News
In Term 2 at the Noble Park campus, students worked with professional rapper Motley to write songs about their lives and interests. Motley helped students reflect on their environment and their hopes for the future, while practising important skills in literacy, co-regulation and music making.
Rap is an effective therapeutic tool for working with young people, because it’s a style most teenagers feel comfortable with and it provides a way to build rapport between teacher and student in schools. The repetitive, predictable nature of hip hop beats assist in providing a sense of safety particularly during song writing, and lyrical and musical improvisation. The repetitive beat provides dependability for those with little regularity or safety in their everyday lives.
One of our students, Steve*, was initially sceptical about hip-hop as his music interests lie elsewhere. However, he was able to create a rap about the future, where each section of rhyme reflects a different style of music that he is interested in.
Read on to hear Steve's lyrics.
[Verse]
In the future, I wonder what my job will be?
Only I’ve got the key to this, mystery.
Right now, I got’ 20 keys.
Gotta find the right one before I sink in the seas.
Coz life is a ship, ya’ just gotta steer it.
Find the calm waters and listen to my Spirit.
Sittin’ at the helm I can feel that I’m near it.
Internal compass is callin’ I can hear it.
Seas can be rough but the land is approachin’.
Seeing the future of my Self as I’m floating.
I’m about to capsize, the waters’ overflowing.
In the dark waters I see somethin’ glowing.
What is this, am I awake or am I dreaming?
Cause’ things are not what they’re seeming.
Have I found land, or is that just me screaming?
The memories of the past, I foresee them beaming.
[Chorus]
If I could remember my future,
Maybe I would find my way there.
Life is the ultimate tutor,
Sometimes life isn’t fair,
Stuck in the present, like a tidal wave,
Hoping and wishing to fly a-way.
Nothing can hold me I’m on my way. (x2)
