Hip Hop Hooray

Alphabet aerobics: Texas reporter's near-flawless rap warm-up video takes Internet by storm

A vocal warm-up is a ritual common to many reporters before going on air. What isn't common is when the reporter opts out of a standard "Sally-sells-seashells-by-the-seashore" and instead chooses to perform a lyrically complex, tongue-twisting rap.

Midland reporter Kim Powell of KWES NewsWest9 warmed up her vocal cords with a virtually flawless rendition of Blackalicious' "Alphabet Aerobics," aptly subtitled as "The Cut Chemist 2 1/2 Minute Workout."

Blackalicious' frontman, Gift of Gab, is well known for his tongue-twisting, multi-syllabic rhymes and delivery at break-neck speed, making any attempt to imitate his style a near impossible challenge.

Powell's rendition of the song — which, as the title suggests, goes through the entire alphabet with insanely alliterative verses — occurred just before a live shot in Odessa. While she struggled a tad as she reached the letter Z (you try saying "zig zag zombies, zoomin' to the zenith" at a spitfire pace), her delivery was nothing short of impressive. Powell's confidence in her performance was clear as she imitated a classic "mic drop" after she completed the last verse.

The video of Powell's warm up — hilariously titled "Kimalicious" — was posted to YouTube on Sunday and has received more than 330,000 views.

Given the video's immense popularity, Powell clarified on Twitter Monday that she performed the entire song without the backing track:

For the record, I did it A Capella and the music was added later on. I'm not entirely off beat ;)

— Kim Powell (@kimpowell64) December 29, 2014

accessibility brings empowerment

Autonomous cab company cruises into Houston with wheelchair-accessible rides

Cruise wheelchair-accessible cab

Courtesy of Cruise

The six month program is available is more than 90 Houston-area ZIP codes.

A California company with autonomous cabs has announced a new pilot program in partnership with a provider of wheelchairs and mobility solutions.

Cruise has teamed up with Numotion for a six-month wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV) pilot program in Houston, offering free transportation for qualifying Numotion customers, according to the companies. The program will operate in over 90 Houston-area ZIP codes.

“Numotion is excited to partner with Cruise to offer a seamless and convenient solution for wheelchair users in the Houston area. By providing transportation to and from repair appointments, we're alleviating a significant stressor and providing a way for our customers to receive their service and repair faster,” says Mike Swinford, CEO of Numotion, in a news release. “We're constantly striving to innovate and improve the lives of our customers, and this collaboration demonstrates our ongoing commitment to providing beneficial customer experiences."

Cruise entered the Texas market last year, with Houston services launching in October 2023 before the company put all operations on pause following a California crash. This is the first Texas announcement for Cruise since the pause.

"Accessibility is core to our mission at Cruise. This pilot program with Numotion is doing more than providing accessible rides – it’s about empowering people in the community with greater mobility and independence, while also building learnings to better our service in the future," says Craig Glidden, president and chief administrative officer at Cruise about the new pilot.

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The story originally was published on our sister site, InnovationMap.

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