Hip Hop vs. Education
On July 29, 2010, The Mash Up had the honor to collaborate with the Language Academy of Sacramento to set a benefit show for the Language Academy of Sacramento School. The Language Academy of Sacramento’s goal is to prepare English learning students excel academically in their second language and reading, and also become multiculturally competent leaders. This school originally expanded from the Two-Way Spanish Immersion program that was operated by the Fruit Ridge School since 1994. Many determined parents and teachers wanted the program to be converted into a public charter school, and by February 2003 the Sacramento City Unified School District approved the charter. The school was financially funded by parents, teachers, and community members of Fruit Ridge. With all the budget cuts being made, The Language Academy of Sacramento was among one of the various schools in California to be impacted by the cuts. This required the school to discontinue some after school programs such as visual and performing arts. The Mash Up had a pleasure helping the school out and all profits when towards the Language Academy of Sacramento.
The night started off with Tribe of Levi performing, it was pretty amusing to see kids stare at them so much. Right after Tribe of Levi performed the joyful kids were prepared to demonstrate what they have been taught by Tyhemba. Orange green purple burgundy the colors of what these kids comfortably dress themselves in, in honor of African tribes. Their hands tap and hit the goat/cow skinned drums is such enthusiasm. Happy and excited the kids are pleased to have almost what seems to be a warehouse to perform in. Playful and anxious they are ready to take the stage and show their talent. These kids strive to save their own after school programs and even though it has been months since they have practiced. It looked like it would be a competition throughout the night between the students and the artists. After the African drumming and dancing, Serendipity Project killed their set. Coming from a person whose never heard of the band nor their music really had an impact on me, I was really pleased with their performance. The main performance was up with the Afro Classics and might I say they really impressed me that night. They really got the crowd pumped and moving their body, jumping around, it was crazy! Last but not least was The Cuf which was really mellow and comical performance and the kids that did their 30 second rap was amazing!
Overall the performances from the band and the kids were very impressive. The only down point to the night was how many people came to the event. It’s disappointing and shocking to see how many people are willing to participate in helping a school stand on it’s own. I was personally expecting a room filled with concerned parents desperately trying to make a difference for the school. It’s perplexing that parents are the ones complaining about how the government isn’t willing to help out our schools, but when parents are given the chance to change that and fund their children’s school they won’t. I’ve always had a love for the arts whether it was visual or performing arts, it captured me so intrigues me to see a community attempt to save a school that stands on it’s own rather than the government. But let’s not get too political here, but then again I realized how adults/parents who aren’t familiar with Hip Hop or “Rap” believe that it’s vulgar and demeaning. So I would understand how Hip Hop wouldn’t clash with education, thus having the amount of people present at the show.
