While doing the quarterly \u201cspring\u201d cleaning of my laptop (you know: sifting through all the files, deleting the old miscellaneous, no-longer-of-any-use files \u2013 to make room for new miscellaneous, soon-to-be-of-no-use files), I came across a number of pictures from my time with YMA\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n Child protection laws being what they are (and rightly so) most of the pictures are not of the kids but of things, objects, that struck me as meaningful at the time. In looking back on these innocuous photos of inanimate objects, I was reminded of the meaningful lessons I learned:<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s one thing to know and do something for yourself. A controlled and known subject. Yet a whole other kettle of fish to know it for and with someone else. The myriad variables at play with a test subject allow for too many unknowns to have \u201ccontrol\u201d of anything. Thus, the first lesson I learned I\u2019d already believed, but in seeing it play out with the YMA crew, we proved it to be an undeniable truth:<\/span><\/p>\n You don\u2019t need millions \u2013 or even thousands \u2013 of pounds of equipment to put together a decent recording and mixing studio.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n With a few hundred pounds (at most), we got a decent sound card, some headphones, Logic, a midi-keyboard, a few other bits and bobs, and a decent mic; for as it\u2019s been said \u2018if you get a decent mic\u2019, whatever you record into it can later be taken to a better equipped studio, engineered and mixed to industry standard. But without a decent mic, that simply cannot happen.<\/span><\/p>\n And with that, we were able to record some quality tracks and later take them to The Lab studios and have them done to a high standard.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n It\u2019s difficult working with young MCs these days. They all write these blooming grime-drill-trap bars: <\/span>\u2018shank man\/balli\u2019 down f&*@ \u2018opp\/2-man up pedz\u2019\/bun\/\u2018trol b!$\u00a3$\/shot this\/skeng that n%^^&\u2026\u2019<\/span><\/i> Not only are they explicit laden, but they lack imagination and perpetuate atrocities in the ends. As a writing\/lyrics\/bars tutor, it\u2019s understandable \u2013 and even only natural \u2013 to simply tell them NOT to write such nonsense\u2026 to keep it clean\u2026 to write about \u201cpositive\u201d stuff. But, in reality, there is no quicker way to be written off by them. If anything, that kind of prohibitive policing will only increase the number and strengthen the ugliness of those bars.<\/span><\/p>\n Instead of telling them what NOT to write, we should model and instruct them what they can and should write \u2013 in order to make money in the industry. Highlight the fact that the best, (ie- most well-known) MCs all adhere to some basic, professional rules of writing bars: writing to topic; relating a cohesive \u2018narrative\u2019; having a beginning, a middle and an end; varying flow and rhyme scheme; and using widely known language and references (rather than just the ones their eight mates know). When they know their favourite rappers write \u2013 consciously at first, but instinctually after years of practice \u2013 to those guidelines, then they do too.<\/span><\/p>\n Focusing on improving a young person\u2019s writing rather than censuring it, yields greater rewards and longer lasting change.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n When given a science \u2013 a standard to go by \u2013 they not only want to be like their rap idols, they want to better. Sound better. Write better. And, unbeknownst to them, when they start measuring their work to this yardstick, they stop simply writing bars and begin crafting true poetry to music.<\/span><\/p>\n Before:<\/span><\/p>\n After:<\/span><\/p>\n Who would\u2019ve thunk it: from the humblest beginnings in a community housing space to,18 months later, opening up for the Spice Girls.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ok, The Spice <\/span>Girlz<\/span><\/i>. But still. When we first started, they were a rag-tag assortment of disparate individuals with little practical skill and even less experience. They were brought together by nothing more than a mutual love for music. But after almost two years of giving and taking, then receiving the rewards of sacrifice\u2026 of listening, then refusing to listen, then learning they had to in order to evolve\u2026 of trying and failing, then trying again until they succeeded\u2026 of growing close and falling out, then reconciling again\u2026 they finally came together as a family (a highly dysfunctional family, but a family nonetheless). They had evolved into a cohesive super group . Capable of producing quality tracks and giving stellar studio and live performances.<\/span><\/p>\n Never underestimate the youngers\u2019 ability to achieve the impossible.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\nLesson #1 \u2013 Money can\u2019t buy love\u2026 or quality music<\/b><\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nLesson #2 \u2013 Focus on the \u2018how\u2019, not the \u2018what\u2019<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/applesandsnakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Screen-Shot-2018-12-12-at-13.10.57.png\")
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<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/applesandsnakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Screen-Shot-2018-12-12-at-13.12.31.png\")
\u00a0\u00a0![\"\"](\"https:\/\/applesandsnakes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Screen-Shot-2018-12-12-at-13.12.21.png\")
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nLesson #3 \u2013 Underestimate at your peril<\/b><\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n