Prison Electronic Music Program - Distanced Learning
“[Although] it may not be the same as being in person, I am grateful to still be a part of this great program that brings the opportunity to learn how music is made and brings people together.” That’s how one participant described his experience with our pandemic-altered distance learning model. While changing up our work flow posed some challenges, the creativity carried on.
Although the pandemic posed a difficult challenge for our regularly scheduled in-person meetings, we aimed to persevere. The pandemic had especially devastating impacts on prisons and their inhabitants, and our program aimed to aid mental health challenges that have been on the rise. We knew music could be more useful than ever in helping folks cope with these issues.
Thanks to the support of the California Arts Council, we redesigned our curriculum into a distanced model. In order to do this, we provided homework correspondence packets and submitted curriculum-related videos to all 36 California state prisons, covering topics in electronic music history, music equipment and technical skills, and music industry brand development training.
But now we’re back IRL! After utilizing this altered curriculum for a year and a half, in August 2021 we finally returned to in-person sessions at California City Correctional. From day-1 our participants were excited to return and develop a unique camaraderie with each other through music. Of course, being back in person only amplifies participant skill development, relationship-building amongst instructors and participants, and music’s ability to heal others. We are all so grateful and excited to be back!
Hand in hand with our supporters, this year we look forward to continuing to promote music, opportunity, and equity for all those impacted by the prison system.
One especially exciting project in 2022 will be the continuation and expansion of our On a New Track Reentry Mentoring Program. For those who have been incarcerated, returning to life outside of prison can be challenging. In fact, approximately 67% of those formerly incarcerated are rearrested within 3 years of their initial release. On a New Track was created in order to help ease this transition for folks. Our goals include helping participants develop entrepreneurial and life skills, reduce recidivism, and build creative career pathways. Guided by our instructors, our participants develop concrete skills in DJing, music production, and musical entrepreneurship that they can build upon for personal or professional growth. Exploring music in our group settings also provides space for social, emotional, and personal healing.
In 2020, Give a Beat partnered with Defy Ventures and California Mentoring Partnership to kickstart the program, and February 2021 finally saw the start of our very first program session. Over the course of 12 weeks, our 7 pioneering trainees displayed commitment, creativity, and passion as they learned and practiced various music skills. For their final project, they each performed a solo DJ set, played original music, or presented their professional artist development plan. On May 15, 2021, all 7 members of the cohort were honored at our first graduation ceremony! (Watch our grads speak more about their experiences).
We are immensely proud of each and every graduate and the growth they have demonstrated both creatively and personally. It was incredible to witness their confidence blossom as they developed relationships with instructors and fellow participants. Most of our participants have already performed various DJ gigs in the area. One of our participants, Geri, was previously a fitness instructor, and used lessons from the program to successfully create her own high-tempo workout beats! As she said, “Give a Beat let me know I can accomplish anything I set my mind to as long as I’m focused and determined, whether I know how to do it or not.”
The beat doesn’t stop there. We are continuing to support graduates by collaborating with them on individualized Artist Development Plans, supporting their interests in creating music, and pairing them with professional mentors in the music business.
Impressed and excited by our first cohort, we’ve expanded On a New Track into a year-long program. As another participant, Alejandra, said, “I felt like this is exactly what people should be doing as far as wanting to give back in this way. It’s not just to give back but actually to build capacity in people and go on to become your best self.”
We hope to be joined this year by even more participants, to share the power of music in healing those wronged by the flawed prison and justice system. As always, we also hope to be bolstered by further support from our committed donors and volunteers.
Keep your eyes peeled for our new and upcoming DJs at On a New Track!
Students in “On a New Track” Make Great Strides in their Comprehension Level of DJing and Music Production
Student, Sithy, preparing to operate Native Instruments Traktor controller
By Billy Bannon, Teaching Artist
It has been an incredible privilege to witness the progress of Give a Beat’s “On a New Track” program. The passion, commitment and joy exuded from everyone involved is utterly self-evident. This being a pilot program, we are continually learning and growing each day, with an eye toward refining our craft and providing the best experiences possible.
At the beginning, the program’s many goals seemed rather ambitious when seen all at once, especially for some of our students without a strong technical background. In order to provide a program that best suited the needs of our participants, our team trimmed the curriculum, streamlined the technical content as much as possible, and repeatedly reassured our participants with messages of, “we know it’s a lot, go at your own pace, don’t worry, it’ll come, just gotta give it time, etc...” By the end of our second class, it was clear that many in our group, while still in great spirits, were feeling overwhelmed by all the new material. “Give it time, it’ll come...”
Student, Jonathan, explores Ableton
Fast forward to the end of Class 4, and… “The Jump” has taken place, clear as day! Signs of big smiles, hearty laughter and a shared sense of accomplishment, mutual respect and admiration were flowing in all directions. It was so inspiring to see the students' comprehension level “jump” to a level of comfort and ease. In a major tribute to the determination of our students, teaching artists, mentors and support team, on this day we heard everyone in class either share a beat they’ve created and/or a mini DJ set! What a beautiful experience to be a part of. The group is indeed “getting it…!” Here’s to the next jump!
Launched in February 2021, On a New Track trains and mentors eight people who have been previously incarcerated in the art of DJing, Music Production, and related business and entrepreneurial skills. During the six sessions, participants will learn technical skills, use music as a tool for healing, build positive social groups, as well as learn various aspects of the music business. We also aim to support participants’ interest in employment in the industry by pairing them with professional mentors.
This Black History Month, We Honor the Black, LGBTQ+ Communities Who Gave Us House Music
House music club in the early 90s
By Sanjana Sanghani
Every month should be Black history month, but we’ve taken this annual month-long celebration of Black joy, perseverance, and strength as an opportunity to explore a genre of music indebted to the Black community: house music.
While modern media sources may tell you otherwise, the origins of house music are clear. House music was established in the south side of Chicago, by none other than Black and LGBTQ+ groups. Pushed out of almost all other spaces in the 1980s, these marginalized groups formed a community around their common love for music. It makes sense that in a society that rejected their identities, these groups felt drawn to an area that allowed people to shed societal limitations and focus on the art that collectively kept them going.
