events across the country and workshops centered around positive school-community outreach and development. I have received numerous accolades for my work in education. I was twice awarded the Zeta Phi Beta Southeastern Regional Education Award, named Tar Heel of the Week in Raleigh’s News & Observer, interviewed on NPR, and honored as Chatham County Schools Principal of the Year.
In 2014, I was invited to the White House to participate in a roundtable discussion on the education of Hispanic males in the United States. As a speaker, I inspire students, parents and guardians, and educators on the importance of student learning and its direct impact on our community. I recently released two books that have been well-received and reviewed on Amazon. The first, Before They Leave Here, While They Are With Us, reminds everyone to try their best to spend that quality time with loved ones while navigating the daily demands of being a working-class citizen. The second book, To the Beat of Leadership: A Story of High and Low Notes, follows me from childhood to becoming an adult and how popular culture, specifically hip hop, helped to shape my style of leadership.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Launching the company has been extremely rewarding, but not without its challenges. I have always maintained a foot in the traditional workforce, never stepped completely out on faith, and as a result Life Thru Music (LTM) remains a part-time operation. As a result, I have had to turn down countless opportunities due to conflicts in scheduling. I think of this often because I know firsthand the difference that LTM workshops can make in a school community and the impact they can have on all stakeholders. I work hard to bring difficult conversations to the forefront and do it so that participants feel empowered to share and, more importantly, listen to what each person has to contribute.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
When I present, I always pay homage to the genre of music that changed my life— hip-hop. Over the years, I have mastered this raw ability I discovered I had as a middle schooler, called freestyle. In the hip-hop community, it is commonly, by many, seen as this ability to create rap lyrics on the spot— an improv style of sorts.
I use this whenever I’m in front of an audience because it immediately creates a bond with them that is both personable and exciting to be part of. Imagine someone talking about you in a song format and doing it in real-time. It’s been the thing that has helped to develop almost instant rapport with the youth over the years. I find working with reluctant learners much easier when approaching them using the art form often regarded as the voice of our youth and often marginalized groups.
Under my alias Spectac, you can find material dating back decades ago to this day- on a majority of streaming platforms. My wife Chiffon, a children’s author of a five-book series (pentalogy) called the Goldflower Adventures, and I worked hard to help raise her son Tauren aka Strick—who affectionately refers to me as “Pops.” Strick is a professional recording artist and has worked closely with some of the biggest names in the business ranging from Young Thug, Future, Kanye West, and so many others over the years! It’s been a pleasure serving as a mentor as he’s navigated the industry and has gone beyond where I could take it.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Twenty percent of life is what happens to you; the other 80 percent is how you respond. I heard or read that somewhere many years ago, and I’ve tried to live by it ever since. Ask me does it makes one perfect doing so, and I’ll say, nope! Ask me if it helps to make us better absolutely!
Pricing:
- 5,000.00 for keynoting events, which includes a performance.
- 2500.00 per hour rate for workshops/professional development services.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.LifeThruMusic.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/drmervinjenkins?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spectac72?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/dr-mervin-jenkins
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/drmervinjenkins
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.
com/live/_EmmnyYeRAM?feature= share
Image Credits
1) Dr. Mervin Jenkins (black dress shirt headshot) by Photography by Anne, Inc 2) Spectac & Amiri (in parked BMWs pic) by Pareo Threes 3) Dr. Mervin Jenkins (in cap & gown) by Raphael James
