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Crosscurrents

Beat-making class offers refuge from violence for West Oakland kids

Tammy Drummond
Today's Future Sound instructor Marlon Richardson helps sixth-grader Emily Wayne chose drum beats

 

Every Wednesday afternoon, a science classroom in a West Oakland middle school fills up with kids that hang out there by choice. It's become a sanctuary for the neighborhood. Why?

The classroom is transformed into a hip hop recording studio where adult DJs, emcees and rappers teach music production using state-of-the-art software and drum machines.

MARLON RICHARDSON: "That's what draws them here. To have that kind of opportunity to have peace of mind and be able to express and discover and search and find."

 

Click the audio player above to listen to the complete story.

 

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Crosscurrents CrosscurrentsOakland