A discussion of house music wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Frankie Knuckles, a pioneer of the genre. In the 80s, Knuckles’ held residency at his dance club, The Warehouse, which is how the term “house music'' arose in the first place. Similarly, Larry Levan was a prominent DJ with residency in his club The Paradise Garage. Described as “church for people who [had] fallen from grace,” the music they played in these clubs itself is reflective of that: house music’s repetitive 4/4 rhythm and sparse or absent vocals drown out all else in a way that is reliable, centering, and trance-like. The dark rooms and steady beats of dance clubs filter out anything unwanted, at least temporarily. It also offers a versatile base for a myriad of layered sounds, which many Black African artists have embraced through the incorporation of African drums. Further, part of what allowed house music to thrive was its accessibility, not only musically, but also financially, with electronic instruments that were easily adapted and affordable for people at the time. House music was quite literally built upon the foundations of inclusivity, love, and compassion – woven into the very identities of individuals who created it, dance clubs easily became some of the most progressive spaces in the country.
It is important to emphasize that a large part of house music’s success also has to do with Black LGBTQ+ folks specifically, those with unique intersectional identities that deserve much more credit in the arena. The Human Rights Ordinance that granted equal treatment to those with differing racial and sexual orientation was passed only in 1988, and even then, as we all very well know, legal changes take decades to manifest into social change. Black LGBTQ+ individuals were especially unwelcome in society, so their existence was forced into places like underground dance clubs, where house music thrived.
As in many areas, house music’s modern-day mainstream faces do not accurately reflect its diverse and colorful history. From rock and roll to country, Black musicians have frequently been deprived of their rightful credit, and this, too, is no exception. We all know about the David Guettas and Calvin Harrises of the world, but do we know about the descendants of communities that actually created the movement? Long after 1988, Black and LGBTQ+ interests do not align with mainstream interests to this day.
Give a Beat remains committed to these very interests, and was founded within this music community that brings together diverse people of all types of ethnicities, genders, languages, sexual orientations, disabilities, and socioeconomic classes. The organization's values reflect the founding values of electronic music culture created by BIPOC: peace, love, compassion, understanding, inclusivity, justice, equality. The principles are the pillars of programs and advocacy work created by this organization. In our Prison Electronic Music Program, we not only honor the founders of house music, but also walk participants through getting hands-on with learning about electronic music production and DJing, encouraging personal and societal betterment. Participants work within a digital jukebox that includes work from artists like Osunalade, Channel Tres, and Kevin Saunderson.
Stacey Hotwaxx Hale with Students at a Give a Beat Youth Music Workshop – Photo by Sue Hudelson
As an organization passionate about marginalized voices, Give a Beat is excited to have the support of several successful Black house music artists. One of the first known female DJs to mix, DJ Stacey Hotwaxx Hale is largely recognized as the “Godmother of House Music.” As a Black woman in a male-dominated field, she was not without her struggles, which included balancing the expectations and image that people expected from her with her own unadulterated passion for music. Currently, she hosts several radio shows, educates younger girls on music, and serves as an inspiration for aspiring female DJs of color across the board. Similarly, Ultra Naté is yet another Black female DJ who has enriched the genre, releasing singles that have never missed the mark and consistently made their way onto U.S. Dance Club charts. Artists like DJ Minx and DJ Heather are other exceptional Black house artists that we love that have shaped the scene.
Unfortunately, the music industry is fraught with injustices at every step, and much of it is still white-dominated. House music is not exempt from plagiarizing and hijacking intellectual labor from Black creatives, and several sources state that white producers and music executives owe close to millions to Black musicians of the past. Luckily, none of this has deterred talent from burgeoning in between the cracks. From Jesse Saunders to Gene Farris to Ron Trent, Black artists continue to fuel the electronic music tradition. The artists mentioned throughout this piece, along with many others, including Rich Medina, King Britt, Roy Davis Jr., and Derrick Carter, carry the genre forward while remaining rooted in its origins. If we’ve learned anything from the life-changing events of 2020, it is that we must amplify marginalized voices – and what better way to do that than celebrating their music?
Here’s where you can learn more about house music:
> Learn more about Larry Levan and Paradise Garage in this video
> Watch artists of today provide their own perspectives on what house music means to the industry, and world: here
> Listen to what it was like in Knuckles’ The Warehouse
> Listen to DJ Minx’s Black History Month Spotify Guest List Playlist
Give a Beat Wraps Up All Hands on the Decks Fundraising and Advocacy Campaign!
By Julia Bistriceanu
We are beyond grateful to everyone who donated and participated in Give a Beat’s All Hands on the Decks fundraising and advocacy campaign. Thanks to your contributions, we raised $21,641 (87% of our goal)!
The goal of this initiative was to not only raise money for our upcoming On a New Track Reentry Mentor Program, but also to mobilize our community to support critical criminal justice reform measures in the November 3rd election. This campaign aimed to support returning citizens on a micro level by raising money for the reentry program and on the macro level by pushing for key criminal justice reform measures that impact those affected by incarceration. In a time when the country faces enormous challenges, Give a Beat felt it was important to engage and educate the community around the importance of voting, local and state measures, and elected officials. The campaign was bigger than just us and our programs.
We are very excited to see sweeping successes in criminal justice reform measures across the country such as the passing of Prop 17 in California, which restores the right to vote to over 50,000 people on parole. Because of tremendous and impressive efforts by activists, organizers, and members of our community, criminal justice reform is now one of the issues at the forefront of the political conversation. We will continue to advocate for these meaningful changes in the system!
Big thank you to the incredible artists and supporters who donated their time and talent to host benefit livestreams for the campaign. We appreciate your amazing contributions: Nickodemus, Nappy G, OVEOUS, Eddy Plenty, DJ Bellatini, Official Tony H, J Disko, the Housepitality team, and Turntables on the Hudson!
Thanks to a Reentry Through The Arts grant from the California Arts Council and the donations from this campaign we will be kicking off our unique “On a New Track” Reentry Mentoring Program this January.
