In Portland, cello players lay down a hip-hop beat

LOS ANGELES, May 2: The people of Portland, Oregon enjoy a reputation for living somewhat outside the mainstream, so it should come as no surprise that a group of the city�s cello players is using its classical instruments to lay down hip-hop beats. What rappers such as Kanye West and Jay-Z do with syncopated rhymes and rhythms, the Portland Cello Project bangs out with strings and bows. And they don�t stop there. Pop tunes from Britney Spears� �Toxic� to Justin Timberlake�s �What Goes Around� also bring cheer to their fans. (agencies)