Rapping at Berklee

Berklee College of Music welcomed a special guest this week, ’05 graduate and Grammy winner Dawaun Parker, who now produces music for Eminem, Dr. Dre, and Jay-Z. Parker’s visit included master classes, one-on-ones with students, and socializing with instructors. He told us the Berklee kids wanted to know all about the famous musicians who have helped define his career. Whom did the students most ask about? “Dre and Eminem,’’ he said. “Em and Dre are people who have mysterious personas.’’ Parker told us that he’s happy to work with artists outside of the hip-hop community. This fall he will release his own EP, and the Jonas Brothers were one of the acts that helped him with it. Parker said his Berklee education made him a fan of all types of music. “I was a big fan of Nick Jonas in particular.’’