We will be teaching returning citizens the art of DJing, Music Production, and related business and entrepreneurial skills. Funds from All Hands on the Decks are covering for the costs for each participant to have the gear they need to be successful with the program, to attend the course, receive one-to-one mentoring support, for our teaching artists to teach the course, and for Give a Beat to extend the program to support participants in their ongoing career goals.
By connecting formerly incarcerated individuals with music business professionals, we aim to develop a cycle of change that encourages people to harness their creative talents while activating our music industry and community members to be active advocates for justice! Mentoring has the potential to completely transform returning citizens' lives, as they are often released into a world they no longer recognize and may not know how to navigate. Mentors offer guidance, support and encouragement that is crucial to establishing enjoyable, fulfilling lives on the outside for returning citizens.
Please stay tuned for the launch of our program in 2021!
Give a Beat Launches “All Hands on the Decks” Fundraising + Advocacy Campaign for New Reentry Program And to Encourage Critical Voting in Upcoming Election [PRESS RELEASE]
September 10 - October 10
LOS ANGELES – September 10 – Give a Beat launches “All Hands on the Decks” fundraising and advocacy campaign on September 10th to raise funds for their pilot “On a New Track” post-incarceration reentry mentoring program and to encourage critical voting in the upcoming election. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the plethora of unjust barriers people face upon reentry and mobilize communities to support criminal justice reform legislation. Funds raised will allow Give a Beat (GAB) to expand their reentry mentoring program to reach more people and ensure that participants have the resources and support they need to pursue their creative career dreams. The campaign will run September 10 - October 10. More info is at allhandsonthedecks.com.
Give a Beat was awarded a Reentry Through The Arts grant from the California Arts Council to pilot its unique “On a New Track” reentry mentoring program in collaboration with Defy Ventures and California Mentoring Partnership. GAB will train eight formerly incarcerated participants from the Defy Ventures community in the art of DJing, music production, and related business and entrepreneurial skills. By connecting previously incarcerated individuals with music business professionals, Give a Beat aims to develop a cycle of change that encourages people to harness their creative talents while engaging members of the electronic music community to educate themselves about bills and legislation. .
“Defy is excited to partner with Give a Beat to bring opportunities in the music industry to formerly incarcerated individuals in our program. There's no better city than Los Angeles in which to train people in a musical field, and people with criminal histories have incredible talent to share with the world if given the chance to do so. This partnership will lift the voices of people with criminal histories and create opportunities for them in the creative field in our city.” - Mariah Dickinson - Director of Development and Marketing, Defy Ventures
In addition to raising funds to support previously incarcerated people on the individual level, Give a Beat’s “All Hands on the Decks” campaign also serves to advocate for people experiencing incarceration on the macro scale. By aligning with allies in the broader social justice movement, this campaign will bring attention to the various obstacles people face upon leaving prison. It will also educate the music community on ballot initiatives such as Prop 17 which restores the right to vote for people on parole and Prop 20 that aims to undo progressive reforms.
“All Hands on the Decks” will also educate around the power that electable positions hold in relation to criminal justice at the city, county, and state levels. These positions are key to strengthening the defense of our civil rights and emboldening our ability to make progressive change. This campaign’s name illustrates that now is a critical time both for the organization and for the future of the country to have “All Hands on the Decks” to engage communities to get more involved and take meaningful action.
About Give a Beat: Give a Beat’s mission is to reduce the harmful effects of incarceration through music production, DJing and other education programs that transform individuals and inspire communities to take action. Through music education and mentoring programs in juvenile halls, schools, and our Prison Electronic Music Program, we engage the music industry to help widen the pathways for people to thrive, tackle systemic racism, and contribute to the larger criminal justice movement. To learn more, please visit https://www.giveabeat.org.
About Defy Ventures: Defy Ventures is a national nonprofit whose mission is to shift mindsets to give people with criminal histories their best shot at a second chance through entrepreneurship, career readiness, and personal development training programs delivered both in prison and in the community. Defy’s vision is to cut recidivism (return-to-prison) rates in half by leveraging entrepreneurship to increase economic opportunity and transform lives. In 2020, Defy is helping currently and formerly incarcerated people defy the odds in seven states and 16 prisons across the country. Together with the thousands of business executives and leaders in our network, we are helping to shift the conversation and landscape of opportunity for people with criminal histories. To learn more, please visit https://www.defyventures.org.
California Mentoring Partnership: The California Mentoring Partnership (CMP) acts as an advocate for the advancement of effective mentoring by encouraging, developing, strengthening, and sustaining quality mentoring programs throughout the state. CMP unifies and raises the visibility of the statewide mentoring community via support of regional and interest-based coalitions, online platforms to connect the field to resources, public awareness drives and legislative advocacy, and state gatherings that educate and inspire. To learn more, please visit https://www.camentoringpartnership.org.
“Video Ki-, er..., SAVED, the… Electronic Music Program!” by Billy Bannon
Teaching Artist Billy Bannon Shares Give a Beat’s Experience Adapting to Program Changes Caused by COVID-19 Regulations
Billy Bannon with Students at California City Correctional Facility.
By Billy Bannon, Edited by Tom Hawking
March, 2020: The vibes are high, the energy is flowing, the connections are getting real, and the momentum is rolling… With several six-week sessions under its belt, Give a Beat’s pioneering Prison Electronic Music Program is just hitting its stride in 2020. The program’s coordinators are leading DJ & Music Production Workshops in two California State Prisons — California City Correctional Facility and Kern Valley State Prison — and things are moving along great... until they aren’t… Cue: An “unexpected development” and far more questions than answers.
May, 2020: Given the uncertainties imposed by today’s current events, the Give a Beat team, just like the rest of the world, is forced involuntarily to wait and see regarding what future steps might look like. It’s been two months since our most recent classes, during which we knew there was a chance we wouldn't be going back “inside” the next week, or perhaps anytime soon.
Enter: scheduling luck and a golden opportunity!Give a Beat’s leadership has been working to stay in contact with CDCR (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation), dutifully remaining willing, patient and ready for some opportunity, any opportunity, something, anything with which to move forward. Thankfully, because our classes were in progress when the restrictions hit, we were uniquely eligible to participate in the next steps, whatever they may be. News eventually came presenting an opportunity for Give a Beat to apply to be involved in Alternative Programming, and we were poised and ready to pounce. The catch: the programs were to be implemented by a new method. We’d have to run them by video!
