NORFOLK, Va. — Five Virginia teens were chosen to be in the Disney Dreamer Academy and one of them lives right here in Hampton Roads.
Growing up in Norfolk’s Huntersville neighborhood, Elijah Moore, known as Rapper Kidd E, expresses himself with music.
“It’s like a hobby, it’s therapy, it’s my life," said Moore.
“Where I come from, it's not the best environment, so I try to stay focused on being successful and not taking the wrong path," he said.
He’s already written and recorded two albums.
“He’s talking from lived experience what he cares about, what he thinks about it," said Diedre Love, Founder and CEO of Teens with a Purpose.
Elijah has spent many days after school at Teens with a Purpose, a neighborhood community center. Love has watched Elijah grow up.
“He’s a very unique and uniquely talented [person]," said Love.
News 3 featured him in a story a few years ago after his anti-violence video was released.
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His cousin and collaborator DeAndre Fulton has been producing his videos and music since Elijah was six years old.
“I think early on, he was blessed with purpose and he was aware of that purpose: to be informative to his generation about what’s going on in the world," said Fulton.
And the message has reached Disney. He’s one of five Virginia high school students selected to be part of the Disney Dreamers Academy.
“The simple purpose is to broaden the career awareness and helping to create an opportunity to really explore dreams,” according to Tracy Powell, a spokesperson for Disney.
Powell says Disney picked him based on his essay and his community service.
So in April, Elijah and his aunt will spend four nights at Disney World in Orlando.
“We go to most of the parks and we do a tour behind the scenes of how Disney works. So I’m pretty sure it's gonna be fun,” said Moore.
He and the other Disney Dreamers will be able to meet successful people in the industries in which they want to excel.
And from there?
“I will continue with my music career and I want to be a producer," said Moore.
Based on what he’s already accomplished, we have no doubt, there’s more to come from Rapper Kidd E. It's part of what makes him Positively Hampton Roads!
