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SURROUND: Khemist
Khemist Mayfield is a Philadelphia-born rapper, songwriter, poet, and multi-instrumentalist whose music blurs the line between hip hop and live instrumentation. Raised in the city’s Logan Valley, he turned early silence into lyrical force—channeling personal history and sharp observation into songs that illuminate life in post-industrial Philadelphia. Known for his monotone delivery and unflinching storytelling, Khemist humanizes the overlooked and gives voice to lives shaped by street realities and resilience.
A student of Black American musical traditions, Khemist pairs intricate lyricism with acoustic guitar, drawing influence from poets like Sonia Sanchez and musicians like Lauryn Hill. He’s released projects with DJ Aktive, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and legendary MC Black Thought of The Roots, who hosted one of his early mixtapes. His performances reflect both craft and conviction, offering an intimate, immersive sound that is, in his own words, “not just rap.”
Khemist will visit Skidmore as the 2025 Pia Scala-Zankel '92 and Jimmy Zankel '92 Artist-in-Residence in the Performing Arts, engaging with students in a series of events in collaboration with the department of English, the John B. Moore Documentary Studies Collaborative (MDOCS), and the Schupf Family IdeaLab.
The SURROUND series makes space for the quiet magic of listening together. Seated onstage around the artist as sunset fills our window wall, audiences experience music as a conversation—intimate, unguarded, and resonant.
Made possible by the Zankel Music Fund, the Alfred Z. Solomon Community Fund for Children, Youth, and the Arts, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Event Links
Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/3221628-0
