q tip michelle obama
loading...

First Lady Michelle Obama and Q-Tip will be honoring five lucky 10th and 11th graders for The National Student Poets Program, which is currently in its fifth year.

The A Tribe Called Quest frontman — who’s also the Artistic Director for Hip-Hop Culture at The Kennedy Center — will also participate in a ceremony that includes a poetry reading.

Each year the National Student Poets Program handpicks some of the top teen poets from the U.S., who all represent a different region. In addition, the honorees were all selected for having mastery of the written and spoken word and for being region ambassadors who showcase other artists in their area.

This year’s winners include Maya Eashwaran from Alpharetta, Ga., Maya Stella Binion from Chicago, Ill., Gopal Raman from Dallas, Texas, Maya Salameh from San Diego, Calif, and Joey Resiberg from Towson, Md.

As far as Tip’s involvement with the program, it’s connected to his position at the Kennedy Center, which he secured in March of this year. He also explained what his primary goal would be in that role.

“With hip-hop constantly changing and evolving, it is easy to forget the history and legacy that precedes it,” said the rap legend in a press release. “I want to begin at the beginning of the culture, to help people see its roots, better understand its present and responsibly create its future.”

The National Student Poets Program will take place at The White House on September 8.

 

20 Best Singles of 2016… So Far
 

More From HOT 99.1