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United States MC Lars is a pioneering 'lit-hop' artist and educator who blends hip-hop with literature, media innovation, and critical commentary, having performed at Carnegie Hall and numerous TEDx events.
MC Lars collaborated with Andre Duman on a brand-new song called "The X-Ray Files," which was inspired by Duman's exhibit 'Beyond the Surface, The Art of X...'.
MC Lars and Mega Ran launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund their first lit-hop collaboration album, "The Dewey Decibel System," where they rap about books, poems, and plays.
MC Lars offered a custom rap song collaboration opportunity through Charitybuzz, allowing a winner and a guest to create a personalized rap song with the artist.
MC Lars has been featured on TED, sharing his insights and work related to education through rap and hip-hop.
MC Lars has been featured on MTV, indicating exposure and collaboration with the music television network.
MC Lars has been featured on CNN, providing him with a platform to discuss his music and ideas.
MC Lars actively uses Patreon for fan support, allowing his audience to directly contribute to his creative work.
MC Lars was scheduled to open Spa-Con Infinity, a convention held from September 20 – 22, highlighted as a "Nerdcore" rapper.
MC Lars performed on multiple summers of the Vans Warped Tour, a significant touring festival for alternative music.
MC Lars partnered with Crappy Records (founded by Jaret Reddick of Bowling for Soup) to release his album 'This Gigantic Robot Kills' in 2009.
K.Flay, an artist signed to Horris Records, was later signed by Interscope Records after being discovered by Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons.
Andrew Robert Nielsen, professionally known as MC Lars, born on October 6, 1982, in Oakland, California, is an American rapper, producer, and educator. He graduated from Stevenson School in Pebble Beach, California, and furthered his education at Stanford University, studying English literature, and the University of Oxford, where he focused on Shakespeare, ultimately earning a master’s degree in Instructional Design. During his early career, he performed and released music under the names Lars Horris and MC Lars Horris before settling on MC Lars. His independent record label, Horris Records, was established in 2004, initially as an imprint under Nettwerk and Oglio, before becoming fully self-distributed.
MC Lars is recognized for pioneering ‘lit-hop,’ a genre that combines hip-hop with classical and American literature themes. His work frequently incorporates literary references to authors such as William Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, and Herman Melville. Notable literary adaptations in his discography include “Rapbeth,” based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth, “Mr. Raven” inspired by Poe’s “The Raven,” “Ahab” from Moby Dick, and “Hey There Ophelia” reimagining Hamlet. In 2003, he coined the term “iGeneration” in one of his songs, a concept later recognized by ASCAP as an early use of the term. He has performed at prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall and delivered talks at TEDx events, advocating for hip-hop’s role in education.
Throughout his career, MC Lars has toured and performed with a diverse range of artists, including Snoop Dogg, Nas, Lupe Fiasco, Simple Plan, Gym Class Heroes, T-Pain, Bowling for Soup, and Wheatus. His live shows feature laptop-driven beats combined with live instrumentation, visual projections, and spoken word. He has demonstrated a DIY ethos in his music career, exemplified by crowdfunding over $42,000 for his 2015 album, The Zombie Dinosaur LP. His music has also been licensed for various film and television productions, including MTV News, CNN Money, HBO’s Hung, and the films Nerdcore for Life, Little Boxes, and Challengers.
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