91.5 Chapel Hill 88.9 Manteo 90.9 Rocky Mount 91.1 Welcome 91.9 Fayetteville 90.5 Buxton 94.1 Lumberton 99.9 Southern Pines 89.9 Chadbourn

Professor Toon Urges Listeners To 'Take Notes'

Professor Toon, a.k.a. Kurrell Rice, is ready to tell his story through rap.

Growing up in Baltimore, Toon and his family experienced domestic abuse for years at the hands of his stepfather. The family eventually fled to North Carolina. The experiences shaped how Toon approaches his own role as a father.

In his new album, "Take Notes," Toon explores his growth as a rapper, son and father. 

Host Frank Stasio talks with Professor Toon about the album and the meaning behind "dark trap" music.

Professor Toon performs at Motorco Music Hall Friday, Jan. 22 at 8:30 p.m.

Charlie Shelton-Ormond is a podcast producer for WUNC.
Longtime NPR correspondent Frank Stasio was named permanent host of The State of Things in June 2006. A native of Buffalo, Frank has been in radio since the age of 19. He began his public radio career at WOI in Ames, Iowa, where he was a magazine show anchor and the station's News Director.