Quick Facts
PiscesBiography
Ferrari Sheppard (born March 3) is an American journalist and artist based in Chicago. As record producer, Sheppard is half of the alternative hip hop duo Dec 99th, along with Yasiin Bey.
Life and career
Early life
Ferrari Sheppard was born Ferrari Elite Sheppard and raised in Chicago. Sheppard spent his first year of high school in Greenwood, Mississippi with his grandmother.
Career
Aside from being a journalist, Sheppard is a visual artist, music producer and web-designer and briefly attended The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Sheppard conducted interviews with artists such as M.I.A., Erykah Badu, Saul Williams and Little Dragon for Stop Being Famous, a website he founded in 2009.
November 2014, Sheppard appeared on Anthony Bourdain's travel show The Getaway alongside Yasiin Bey. The pair traveled to Marrakesh, Morocco.
Music
In May and June 2016, Sheppard released 3 songs as producer for the alternative hip hop duo Dec 99th with Yasiin Bey - "N.A.W", "Tall Sleeves" and "Local Time".
On August 1, 2016, Dec 99th released their fourth song on Tidal titled "Hymn" accompanied by a statement from the pair, "Condolences to the families of the slain. Never stop pursuing freedom," likely a reference to police killings in the United States.
Social and political activism
2010–11: Haiti Earthquake
Sheppard organized a benefit concert in Chicago called Every Drop Counts for 2010 Haiti earthquake relief. The concert featured live music from Jean Grae, Dead Prez, Rhymefest, Mystic, GLC, The Cool Kids, and Kids These Days, as well as social commentary from Haki Madhubuti and Fred Hampton, Jr.. The benefit was to raise funds for clean drinking water in orphanages and schools in Port-au-Prince.
2012–13: Open Forum: South Africa
Sheppard was a US delegate at Open Society Foundation and OSISA's Open Forum 2012 in Cape Town, South Africa. International artists, activists, and leaders took part in The Paradox of Unequal Growth, a discussion centered on China and the International Monetary Fund's role in the development of Africa.
2013–14: Israel-Palestine
Sheppard traveled to Israel-Palestine as part of an African-American delegation sponsored by The Carter Center. In February 2014, Sheppard appeared on HuffPost Live to discuss his travel to the region and his article about the trip.