Rhapsody in Black

Vernon Neal

Host, Rhapsody in Black

Vernon was born in Belize and raised in Los Angeles. Arriving in the Midwest as a teenager, he discovered an insatiable interest in learning how to create music and taught himself how to play various instruments. This passion for music was, for a time, matched by his passion for sport. This led him to start a strength and conditioning gym created for people of underestimated and underrepresented backgrounds to feel welcomed, capable and whole in the world of strength and conditioning. As a Black business owner, community leader and athlete, he found 2020 to be a time of deep reflection. He made the decision to dedicate his attention full-time to his freelance audio-production business fusing hip-hop, jazz, pop and metal, and to put his degree in audio engineering and live sound to full use. Vernon sharpened his chops in the production aspect of live television broadcasting at KSTP in Minneapolis before joining Minnesota Public Radio in 2022. He remains committed to building community and uplifting underrepresented groups through the healing power of music