Archive for Friday, May 2, 2008
Rap session
Lawrence High School students explore skills developed through hip-hop class
Anthony Arnold, left, practices on the mic inside a recording studio south of Lawrence as fellow hip-hop partner Dave Elias awaits his turn. The pair are part of small group of Lawrence High School students who take part in a school hip-hop class.
May 2, 2008
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"I Thought It Was You" by Lady C
The song "I Thought It Was You," by Lady C, one of the artists performing at LHS Hip-Hop Night.
Past Event
LHS Hip-Hop Night
- When: Saturday, May 3, 2008, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Where: Lawrence High School, 1901 Louisiana St., Lawrence
- Cost: $1
- More on this event....
In a rural recording studio south of Lawrence, posters of Green Day and Against Me adorn the walls, overlooking Marshall amplifiers, guitars and a drum kit.
It’s not exactly a venue that exudes a hip-hop vibe. But on this particular day, a batch of high school students have invaded the studio to lay down their own raps and beats.
“Getting recorded for the first time has been the most fun,” says Dwane Jimerson, a senior at Lawrence High School. “I’ve never experienced that before — actually being inside a booth. I was surprised how it sounded like what was in my head. I didn’t think it would sound that good.”
Jimerson is one of seven students from LHS who are participating in a school program designed to help “at risk” teens connect with each other by creating a hip-hop CD. On top of that, the students will showcase the project with a live performance this Saturday at LHS.
The program was founded by school psychologist Jeanette DeVilbiss.
“I was looking for a variety of ways to motivate the students,” DeVilbiss says. “A couple students talked to me about rap, which I really had no experience in at all. After I heard it several times, I thought maybe there was something to this.”
The psychologist gathered a group that could get together during the school day to work on their rapping, beatboxing and various hip-hop skills, provided their behavior was good and they kept their grades up in all other classes.
“None of these students have any other activities at the high school they’re involved with, so this is a really special group,” she says.
DeVilbiss recruited artist friend Amy Carlson to help with the recording. It just so happens Carlson’s college-age sons had converted the family’s garage into a comfy recording studio, complete with glass partitions and isolation rooms.
“I didn’t realize hip-hop was such a collaborative effort,” Carlson admits.
“I thought it was more of people just making these raps by themselves. But these kids apparently write a line, then pass it off to somebody else, who adds to it. I was really impressed that there was this mutual effort in developing their art.”
Carlson, a printmaker who ran the ceramics studio at the Lawrence Arts Center for 12 years, says she’s often been a witness to how the creative process can bring out hidden dimensions in people. She cites one of the students who is a chronic stutterer.
“He can’t hardly say what he wants to say, but he’s a terrific rapper,” she says. “What they’ve found in writing these raps is that he’s got an unbelievable vocabulary.”
Pro guidance
DeVilbiss also recruited accomplished rapper Richard Thomas — a 1993 LHS grad who goes by the stage name GQ — to offer guidance to the participants.
“(The students) are very respectful to all of us, but they really pay attention to GQ,” DeVilbiss says.
In addition to helping with the mechanics of melody and lyrical flow, Thomas strives to give his apprentices a reality check.
“I’m trying to encourage them to make music that their family and school staff can listen to,” he says. “I tell them, ‘You guys don’t live a terrible life like the New York rappers you’re listening to. You’re living a wonderful life here in Lawrence.’ ... They don’t have enough experiences to venture into that ‘I’m a bad guy’ world. Instead, the authenticity comes from their youth.”
Therefore Thomas, one of the original members of influential Lawrence hip-hop group Bombsquad, suggests writing songs about day-to-day life in Kansas, or high school, or simply being 17.
“Some are supposed to be troubled youth who are dealing with whatever disadvantages they have. I’m encouraging them to speak on that,” he says. “Maybe speak on why you’re not the coolest kid in class. Speak on why you weren’t voted most likely to succeed. Make a rap up about that.”
The big night
Funding for this high school program comes via a recent grant from the Lawrence Arts Commission.
“To be honest with you, I was surprised they funded it, with all the stuff that’s been going down at Last Call,” Carlson says, citing the recently closed dance venue that became a magnet for criminal activity.
“I thought if we didn’t have the right mix of people on (the commission), they’d think, ‘I’m not gonna support that gunslingin’ stuff!’ But apparently they were up for it.”
This is the third year of the program, yet the first to feature a multi-song CD project and live performances. In addition to a set by GQ, several of the students will take turns on the mic, including a group within the LHS class that has been together for two years called UDC (Undisputed Champz). Also appearing will be a hip-hop girls dance troupe from Central Junior High School.
However, not all of the students in the program are ready for the stage.
“I can’t perform live. I’m too nervous,” says LHS senior Cassie Horn. “But maybe if the spirit moves me, I might just have to jump on with the CD and let them hear my voice.”
Either way, Horn’s track “I Thought It Was You” will be unveiled on Saturday. She says the song is about being mistreated in a past relationship.
Discs will be on sale at the show, with profits going back into the music program.
“It’s given me a way to express my creativity in some way I’d never thought,” Horn says. “Usually, I thought of writing or art as the only way. I didn’t know rapping could get it out, too.”
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2 May 2008 at 3:25 a.m.
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Multidisciplinary (Anonymous) says…
I recommend they turn off the comments now while there is still time.
2 May 2008 at 4:56 a.m.
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KEITHMILES05 (Anonymous) says…
Hip Hop is not going to save the youth of this day.
2 May 2008 at 8:13 a.m.
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PhatKat101 (Anonymous) says…
screw all you haters out there just because you don't like the genre doesnt mean you have to go and talk down on it.
