Art in Action

Art Track: Hip Hop/Music

Music has a profound impact, because it reaches people’s hearts and engages their minds. Lives profoundly change through music. Music is an effective way for people to relate cross-culturally and develop a sense of empathy and reverence for one another. At the Art in Action Youth Leadership Training, music is the medium to engage young people from different backgrounds, providing conditions for them to support each other and share tools for exploring personal pain. At camp you will learn to use rap and poetry as a way of telling stories about personal struggles and share your visions for healing our lives and our communities.

The Hip-Hop-Music track utilizes professional sound equipment to create real hip-hop music, electronic dance music, and to record acoustic jam sessions. The music track draws on the roots of urban music styles, with the theme of the music about challenging corrupt systems of power in society, and promoting social justice and unity in our neighborhoods.

The Music and Hip-Hop track is open to anyone at camp. It doesn't matter if you’ve never used or even seen a beat machine! People with all levels of music ability are invited to participate in the music track. You can develop or refine your music, spoken word, and rap skills.

During the musical training at Art in Action, there is a strong emphasis on breaking down gender stereotypes. We especially, encourage young women to rock-the-mic! It is especially important for all people at camp to feel equally encouraged to participate in music making.

In the music track participants learn the different components of Hip-Hop (Djing, Beatboxing, Graffiti, Rap, Breakdance, etc.), and learn the history of Hip-Hop. This art track will take you from introduction to the art form all the way to performance artist. You will get a chance to make hard-hitting beats, develop revolutionary rhymes, make off-the-hook spoken word pieces, record your hit single AND rap in front of crowds!

You’ll get to learn how to take your game to the next level and use professional beat making software like Reason, Ableton Live, and VST-Instruments, as well as record your music with Pro-Tools LE. Then publish your music on the Art in Action compilation CD. The compilation CD brings artists and music groups at camp together to learn from each other and work with one another. The compilation CD’s are also used to generate resources for artists and projects, provide entry-level products to use in the music industry, as well as provide support for Art in Action programming. On the last day of the Youth Leadership Training you will take the music that you have created and rock-the-mic with your new crew at an Art in Action public performance.

Art in Action music and performance groups have been invited to events throughout the Bay Area, and are encouraged to bump the music they made at the training at other music studios, radio stations and music clubs. The music track also includes instruction on how to design album covers, create music videos, and marketing techniques in the music industry.