INDIANAPOLIS — Students at North Central High School held a rap contest 35 years ago.
Former WRTV reporter Derrik Thomas was there as students went “head-to-head, word-for-word and nonword-for-nonword.”
Thirteen students competed for the rap title according to Thomas. While some focused on social messages, others were there just for fun.
“A lot of people walk around the halls and do it, so we figured it would be pretty interesting to see what people can do with original raps,” one student said of the competition.
A cheerleader and member of the self-proclaimed “Beatboxes” told Thomas, “When we ride the bus to away games, we find creative things to do and like the rap said we just made it up on the bus.”
Thomas, who became known for the delivery of his sign off during his 40 years at WRTV, fittingly ended the story as “Rap Master Derrik Thomas, Channel 6 News.”
However, it wasn't the first time “Rap Master” Derrik Thomas appeared on camera. In 1986, Thomas appeared in a video celebrating the retirement of WRTV's longest-serving news director, Bob Gamble.
