David Ellis

David “TC” Ellis, the Founder and CEO of Studio-4 and Founder of High School for Recording Arts (HSRA), was born in St. Paul, MN. He is a graduate of the St. Paul Open School and was the first rap/Hip Hop artist to release a record in Minnesota. TC was recruited by Prince and Warner Brothers. After time spent working with Prince and Warner Brothers, Mr. Ellis started an independent recording studio, Studio-4 and worked with a variety of traditional and alternative educational programs. Through musical work with a number of young black men who had dropped out of high school, David discovered these young artists would often ask questions about how to copyright and publish their work. Guiding them through the process, Mr. Ellis realized that these youths could engage in educational processes while pursuing their career in music. With that realization, the High School for Recording Arts, HSRA, was born. David has been honored as an Oxford University Roundtable Fellow for his work with Studio-4 and High School for Recording Arts. While at Oxford, David presented his work before leading educators from around the world to wide acclaim.

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