Massachusetts rapper teaches at-risk teens how to make clean rap music in Boston
DORCHESTER - A Berklee music professor and renowned Massachusetts rapper is helping at-risk teens turn their life experiences into clean content music.
Rod Studmire, also known by his rap name, the International Show, first brought the program to Massachusetts inmates, but now it is helping these kids to find an avenue into rap music and production.
"Clean content music is impactful and fun"
It is called the TRIM Program, which is an acronym for "the route into music." In addition to being an artist, Studmire is a professor at the Berklee College of Music, where he teaches hip-hop songwriting and production. Throughout his career, he has always written clean content music, which means there are no curse words or provocative language.
"The majority of what we see online is very toxic to the point that I can't even allow my 10-year-old son to watch award shows," says Studmire, "Clean content music is impactful and fun, as well sonically it sounds the same, but with a different message. All of my music is clean, and I have been able to get my music on NFL, USA, MTV, and BET. I have gotten music all over the place."
Studmire started the TRIM program with inmates at the South Bay Correctional Facility. He pushed the inmates to write clean content music about their experiences.
"This lyric, maybe if I can think about that differently, maybe I can think about life differently," explains Studmire, "People treat them like animals, but they are people just like us. They know they made a mistake. They are looking for that other chance. The program allows them to do it in a way that's not going to lead them back there."
Introducing at-risk youth to the TRIM program
Last year, Studmire paired up with MissionSAFE to bring the TRIM program to their services for at-risk youth. At first, the kids didn't quite get the concept of clean music.
"They were like, 'Ah, we can't do that,' because that is what their society is," tells Studmire, "After they started doing the songs, they were like, this is the greatest thing we have ever done. It's our job to show them another way to express themselves, and some may spill into their decision-making in life."
"I heard it was about music, so that pushed me to want to explore," says Matthew Robinson, a student in his TRIM class, "I have been through a lot, so most of my talk is what shaped me to be who I am today. I want to give you all a gist of what I have seen so you can get a message out of my piece."
Studmire helps the students to create a beat from scratch. After they put together the sound, the students began writing before performing in a recording studio with their peers.
"I hope people like me. I hope people rock to my music. I hope they connect to it because you have been through it," adds Robinson, "I hope it opens doors. I really am talking. I hope it does. I put my all into my songs."