Now, Give a Beat’s Electronic Music Program has already been using videos to supplement instruction — primarily in the context of “music history”, and typically via a ten-minute clip highlighting the origins of electronic music in hip hop, Jamaican dub, house and techno music. But running an entire class this way was different, way different — and somewhat daunting.
Once again, there appeared to be more questions than answers. Mainly, “How the heck are we going to teach about electronic music without having their hands on electronic music equipment?” Ok, ok, ok… We’re artists. We’re creative. We’re resourceful. And hey, we’ve already got some video programming in place — let’s build on it! A plan is formulated. Enacted. Delivered.
And so now we wait. Again. Until a new update, and a new challenge: after a fairly lengthy process, we are notified that the state-run closed-circuit tv station (DRP-TV) requires signed permission from the distributor of each and every video we had already submitted.
Enter: a silver lining. Unfazed and optimistic, the Give a Beat team huddles up once more, forced to call another audible, and determines the best path forward is to... go big or go home! The team nominates a list of films / music documentaries to target and request permissions. We’re not sure what to expect, what to hear, or how things would go down — we just put our best foot forward… and again, we wait.
Thankfully, it isn’t long before the silver lining sticks — not once, not twice, but SIX times!!! So, without any further ado, it is with great pleasure that Give a Beat is now able to publicly acknowledge our tremendous appreciation to the following amazing people and projects for generously allowing us to use their films to supplement our programming — and most importantly, to connect students more deeply with the unique healing power of music! Their willingness to support Give a Beat and be involved with the work we are doing is beyond humbling, beyond exciting and we are beyond grateful. Please join us in sharing a huge-hearted THANK YOU to the following:
Dublab and Mark “Frosty” McNeil -- “Secondhand Sureshots”
Producers, Ernest Meza & Brad Blondheim; Director, Doug Pray -- “Scratch”
Director Gary Bredow & DJ Minx -- “High Tech Soul: The Creation of Techno Music”
Director Bruno Natal -- “Dub Echoes”
Stuart Knight and Mikey Whyte at Toolroom Records -- “Odyssey - A Short Film About the Art of DJ’ing”
Legendary Music Producer Arthur Baker -- “808”
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
Silver lining, part two…
The fact that DRP is state-sponsored means it serves all 36California State Prisons, meaning that Give a Beat’s message will be distributed to every prison in the system! We’d already planned for expansion, so this development is very exciting to all of us, and hopefully it’s just as exciting for the men and women who will be watching!
The word is spreading — and we couldn’t be more grateful to be in position to help spread the word, backed by the support of these incredibly talented and impactful music ambassadors! In a real sense, video really did SAVE the Electronic Music Program!
Teaching Artist Billy Bannon Reflects on the First Day of a Prison Electronic Music Program Session
Billy Bannon with students at California City Correctional Facility.
By Billy Bannon, Edited by Tom Hawking
With the arrival of each new group of students, there is a lot of cause for excitement. It’s a special opportunity to welcome each one of the guys into the room for the first time — most of them not knowing what it is exactly they’re getting themselves into — and to then witness their genuine enthusiasm upon surveying the room, seeing the equipment and realizing that, “Yes…!”, they’re actually going to get their hands on these machines and really learn how to DJ by the end of our six-week session.
The first day of class is truly awesome, even if it’s a bit of a whirlwind: the energy is palpable, flowing in all directions, circulating throughout the room, filling every last minute of our 3.5 hours together with new experiences, a whole lot of fun, and of course, great music!
In addition to the customary initial introductions and exchanges, there is a specific “rite of passage” that has become a genuine highlight for everyone at Give a Beat. Part of the curriculum includes a “final presentation”, when each participant performs his mix or beat production for the entire class. And Give a Beat couldn’t host a proper music performance without having proper stage names, right? Right! This rite of passage? Choosing your DJ name!
One of the most fun (and sometimes most revealing!) activities we take as a group is helping students come up with their own (sometimes very unique) DJ names. The second class features an interactive presentation on “Branding & Business Development”, which includes both a full class and small-group discussions specifically about what’s in a DJ name.
There is a large white, blank sheet of paper at the front of the room; when each student is ready to share his DJ name, he is invited to walk to the front of the room and put it in ink. It’s hard to gauge, but there appears to be a strong sense of self-satisfaction, even pride and ownership, when this process unfolds.
This exercise gives the students a very cool way to express themselves, to let people know who they are and know what they’re about... and it becomes extra special when guys put a lot of thought into their DJ name, which is usually the case!
The guys’ sources of inspiration vary greatly: their old, current or new nickname, their hometown, their family, their background, and/or their interests. It almost feels unfair to highlight any one of them, because they all have their own unique merits, but just to give an idea, here are a handful of examples:
- “DJ Netic”: this future scientist is primarily interested in studying genetics;
- “Supreme Being”: to be about, and bring about, the highest vibrations;
- “DJ Will Power”: a fun play on words, rooted in strength and determination;
- “DJ Thrilla”: he shares a name with The King of Pop;
- “DJ Flako”: everyone teases him that he can’t gain weight;
- “DJ Maez”: it’s a play on his last name, and he wants to put you in a maze;
- “DJ All In”: he’s all in for personal evolution and being the best father possible;
- “DJ Cham-Rhi”: blends in like a chameleon, but has the force of a rhinoceros; and
- “Campesino”: means farmer in Spanish, referencing his upbringing and lifestyle.
This list could easily keep going! As the class proceeds, the DJ names are used more and more, and you can feel the relationships guys have with their DJ name expand and grow. Each DJ name and process is as unique as each man in class - and again and again, a DJ is born... So again, it’s worth asking, “What’s in a Name?”
About the Prison Electronic Music Program: In partnership with the California Arts In Corrections program, Give a Beat delivers a 4-hour, multi-week, full-curriculum program which focuses on the fundamentals of music/beat production, djing, and personal brand building.
