Hip-hop is totally a class act at the University of Hip-Hop, a Chicago arts and outdoor education group that teaches kids break dancing, rapping, DJ-ing, mural making, double Dutching and skateboarding, among other things.
“Adult society doesn’t always understand hip-hop. Some say anything that kids learn in the street, keep in the street,” said Lavie Raven, co-founder of UHH, who teaches world and African-American studies at Kenwood Academy. “But that’s what kids are interested in. Why not use this energy and creativity? We’ve had kids do murals and performances in communities all over the city.”
UHH was launched in 1997 by Chicago students at Hubbard High and has mushroomed into a citywide program that reaches elementary- to high-school-age kids through after-school, weekend and summer programs. Last year the group even expanded its reach to rural areas, opening its first chapter in Dixon, Ill.
KidNews recently spent a day at the UHH chapter at Kenwood Academy to get a quick tutorial on hip-hop essentials. Here’s the lowdown:
DJ-ing
DJs are the beat builders and commanders-in-chief of a party. “My goal is to have everybody feel the music,” said Chris B., 17, a.k.a. DJ Scratch ‘N Sniff. “I want to control the mood of a party.”
To get started, DJs need the equipment–a mixer, two turntables, an amplifier, speakers, scratch pads and a scratch needle. “DJ-ing is the most expensive hip-hop art form,” Raven said.
If you can, invest in a direct-drive turntable, such as a Technics 1200, Raven added. Unlike belt-driven tables, the speed stays consistent when you pull back on a record.
“The main thing is learning about blending, or playing one song to another on beat,” Raven said. Next is yellow-paging, or going back and forth between two of the same records to create a longer period of music.
Another big thing is scratching, or using the mixer and fader while pulling or pushing a record on the turntable. Avoid needle skips and work on fading out unwanted sounds so the scratching pops. “You can’t be heavy-handed,” Raven said.
MC-ing or rapping
MC-ing (which stands for master of ceremonies, mike controller or emceeing), or rapping, started as an extension of a DJ’s work. DJs would do party shouts, such as “Herc is in the house and he’ll turn it out without a doubt,” in between music breaks. Of course, now rap is its own huge and influential musical genre.
There’s no magic formula or rules to the perfect rap, Kenwood Academy students told us. But there are elements–rhyming, storytelling, flow, delivery to the beat–that blend to make a good rhyme or freestyle. (Freestyling is improvising a rap.)
Chris B. said to sharpen your MC-ing skills, write and read a lot. “The best freestyler is a Renaissance man,” Chris said. “He can talk about movies, books, architecture, art.”
David G., 17, suggested cyphering or battling with friends. Cyphering is when friends gather in a circle to show their skills, either by busting written rhymes or freestyling. Battling is when you go one on one, trading barbs, to see who’s more original or clever.
Alexis A., 17, added: “Rhyme about what you know, not about cars, girls and diamond rings.”
Graffiti writing or mural making
Kids at the UHH learn the art of grafitti writing to produce murals in their communities. Kids work in crews, just as street graffiti writers sometimes do. “We take an assembly-line approach to training,” Raven said. “That way, everyone learns from everyone else.”
David G. said beginning writers should start doodling. “Buy a sketchbook and start drawing.”
Another first step is to get a tag, or signature. “It expresses who you are,” Raven said. Examples of famous tags are TAKI 183, Sly II, Tracy 168 and Cool Earl.
Writers also must learn the forms of the alphabet in grafitti-style. The alphabet slants to the left, the opposite of the norm, Peter H., 15, said.
Another basic: can control. To practice, Raven suggests grabbing a brick and a racquetball. Hold the brick as if it were a can to practice the motion of vertical, horizontal and diagonal strokes and circles, squares and triangles. Squeeze the racquetball with your index finger, or spray finger, to strengthen it. “Make your finger, wrist and forearm a machine. Once you can spray paint, you can do anything with your drawing,” Raven said.
Raven acknowledged that a true graffiti writer is a vandal. But he said kids can do aerosol painting to make free public murals. Sometimes store owners pay muralists an hourly wage to beautify a wall. “It’s a way to do community service or earn money.”
B-boying/B-girling or breaking
B-boys and b-girls (which stands for break- or beat-boys/girls) got their names by dancing to the breakbeats, or percussion part of songs. The dance style became known as break dancing in the media.
To be a good breaker, you need upper-body strength and balance, Glenn M., 14, said. “You have to be quick and flexible.”
When uprocking, or doing standing moves, stay light on your toes and keep your hands moving, Sidney T., 16, said.
Work on developing your own style by picking some natural movement, such as an action that an animal may make, and imitate it with your body, Raven added.
For downrocking, or floor movements, start by perfecting the six-step (see Sidney in pics above).
“The key point is to stay light on your feet and fingertips and keep your butt in the air,” Sidney said. “Practice getting good in one direction.”
Once you’ve got that down, add power moves such as head spins and helicopters, he added.
Enrolling in the U
Want to find out more about the University of Hip-Hop or get info on how to start a chapter at your school? Call the Southwest Youth Collaborative at 773-476-3534, ext. 59.
Or go online to www.universityofhiphop.org.