2 May 2008 at 8:50 a.m.
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acg (Anonymous) says…
I'm not a huge fan of rap, but this sounds like a great idea. Something should be done to motivate the at risk kids and if this is working, then let it work. I love the fact that the sponsor reiterated to them that their raps didn't need to be filled with the kind of content of the big city rappers, because we all know it sounds dumb coming from urban kids who were raised in a decent environment. Encouraging them to rap about what they really know is a great idea.
2 May 2008 at 8:50 a.m.
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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…
I hope the comments stay positive, because this sounds like it was a good idea which worked.
Not my kind of music necessarily, but I bet there will be a turnout tomorrow night,.
2 May 2008 at 9:02 a.m.
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fu7il3 (Anonymous) says…
It might work, it might not. It depends on how the kids' peers view it. I've seen things like this go both ways in multiple school districts.
2 May 2008 at 9:27 a.m.
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rollingprairie (Anonymous) says…
I hope that negative comments listed herein are not read by the kids that worked on this project. I am a middle aged white lady, who isn't a huge Rap fan, but in the context of this project I can tell you the work produced was thoughtful and from the heart of these kids.
How do I know???
I was one of the adults working with them. Negative attitudes herein only serve to undermine everything we try to do when working with kids. I can only imagine that those that leave negative comments have never stood in front of a group of people and had to try to teach and inspire them to work to their potential.
So hey, thanks in advance to those that have open minds… This is a great way to acknowlege the young people in our community.
In truth in the 20 years I have been teaching (I am talking 100s of students) this was one of the most respectful and appreciative groups I have ever worked with. It was a sheer pleasure, and I thank them for that. Hats off to them and their mentors at LHS.
2 May 2008 at 9:35 a.m.
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fu7il3 (Anonymous) says…
I only saw two negative comments…
It's great you are standing up for your kids, but so far I have seen more comments about people who are going to be issuing negative comments, than I have actual negative comments.
2 May 2008 at 10:05 a.m.
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geniusmannumber1 (Anonymous) says…
I miss LL Cool J.
2 May 2008 at 11:09 a.m.
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momsy (Anonymous) says…
knowledge reigns supreme over nearly everybody.
Negative comments on at-risk youth, working together, and making a positive step in their lives…..wow.
I think this is End-Times type events.
Tell me you guys are also hitting up the Obituary and talking trash on dead people. That would be a leap forward at least…
Give me a break.
2 May 2008 at 11:13 a.m.
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geniusmannumber1 (Anonymous) says…
Wow. One negative comment—just one—and people are flipping out. It's Pavlovian—people have trained themselves to expect that others will disagree with their opinions to the point that they'll argue against themselves. Fascinating.
2 May 2008 at 11:25 a.m.
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momsy (Anonymous) says…
By the way, to all involved:
Thank you to people like you who truly take a vital part of lawrence, its music scene, and incorporate that into the lives of teens. This town needs an all-ages venue. For Hip-Hop, punk rock, indie, whatever.
2 May 2008 at 11:35 a.m.
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flux (Anonymous) says…
Learn to play an instrument
2 May 2008 at 11:48 a.m.
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BalkansHawk (Anonymous) says…
“I was looking for a variety of ways to motivate the students,” DeVilbiss says. “A couple students talked to me about rap, which I really had no experience in at all. After I heard it several times, I thought maybe there was something to this.”
Rap, rock, jazz, country, … baseball, football, soccer, basketball, … video games, tv, dvds, cds … you can find a lot of things to motivate our youth today, just ask them what they want to do. Now, if you can find a way to get them to do what they don't want to do, even though it is something they should do, then you have something.
2 May 2008 at 12:18 p.m.
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rumor_man (Anonymous) says…
Is Vanilla Ice still married?
2 May 2008 at 12:50 p.m.
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acg (Anonymous) says…
Ahhh, LL Cool J. Man, he is seriously one fine dude. I used to love him when I was young.
2 May 2008 at 1:15 p.m.
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Confrontation (Anonymous) says…
Admit it acg, you only like him because he constantly licks his lips ;)
I think this sounds like a good program. Just like other programs in the community, I bet this one positively affected grades and attitudes. You don't have to have a nun with a ruler in order to educate.
2 May 2008 at 3 p.m.
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vpete69 (Anonymous) says…
L2play an instrument.
2 May 2008 at 5:15 p.m.
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KEITHMILES05 (Anonymous) says…
I had a baby with LL.
2 May 2008 at 11:43 p.m.
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b3 (Anonymous) says…
Just when I didnt think that our public schools could sink any lower. Leave it to lawrence to come up with something like this.
3 May 2008 at 1:03 a.m.
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R_Kobe (Anonymous) says…
Just cause we live in lawrence doesnt mean we don't have drugs and guns. Check it ” Crack pipe I never thought i would touch that S—t in my life now i am livein the street life it was that first hit that turned me into a junky overnight. Get your crack stems at the habeeb mart jump in the ride make my way to Board walk or red bud prospect and north first if you ain't carefull you will wind up in a hearse Crack pipe its just getting worse when i take that hit i break into your house come up from behind and steal your purse Go to yellow house to get rid of your merch. Locked and loaded bug eyed at last call best not front cause i am bout make bodies fall…… Really i could go on and on but i think you all got the point don't do Crack just Rap
3 May 2008 at 10:24 a.m.
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idarastar (Anonymous) says…
This is a wonderful idea. They didn't have things like this when I was going to LHS. We had a poet come once in which students participated in a day workshop. Poetry, spoken word jams and hip-hop should be incorporated in the schools. Creative outlets are necessary to build a healthy relationship with oneself. This is especially important in the high school age group to help identify with their personal place in world.