BALTIMORE — Some city students are showcasing their hip hop, dance, and other talents on Thursday as a way to promote staying in school and self love.
On Thursday morning, middle school students from Lakeland, Barclay, Calvin Rodwell, and Margaret Brent Elementary and Middle Schools held an art showcase with students from the Media Rhythm Institute.
“We are very appreciative to have the opportunity at Media Institute to bring people together through hip hop, through music, and through non-conventional means of learning and experiential knowledge," said the Director of Programming at MRI, Deverick Murray.
The showcase was held at Barclay Elementary/Middle School and was hosted by Murray and Barclay fifth grader Justyn Jones. It showcased MRI’s programs, iRead iRhyme (hip hop), iSpin (djing), Channel Me Media (journalism) and Bmore Than Dance (Bmore Club/dance) and featured student composed motivational content.
“It’s fun, you will not get judged for anything like if you don’t know how to rap that good, you just sit down, and make up songs and produce them,” said Barclay seventh grader Stephon Morrison.
“This is important to our city because we are building community. It was an opportunity for north, west, south, east to all come together and to share through youth, entrepreneurship, and art. Our young people showed today they can come together, love one another, and champion one another,” Murray added.
The goal of the entire showcase was to demonstrate how students are using hip hop and their talents to stay involved in positive behavior, stay in school, and to love yourself, and according to one student, it seems to be working.
“It’s important because it keeps us out of trouble. We do what we gotta go instead of just always doing stupid stuff when it comes to class time,” said Desia Lewis.
