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All month and every day we aim to uplift Black voices and creators who are making positive strides within the Black community. Carl Lamarre, who serves as the senior editor of hip hop at Billboard, is a great individual to highlight as we continue to celebrate and spotlight Black people during Black History Month. Lamarre is a key part of Black history and he is highlighting that subject matter within his music after recently debuting his own musical project, Shut Up & Write.

For years, Carl Lamarre has contributed to creating headlines and covering the stories of other musicians, and now, he is stepping into the limelight to share his story. The lead single on his project Shut Up & Write is titled “Black 100,” which alludes to his placement in Diddy’s Black 100 list. The list includes 100 names of Black individuals in an effort to celebrate their successes for making up Black culture as a whole. Names recognized in Diddy’s list are from a range of industries, including musicians, entrepreneurs, politicians, athletes, and journalists like Lamarre.

Aside from being an impactful journalist and artist, Lamarre is an avid supporter of his community. He recently launched a scholarship he self-funded entitled, “Writing With A Purpose,” to benefit African American college students eager to break into the field of journalism. Lamarre shares his vision for the scholarship with social media saying that it simply started with him working on his 2021 vision board late last year.

“I told myself that giving more needed to be a top priority, especially for my young Black scribes,” he wrote on Instagram.

Lamarre aims to award the scholarship winner with $1000 once a semester in hopes of preserving the art of journalism, along with carving out an easier route for Black students who have an interest in the field.

His “Writing With A Purpose” has already received over 200 applicants and it is still ongoing until July 2021.

Carl Lamarre is continuously shaping the narrative of Black creators while forging a path to create his own story through music, media and community. He has been a part of some of the greatest success stories in music, and continues to influence the way we perceive art through his pen. Lamarre has played a part in the progression and elevation of some of your favorite artists to date.

We honor and recognize Carl Lamarre as a key figure in pushing the culture forward. Thank you for your contributions. Be sure to support his 10-track project Shut Up & Write on Soundcloud.