Russell Wardlow is a father, poet, activist and resident #78756 at Omaha Correctional Center, where he composes prose, poetry, spoken word, and art. His poignant and insightful pieces speak to the destructive nature of the prison system and the healing power of artistic expression.
“Prose of a Con" is a project, started in 2017 by Russell and his best friend Katie Andrews, composed of hundreds of written works that have been shared on his website and through Instagram providing insight, advice, hope and mentorship to other incarcerated men.
This week Wardlow reflects on a term we have been hearing nonstop during these months of the Covid-19 pandemic: “Social Distancing”
Audio Transcript:
“Social distancing...so that's a real thing, I mean it just started? And for who?! I'm going to need a whole rundown on what you define social distancing as, because I felt that was already a successful launch with our phones and their capabilities. But even before that and still now, I always thought there's been social distancing from people like me. Urban communities, poor, convicts, and the like. That distance was both physical and emotional. I never felt apart of all these people that somehow feel each other's pain and imposed imprisonments together. I
f you ask me, more than not, people have been socially distant about my culture and struggle, my color and pain, my mistakes and confusion as if I was napalm, and getting too close to people like me will only burn you. I always felt a certain kind of emotional energy detachment towards me-you know something you can just feel though the physical cues say different-so my problems wouldn't rub off on anyone. But better late than never because we like labeling things in our country, so I'm glad a term could come out that actively speaks to my experience.
So I wonder if this works like Math or English where double negatives equal positives, because if that's so, then does this imposed social distancing make you more closer to me now, or are you even further away?
Physical dynamics haven't changed much for me, nor emotional, psychological or cultural for that matter. I'm just wondering if I'll get a stimulus check (plus back pay) for all the things I couldn't actively engage in or be employed at because well..."social distancing".
But for what it's worth, I hope you all remain safe and learn how to adapt and think quick on your feet because alienation isn't an easy experience. You may have to start getting comfortable with yourself and those around you even more intimately. I hope your minds hold up because being social creatures and yet being cut off from what makes us go, which is each other, can create psychological and emotional issues.
I mean I'm pretty calloused but let's just say I had a head start. Yeah! I did just pick THIS moment to highlight a truth, though the world is in a global upheaval, and I look around and my world hasn't changed a bit...irony. I see it, but I don't feel it. Synonymous with every comfortable person that only took on their own comforts and privileges, and picking the easy fights to dip their toes in just for the good of their conscience and to maintain favor in their faith. Everything gets exploited, even now people are exploiting this moment in history. It takes catastrophe to latch onto our common humanity.
Pandemics should show right away amidst all the chaos, how connected we all truly are, because the whole globe is feeling and suffering from this. Our degree of separation spans this whole planet, yet we build walls, fences, borders, laws etc to keep us distant and distinguished amongst our physical, political and national differences.
The damage had already been done before you gave it a name. Now, hopefully the name creates momentum in the direction of togetherness that we are experiencing right now, and we don't go right back to the alleged "pre-social distancing" era.
Let's not be in such a rush to get back to normal that we become distant and separate all over again. And we all heal together. Not in our own isolating ways. If coming together makes sense now then, #KeepTheChange
Teaching Artist Esseance Gray Reflects on Her First Visit to Prison with Give a Beat's Prison Electronic Music Program
Give a Beat Artist Ambassadors Joins Todd Strong as Guest Artist Teacher In the Electronic Music Program at California City State Prison
By Esseance Gray
I had the opportunity to be a guest artist at the California City state prison. This first workshop was such an eye opening experience for me. All the negatively portrayed narratives of incarcerated men were swirling around in my head as we pulled up to the facility. This caused for a bit of internal unease. Hearing the gates to which lead us in and out clink behind us made me jump. I was thinking of all of these preconceived notions about these men only to realize that they were just like everyone else. Once we entered the classroom all of the men were bright eyed and bushy tailed as if it were their first day of school. I could feel the excitement emitting from them. They greeted me and welcomed me into their circle as we practiced a breathing exercise. With those few deep breaths and their warm welcome, I was able to let go of the nervousness I was just experiencing about being in the facility. I introduced myself for the class and gave them a short performance set. They were all so entranced by the music.
After watching me play they immediately started asking questions and taking notes. Part of the days lesson was creating their DJ names. One name in specific that stuck with me was from a man who chose Cham-Rhi. He said he wanted to channel the adaptability of a chameleon and the ferociousness of a Rhino. This was one of many well thought out DJ names. Everyone quickly began to settle into their new found aliases. Once they got to the equipment they began helping each other remember what they had learned in the last workshop. The amount of camaraderie at this point was such a beautiful encounter.
As the class came to an end we shared another breathing exercise and went around to check in. Almost all of the men thanked me for coming, but the thing that stood out the most was when one person thanked me and said "This class makes me forget about being in here." Never would I have thought that I would feel so much gratitude and benevolence from a group of incarcerated men. This experience really put into perspective of how influential societies narratives of incarcerated people can be. I feel truly honored to be able to share my knowledge and also proud to be part of changing the narrative of incarcerated men.
Give a Beat Finishes First Session of Prison Electronic Music Program
The First Session of the Prison Electronic Music Program Wraps Up in Final DJing Presentations and Bittersweet Goodbyes
By Julia Bistriceanu
Give a Beat just wrapped up the first six week session of our flagship electronic music program in two California prisons. The courses were led by teaching artists Todd Strong and Billy Bannon at California City Correctional and Todd Strong and Bill Kehoe at Kern Valley State Prison.
The classes were broken up into two modules with Todd teaching song mixing and beat matching and Bill teaching beat production on an Ableton Push controller. The first part of the course introduced the foundations of electronic music and DJ culture, emphasizing the role of the DJ in bringing together diverse people through music enjoyment. Building upon that foundation students were asked to choose their own DJ names and discussed personal branding as a tool for their future careers. The students got creative with names such as $upreme Being, DJ Marz, DJ Universo, Nooti, DeeJaynetic, and DJ Astral Projection.
Once their DJ personas were established, the classes covered the importance of song selection, how to find music, sound technology, levels, volume, blending, beat matching and mixing using the digital software, and cutting and scratching as a tool of expression/style. Being able to choose their own music proved to be very impactful on the students. Bannon reflects on how a student welled up almost to the point of tears when hearing a song he hadn’t heard in over three years represents “slices of community being returned to them.”
