By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
THREE Geelong schools have been ringing to hip-hop beats and rapping rhymes to spread messages of acceptance.
The Stand Up Sisters and Brothers project particularly resonated at North Geelong Secondary College, one of the most multi-culutral schools in the region.
About 30 students were part of a workshop with members of Australia’s first hip-hop choir MASSIVE as it rehearsed for a public performance in May.
The college’s Jonathan Morrison said students contributed music and lyrics while learning about performance.
The program’s hip-hop style was “definitely not the doof-doof variety,” he laughed.
“We’re using the genre as a means to get into the kids’ minds and make them feel comfortable with it.
“We’re singing a whole lot of music from different countries and using a hip beat and a bit of rapping to make it speak the kids’ language,” he said.
“It’s engaging the kids and taking them beyond their comfort zone as part of a broader social awareness campaign about anti-discrimination and acceptance of difference.
“The students are so happy to be involved in something positive because a lot of them come from backgrounds with a lot of negative experiences.”
Stand Up Sisters and Brothers lead artist Mary Quinsacara said making music together created ideal conditions to talk about difficult issues.
“We love working with school students of all ages because they respond so immediately to music and bring their stories and experiences to the process with such honesty and openness,” Ms Quinsacara said.
“Making music together creates the perfect conditions to talk about the hard stuff and how we can all work together.”
Students participating in the workshops at Northern Bay and North Geelong secondary colleges and Hamlyn Banks Primary School will preform their collaborative rap songs during a Mountain to Mouth 2014 festival at Geelong Performing Arts Centre at 6.15pm on 9 May and on the Steps of Geelong’s Customs House at 10.30pm.
