Ohio State alumnus and rapper Searius Add will be performing Tuesday through Friday during the African-American Heritage Festival. Thursday night’s performance will be a mini opening party for Searius’ new company Bag Back.

Bag Back is a business Searius and his friends are creating to promote entertainers. The company focuses on every aspect of entertainment, from rapping and songwriting to acting. The company chose its name in dedication to Searius’s brother who wore a bag pack everywhere he went before he died of cancer.

Searius first performed rap in sixth grade at a talent show. Hesun is Searius’ musical partner and has been his schoolmate since high school.

“Searius and I used to sit around the lunch room and free style,” he said.

He dropped his first independent release in November 2004 and has been making music about life experiences ever since.

Searius said his friends describe him as “street rap went to school, and it came back Searius Add.”

Two of his most popular songs are “Money Object,” which is about the problems money causes and “Baby,” a song about a girl who becomes pregnant so a man will like her.

“Instead of talking about drugs and gangs, I talk about working a job I don’t like. I focus on more approachable subjects,” Searius said. “I try to make everyday things sound good.”

Darrio Tope, an OSU alumnus who majored in theatre, collaborates with Searius. Tope believes Searius deals with many different themes, including class, age, education, race and the inner city. He also described Searius’ music as feel-good music that makes people realize he feels their pain.

“Searius can be the voice for minority students on campus, who need to get their voice out too,” Tope said. “Searius is the kind of guy who tries to brighten up everybody’s day.”

Hesun described Searius as well organized, focused and determined. He said he is a person who always has a battle plan, and his determination, raw talent and personality are all reasons Searius can be successful.

Hesun also describes Searius as a great thinker, poet and scholar.

“Searius is like mixing saliva with Pop Rocks. It is going to be a surprise in your mouth,” he said. “It is time for Columbus to stand up, and Searius can do it. Nelly put St. Louis on the map, and Searius can do that with Columbus.”

For more information go to seariusmusic.com.