Demetrius Thomas

I am Demetrius Thomas, also known to the world as Nova The Rebel. I am a Cleveland native and active hip-hop artist signed to the legendary rap group Bone Thugs N Harmony (BTNH). I have been actively creating and recording music since I was seven years old.

Traveling with BTNH, I’ve been on tour with musical legneds including Snoop Dogg and TLC, as well comedian Dave Chapelle. I’ve done performances in front of crowds with numbers ranging anywhere from 500 to 15,000 people in the stands. Through my travels I’ve been able to garner a strong following and the numbers are still growing.

In addition to performing, I’m passionate about doing work in the community. In order to spread knowledge, integrity, and uplift, I have spoken at the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, group homes, elementary schools and more. I’ve thrown concerts for years where we’ve donated all food and portions of earnings to the Cleveland Food Bank Harvest For Hunger. I’ve even gotten a letter from our former Mayor Frank G. Jackson thanking me for using my talents and creativity and positively impact the community.

I now have my own hip-hop school located in Cleveland that helps develop young aspiring hip-hop and R&B artists. I’ve collaborated with other entities to hold classes in schools and libraries. My goal in teaching is to bridge the gap between Hip-Hop and academics. Hip hop amplifies the importance of literacy in ways that reach young people. We define words, expand vocabulary, practice spelling, study sentence structure, and emphasize being able to articulate your point when speaking. Math is important when creating as well. Songwriting requires, measures and timing to execute your thought without falling out of the rhythm of the beat.

Whether on big stages or the classroom, I always look to positively make a difference.

RECENT PROJECTS: “MLK’s a letter from a Birmingham jail” Alliance Middle/ High Schools (Alliance): Students studied MLK’s iconic essay. They took notes wrote a rap and recorded vocals in response.

“Hit the stage” Rayen Early College Middle School (Youngstown). Lerned about Frederick Douglass, took notes, and wrote a song around Frederick Douglass.

Organizational Affiliation

• Nova’s Hip-Hop Academy
• Choffin Career and Technical Center (Youngstown)
• JFK Elementary (Cleveland)
• Campus International (Cleveland)
• Buhrer Elementary School (Cleveland)
• MLK Elementary (Youngstown)
• Taft Elementary (Youngstown)
• Riverside Elementary (Cleveland)
• Alliance Middle/Highschool (Alliance)
• Paul C. Bunn Elementary (Youngstown)
• Bolton Elementary (Cleveland)
• Chaney Middle School (Youngstown)
• East Middle School (Youngstown)
• Rayen Early College Middle School (Youngstown)
• Kirkmere Elementary School (Youngstown)
• Harding Elementary School (Youngstown)
• Volney Elementary School (Youngstown)

Availability

Upon Request