He doesn't have a high school diploma, he has lived in at least a dozen cities and he creates songs on the piano without ever having had a lesson.

A. Ryan Leslie '98 defines "Renaissance man" in the music industry, and he does it without any formal music training. He just has a deep passion for the music he creates.

His demo tape says it all: "written, arranged, produced, performed and engineered by A. Ryan Leslie."

Not only does he write his own music, create the arrangements on a keyboard and perform them himself, Leslie also produces the music of several different singers and groups.

The "North House" resident admits that though he is a government concentrator, his focus as an undergraduate has been on his music, not his classes.

"I miss my classes when I come in here," he says, pointing to the grand piano in the center of the Holmes Common Room in Pforzheimer House and joking that once he sits down at the piano, he won't leave.

Leslie's Harvard music career began when he joined Kuumba as a first-year at age 16. He smiles as he remembers his Harvard debut with the group, when he sang "You Bring Out the Best in Me" for 700 people.

"I can't really describe the experience of feeling the love from the audience," he says.

The summer after his first year, Leslie went on a world tour with the Krokodiloes. He says the experience was incredible because he was able to perform with the Kroks during the day and sing at clubs at night.

Leslie now spends at least 30 hours a week in Quad Sounds, the recording studio in Pforzheimer. He also performs in local clubs and at student events.

But even when he leaves the studio, Leslie continues to listen to music, create new songsin his head and sing whenever he has the chance.

"He sings everywhere," says Mark A. Price '98,Leslie's roommate since sophomore year. "I don'tthink a day goes by without [him] singing tohimself."

Price calls Leslie a "performer," noting thathis roommate can be counted on to entertain undervirtually any circumstance.

Price recalls a recent trip he and Leslie madeto Newbury Street in which they were approached bytwo teenage girls who asked Leslie if he was asinger. When he said he was, the girls asked himto sing. Leslie obliged them on the spot.

"He's definitely not one of those people who'sembarrassed to perform," Price says.

Leslie does not deny his love of performing,saying simply that he loves the feeling itengenders.