During the summer of 2012 HNDP partnered with the Boyle Heights Technical Youth Center to create music production and marketing classes. BHTC already had created some momentum in the music space, and their existing music programming was being run by a friend of HNDP - Mihkil Zumweffi. We first worked with Mihkil on the inagural Homeboy Industries music project "Just Like That". When HNDP arrived at BHTC, the atmosphere was lit with excitement, the local group "The Congregation" had been working at the tech center with the accomplished west coast MC Bishop Lamont. By June of 2012 we had launched our first marketing course for the start up artist and were meeting weekly. .
It started with a core group of students from the Boyle Heights tech center along with some HNDP'ers migrating with us from SHG. Before long we had our regulars, and we started to assemble a team. The goal was to, in 8 weeks, work together to identify a venue, nail down a date, book entertainment and vending, secure operations and to throw an amazing show. Oh, and to record a new song every week too. No sweat.
Along the road our group from SHG melded with the folks from BHTC, and new HNDP'ers joined in the collaboration too. Every week we'd take 10 minutes to talk amongst ourselves about specifically what happened in their music scene over the last week - what shows did you go to, what connections did you meet, what did you discover out there? Before long we'd identified our talents and started assigning positions. Art director, PR Manager, Director of Music - all titles our students took ownership of, and created their own teams around.
Every week was a little different. Amidst the planning of the next event, there was always music production going on down the hall. We had some great artists visit us during our classes, and during one Tuesday in July we had a very interesting session. Our 2 visitors for the evening: Legendary battle MC Juice from Chicago, and the prolific indi artist from North Virgina - Lyricks. Mihkil had a look in his eye like he was a little kid about to open a christmas present, and before long the students and MC's shifted from Q and A to working in the studio. HNDP's Manny Styles quickly got to writing and took his place on the mic dropping a dope verse smack in the middle of a song with our 2 visitors. Take an exclusive listen here:'
Phew...
One of the best results of HNDP anywhere has been the spin-off's that are created in the communities of the students. When they leave the HNDP session our hope is that the ambition to create art goes with them - creating their own events, brands, projects. This song was produced by students who met via HNDP at BHTC and took it upon themselves to start weekly recording on their own: '
Alongside William, Aaron and Mihkil at Boyle Heights Tech, we had one other HNDP member really grow into an awesome instructor. King Darius aka Dario Lomeli became an indespensible member of the HNDP mentor team. Teaching kids weekly how to work on their lyrics, HNDP workshops would not be the same with out him:
HHNDP Blog Team
HNDPLA Recaps by HNDP LA BLOG TEAM. Photographs by HNDP LA.