Each week the students practiced DJing and beat making hands-on, but it wasn’t all just about developing technical skills. A main pillar of this course focuses on how listening to music and song choice can positively affect one’s mental and emotional well-being. They discussed how song choice used to a DJ set can serve as a way to tell their story without words, as well as elicit emotions within themselves and other listeners.
The teaching artists describe the overwhelming positive energy and feeling of hopefulness in the room in every class. After every session, the students expressed how thankful and happy they were to participate in this course.
Even after just two sessions, the students were making plans on how they can apply what they’ve learned and bring it back to their communities. One student expressed that if he would have had such a program when he was younger, he might not have “ended up here.” Another hopes to bring a program such as this to his hometown of Compton and provide it for the youth.
Students unanimously expressed feeling bittersweet that the course was over and wished it could have gone on longer. The last session culminated in 15 minute DJ set performances by each student. Some students were a bit nervous and hardly looked up from the decks, while others put on their full performer persona. For example, “Supreme Being” put on gold chains and a kangol hat to walk up to the decks and put on a performance worthy of a club. Another student, “Universo” demonstrated great leaps in his learning journey. He had been struggling to play songs back to back around Week 4, but surprised the teaching artists by creating a loop of “Sicko Mode” and using it a sample by fading it in and out of his other songs during his final performance. Students also played the beat they produced on Ableton Push. Two students even broke out into a rap beat over their beat!
By the end of the course, men that had never DJed before, of all different ages, backgrounds, technical knowledge, and musical taste, showed up for their 15 minutes sets and as Todd Strong put it “absolutely rocked it.”
Give a Beat is very grateful for the opportunity to work with these students and looks forward to continuing this experience in Session 2! Big thank you to the teaching artists and Arts in Corrections for the grants that made these programs possible.
Give a Beat Becomes a New Coordinating Organization For California Arts Council’s Arts in Corrections Program With the Launch of the Prison Electronic Music Program: A Year-Long Course in Two California State Prisons Through June 2020
LOS ANGELES, CA – Electronic music-based nonprofit Give a Beat launched the Prison Electronic Music Program in two California correctional facilities in July 2019 as part of a contract awarded by California Arts Council’s Arts in Corrections (AIC) program. The goal of Give a Beat’s year-long program—which focuses on the fundamentals of DJing and beat production—is to help students develop their own sound expressions and technical acumen while also learning business development and music history. It is designed to help students return to the workforce with valuable technical, social, and entrepreneurial skills. Led by passionate DJs and music producers, currently the course is being taught at California City Correctional Facility (CAC) and Kern Valley State Prison (KVSP). This first Prison Electronic Music Program will run through June 2020. It is Give a Beat’s most expansive and long-term music production offering/course to date. To learn more, please visit https://www.giveabeat.org/programs/#prison-electronic-music-program.
“Give a Beat's use of electronic music to transform the lives and well-being of youth and adults who experience incarceration is an energizing addition to the Arts in Corrections program,” said Anne Bown-Crawford, Executive Director, California Arts Council. “Their work continues to shift the cultural narrative and perception of those experiencing incarceration in many California communities.”
The Prison Electronic Music Program is an introductory course touching on all aspects of DJing and/or music and beat production. Give a Beat is the first arts organization in California to bring in a six-week, four-hour per session curriculum focused on electronic music for rehabilitative arts in prisons. The course repeats five times throughout the one-year contract designed for 12 participants per course. The curriculum focuses on basic technical skills, business development, electronic music history (hip-hop, house, techno and Jamaican dub) and individual empowerment through freedom of expression. On the final day of class, the students perform their DJ sets and/or showcase the composition that they have produced in the class.
Due to the complexities of bringing technology into prisons, the instructors go in with a basic (and lightweight) setup of Native Instruments Traktor S2, Ableton Push 2, 5” powered monitors and headphones with splitters. Give a Beat decided to use PC's to power Traktor Pro 3 and Ableton 10 due to affordability and teaching on an inexpensive setup if the students decide to pursue this craft upon their release.
The workshops focus on the needs of the individual prisons and corresponding population. California City Correctional Facility is a level 2, medium-security facility, where most individuals will be released within two to five years. Give a Beat brings in two professional DJs to teach only DJing since some of the participants can pursue this as a quicker source of income upon release.
Kern Valley State Prison is a level 4, maximum-security facility, where most individuals are serving much longer sentences. Music production is offered here to provide a creative outlet for mental, social and emotional needs for those who won’t be released for years, while simultaneously teaching DJing to all. The students are able to learn both crafts each week, and can choose to focus on one or the other if they have a deeper desire. To qualify to take the courses, students must be on track for parole and of exemplary standing within the prison.
Give a Beat’s programs are aligned with social justice activist Bryan Stevenson’s strategy outlined in his famous “How to Change the World” speech: “The best way to affect social change and get people to become enrolled in criminal justice reform is by getting proximate, changing the narrative, being uncomfortable and maintaining hope.” The Prison Electronic Music Program practices this strategy by connecting professional musicians to work with incarcerated people to help develop tangible skills that can be used professionally upon release, and to share these stories of disenfranchisement to transcendence with the public, engaging hearts and minds that can open up larger pathways to changing policy.
“We believe that mass incarceration requires a call to action from every sector and community,” states Lauren Segal, Founder Give a Beat. “This is not one of those abstract issues that is too big, too far away to do something about. There are a plethora of meaningful ways to get involved that can make a world of difference - from proactively hiring one person with a felony conviction to advocating for large-scale policy change and everything in between. Give a Beat is doing our part with our niche industry and unique community.”
ABOUT:
Give a Beat –
Give a Beat connects the electronic music community with youth and families affected by incarceration. By providing young people with access to professionals in the music industry and related arts, the nonprofit encourages young people to pursue creative career opportunities.
Founded in 2014 on the positive elements in electronic music culture, such as peace, love, empathy, understanding and unity, Give a Beat approaches its programs with these values in mind. Electronic music was created by and for the disenfranchised to have a community in which they felt included, accepted and loved. Give a Beat believes in paying homage to the Black visionaries who created this genre and cultural phenomenon by imparting these values to those that are most disenfranchised and dehumanized today.
