The third element is fire. When Bert Wofford began writing rhymes over beats as a high school freshman, that is exactly what he produced. So when he decided to pursue his passion professionally, he took the rap name Da3rd Element. Da3rd left his hometown of Ashtabula, Ohio and settled in Cincinnati in the spring of 2004 to attend Xavier University. It was there that he linked up with IllumiNATI Entertainment, LLC and producer Sal Dali. Since 2005, he has released two mixtapes and one full length album independently. He is currently preparing for the 2007 release of his second album, “Return on Investment”. In October 2005, Da3rd Element won first place and made a name for himself at an XU Halloween Concert, where he and Thrill Nova beat out popular local acts Tanya Morgan and Definition Music Group in the Song Battle. That night he was pulled back on stage to freestyle along with Talib Kweli. In 2006, he opened up for Lil Brother and performed at Cincinnati’s Black Family Reunion. Da3rd writes about his experiences and thoughts so his lyrics are constantly evolving with him. Future generations will be able to listen to his music and gain insight on what it was like to grow up in this day and age. Just like fire, Da3rd Element offers guiding light through his verses. His music is his timeline and his legacy.