Two rising stars of Clive Davis Dept.

'If Missy Elliott, Nas and Lil Wayne had a baby, that would be me.'

That's how Genesis Be jokingly describes herself. The Tisch sophomore and hip-hop artist describes her style as a mix between 'Mississippi club and conscious East Coast rap.'

But for Genesis, whose real name is Genesis Israeli Briggs, hip-hop goes beyond the beat; it's a serious professional and academic undertaking, and a vehicle for social change. She's one of 28 undergraduates enrolled in the Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Those students spend their time studying the artistry, industry and latest production technologies of hip-hop.

While Genesis, 22, hones her hip-hop skills in the classroom (and also minors in politics in CAS), she has already achieved a measure of success outside of NYU. She performs regularly at local clubs, has released three original albums over the last four years, and back home in Mississippi has opened for popular southern rap artists 8-Ball & MJG, Trillville, the Ying Yang Twins and Lil' Webbie.

'I just love the reaction from the listeners and how it can reach any demographic,' she said. 'Rich, poor, black, white, Asian, male, female - it doesn't matter.'

Genesis said she is more influenced by social activists such as Malcolm X and John Lennon than she is by rappers. This consciousness is reflected in her lyrical content, a mix between parody on social issues and satirical play on public sentiment.

'I try to reflect what I feel is the aggression youth feel today, what my generation cannot say or is hard to express,' Genesis said.

In addition to working toward her degree and performing, she is helping to run a hip-hop workshop with a group of socially conscious hip-hop artists who collectively call themselves Thatsgoodness. The group works with children to teach them stage presence and confidence.

Genesis is also currently in the process of writing and producing an album that will be performed entirely by children, on topics ranging from recess and personal hygiene to teen pregnancy and AIDS awareness.

Another Clive Davis student and mainstay of the NYU hip-hop scene is senior Nyle Emerson. Nyle has released two albums, 'Frosh' and 'S'More,' and he performs five to eight times a month at NYU events and open mics, as well as in his performance loft on 14th Street. Nyle also raps regularly with a group called Menya every two months at the Bowery Poetry Club.

Over the past year, Nyle has also coordinated and performed two tribute shows to legendary hip-hop acts The Fugees and A Tribe Called Quest. More than 300 people packed the 200-capacity poetry club to see these shows.

Nyle describes his style as 'something that Charlie Brown and Franklin would get together and listen to. ... It has a soulful style, but it's really thick drums, dirty bass. None of that bumbukabumbukabum stuff,' he said.

Last summer, as an NYU Reynolds Scholar, Nyle used a $4,000 grant to travel around the country creating hip-hop-related educational programs. He also received a $1,000 grant from Youth Nation and a $700 grant from RoadtripNation.com for the endeavor.

He currently works with Urban Upbeat, which he describes as 'a collective of teachers and artists that run after-school writing workshops centered on rap, poetry and R&B.;'

Nyle said he plans on pursuing hip-hop as a career and continuing his work with young people to establish youth centers centered around hip-hop, and he believes hip-hop culture has a home at NYU.

Biko Knox is a contributing writer. E-mail him at managing@nyunews.com.