Since its inception, Give a Beat has provided more than 50 workshops to approximately 500 youths in partnership with 10 organizations — in juvenile halls, community centers and after-school programs. Give a Beat has also been involved in dozens of electronic music-based community events, panel discussions, and artist- and theme-related online campaigns with the aim of building a movement powered by music, unity, compassion and justice.
Arts in Corrections –
Arts in Corrections is a partnership between the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and the California Arts Council designed to have a positive impact on the behavior and attitudes of people experiencing incarceration, promoting interpersonal and social transformation both inside and outside of the boundaries of their institutions. The partnership is made possible by funding from the Division of Rehabilitative Programs at CDCR. Administered by the California Arts Council, Arts in Corrections programs provide the full spectrum of art disciplines, with organizations offering instruction in visual, literary, media, performing and cultural, folk and traditional arts. Since June 2017, Arts in Corrections has provided programs in all 35 state adult correctional institutions. Learn more https://www.artsincorrections.org.
LINKS:
• Give a Beat - https://www.giveabeat.org
• Give a Beat’s Prison Electronic Music Program - https://www.giveabeat.org/programs/#prison-electronic-music-program
• Give a Beat Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/giveabeat
• Give a Beat Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/giveabeat
• Give a Beat Twitter - https://twitter.com/igiveabeat
• Give a Beat Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/giveabeat
• California’s Arts in Corrections - https://www.artsincorrections.org
OTHER RESOURCES:
• Participating Rehabilitative Arts Organizations - https://www.artsincorrections.org/providers
• Give a Beat’s Programs - https://www.giveabeat.org/programs
• The Marshall Project - https://www.themarshallproject.org
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For more information, photos, or to schedule an interview, please contact Green Galactic’s Lynn Tejada at 213-840-1201 or [email protected].
Get to Know the Artist Behind the Prose of a Con Radio Series: Russell Wardlow
Russell Wardlow and friend at an event at Omaha Correctional Facility.
Give a Beat, DanceGruv Radio, and DJ Times are launching a new radio series: Prose of Con on October 13th. The six-part series will run October 13 through December 22, 2019, with each episode showcasing Russell Wardlow’s prose and poetry, which will be spoken aloud by DJs across the electronic music community.
Wardlow, resident #78756 of the Omaha Correctional Center, composes his work entirely behind bars. His poignant and insightful readings speak to the destructive nature of the prison system as much as they do the healing power of artistic expression, sentiments he and Give a Beat both share.
Get to know more about the artist behind the project by getting familiar with his work.
Russell Writings #10:
I been through the system, symptoms
Been opened my eyes mom and dad was missing, mission
I try to talk to the world but the world won’t listen, vision
When I close my eyes more prayers and wishing
And then I open my eyes, nay Sayers and critics
New places of living, I never prayed for forgiveness
I couldn’t take to religion, too many pages were missing
I worried more about my stomach aches, not my faith that was missing
No help, they ain’t fit to live in the world that I live in
I guess it’s safe to say they stayed in denial from distance
No peers on the side of the aisle when I was on trial as a misfit
Dad dead, mom in prison
Separated from siblings
I hold my head up and wonder if God is listening
Then ask him why I feel pain
So much trauma in my life now I don’t feel pain
I don’t feel sane..I been through this system
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Tune in October 13th 5PM EST: https://www.dancegruv.net/event/proseofacon/ Series will be airing every other Sunday until December 22nd.
Read more of Russell’s work at http://proseofacon.com/
Give a Beat Launches Prison Electronic Music Program
Give a Beat Begins The Prison Electronic Music Program at Two Correctional Facilities in Southern California Focusing on DJing, Producing, and Brand Building
Billy Bannon and Todd Strong on their way to California City Correctional on their first day of the program.
By Julia Bistriceanu
This summer, Give a Beat was invited by the Arts in Corrections program officer to submit a competitive proposal to become one of several arts organizations offering programming in the highly successful and growing movement through the California Prison system. Give a Beat is pleased to announce they were awarded two contracts to begin a pilot program in two prisons in Southern California. With these contracts, Give a Beat launched the Prison Electronic Music Program which will be held weekly starting in August 2019 and running through June 2020.
The Prison Electronic Music Program is a course led by teaching artists/DJs working directly with incarcerated individuals on the fundamentals of DJing and beat production. In additional to technical skills, the students will learn how to create their personal brand as artists. These workshops are intended to introduce creative outlets and technology that many people have never heard of or had a chance to interface with previously. Give a Beat brings in laptops loaded with the latest versions of production software and beat matching technology in order to teach them how to not only create their own music but also mix it into a DJ set to perform for others.
By the end of the program, Give a Beat anticipates each student will be able to recognize their own unique style and sound expression and understand the historical context of electronic music. In addition, this program is designed to help the students return to the workforce with skills that are desired and respected.
Arts in Corrections is a partnership between the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and the California Arts Council designed to have a positive impact on the behavior and attitudes of people experiencing incarceration, promoting interpersonal and social transformation both inside and outside of the boundaries of their institutions.
California’s Arts in Corrections program is made possible by funding from the Division of Rehabilitative Programs at CDCR. Administered by the California Arts Council, Arts in Corrections programs provide the full spectrum of art disciplines, with organizations offering instruction in visual, literary, media, performing, and cultural, folk and traditional arts. Since June 2017, Arts in Corrections has provided programs in all 35 state adult correctional institutions.
The Prison Electronic Music Program is currently underway at California City Correctional and Kern Valley State Prison. The course is led by Give a Beat Program Director/DJ Todd Strong, and teaching artists Billy Bannon and Bill Kehoe.
Give a Beat is beyond grateful to be part of a growing network of arts education in prisons. All these programs are crucial to maintaining a sense of hope, community, and purpose while inside.
Give a Beat Partners with LA County Parks and Recreation to Put On Educational Music Production Lessons
Guest teaching artist group Modap and Give a Beat Program Director Todd Strong.
by Cody Murray
Over the month of May and continuing throughout the summer, we have had the opportunity to partner with LA County Parks and Recreation to host DJ and music production workshops at the Belvedere Community Park in East Los Angeles.
The workshops have been every Monday, beginning at 4 PM in the community center at Belvedere Park. The students attending have the opportunity to practice DJ’ing on a Traktor S2 turntable, graciously provided by Native Instruments. They also get to learn the ropes of electronic music production using Ableton Live.
Recently, we had a guest appearance from Modbap, a group of musicians that create and perform music using modular synthesis, a form of sound design using analog synthesizers. Modbap performed for the students in attendance and afterwards, led a workshop on modular synthesis, allowing the students to get hands on experience with analog sound design!
We would like to thank LA County Parks and Recreation for the opportunity to share music education with the youth through our DJ and music production workshops.
Native Instruments is a leading manufacturer of software and hardware for computer-based audio production and DJing. The company develops innovative, fully-integrated solutions for all musical styles and professions.
Give a Beat Hosts Workshop at New Village Girls Academy with Special Guest Madame Gandhi
March 14, 2019 Give a Beat welcomed Los Angeles-based musician, activist and music industry thinker as guest speaker/performer to the New Village Girls Academy (NVGA).
Madame Gandhi invited the girls to join her dancing during her performance.
By Cody Murray
On March 14th, we had the opportunity to host a DJ and Mentoring workshop with the inspiring Madame Gandhi at the New Village Girls Academy in Los Angeles. At 1 p.m in the quad, the young women began the workshop listening to an uplifting and empowering speech from Madame Gandhi. She inspired them with her story as she shared her journey with them, which includes being a Harvard graduate, world-renowned musician and political activist.
Madame Gandhi’s pre-workshop speech
After her speech, Madame Gandhi gave a live performance for the girls of a few of her songs before moving on to the DJ and mentor portion of the workshop. Madame Gandhi continued to speak to the girls in one room while the DJ workshop happened simultaneously in another. The girls rotated from room to room, taking turns between the powerfully motivating words of Madame Gandhi and creatively inspiring DJ lessons. After the lesson, each girl had an opportunity to mix on a Traktor S2 turntable, graciously provided by Native Instruments.
Madame Gandhi and students doing a thought exercise
This workshop was one of our many efforts, in collaboration with artists, schools and businesses to continue to provide arts education to young people affected by incarceration.
Todd Strong instructing students on how to beatmatch on Native Instruments Traktor
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About Madame Gandhi
“Kiran, who performs as Madame Gandhi, is a Los Angeles-based musician, activist and music industry thinker. She has toured professionally drumming for M.I.A and Thievery Corporation and currently DJs, drums and produces music under her own name. Her song “The Future is Female” climbed to #8 on the Viral US Top 50 Spotify Charts following the 2017 Women’s March and her solo EP Voices has received critical acclaim from outlets like FADER, Paper Mag and Milk. Kiran holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics, Political Science and Women’s Studies from Georgetown (COL ’11) and an MBA from Harvard Business School (2015), and has used her degrees to run her own musical project as well as advise music companies Spotify, Stem, Bonnaroo and D’addario. Between 2011-2013, Kiran worked at Interscope Records for two years as their first ever digital analyst, studying patterns in Spotify and YouTube consumption behavior. In 2015, she ran the London Marathon free-bleeding to combat period stigma around the world, sparking a global viral conversation about how we treat menstruation in various cultures. She now travels often to perform and speak about modern gender equality, and is also working on her full-length album. Madame Gandhi’s mission is to elevate and celebrate the female voice.” FULL BIO HERE
New Village Girls Academy
is the first all-girl charter school in California. The school provides a rigorous curriculum with an individualized learning plan for each young woman based on strengths, needs, interests, goals and plans for a productive future. MORE INFO →
Native Instruments is a leading manufacturer of software and hardware for computer-based audio production and DJing. The company develops innovative, fully-integrated solutions for all musical styles and professions.
Give a Beat to Launch “Prose of a Con” Radio Series with Father’s Day Special
On June 16th, Give a Beat and DanceGruv Radio Kick Off New Radio Series Called Prose of a Con, Featuring the Work of Russell Wardlow, a resident at Omaha Correctional Facility
Give a Beat partners with DanceGruv radio for a new radio series called Prose of a Con, featuring the work of Russell Wardlow. Launching with a special Father’s Day episode, each episode will showcase Wardlow’s prose and poetry, which will be spoken aloud by DJs across the electronic music community. Wardlow, resident #78756 of the Omaha Correctional Center, composes his work entirely behind bars. His poignant and insightful readings speak to the destructive nature of the prison system as much as they do the healing power of artistic expression, sentiments he and Give a Beat both share. Visit Wardlow’s site to read up on his work.
Confirmed DJs for this project include Blackliquid, Mr. V, Myxzlplix, Nickodemus, Oscar P, Pontchartrain, Stacey Hotwaxx Hale, Eli (from Soul Clap), DJ E-Clyps, and Briddy. After their readings, each musician gives an interview about the impact of Wardlow’s work and their own feelings towards ourl system of mass incarceration. With 2.7 million Americans who have a parent in prison, Give a Beat felt it pertinent to air Prose of a Con’s first episode on Father’s Day. This installment, entitled “Dear Josiah” after Wardlow’s son, is read by Pontchartrain and includes an interview with Wardlow himself. Other installments include Surviving Prison, I Was Down, and Ignorance, Not Bliss, each of these pieces a different part of Prose of a Con.
“I want to speak to those too ashamed to voice that they feel alone, unseen and forgotten/misunderstood. To give a voice to those that struggle to voice and identify their pain, while helping them rise from its depths. To those that feel judged, scorned and ashamed by their worst moments, and help them realize it’s just a moment regardless how few or many. I hope to open people’s eyes to prison to keep them from coming or coming back.” — Russell Wardlow
Prose of a Con, a project started by Wardlow in 2017, tells his story as an artist trapped in the prison system. Prose discovered Give a Beat by chance when Wardlow’s partner in the project, Katie Andrews, met Marshall Jones, a Give a Beat member. As the other half of Prose, Andrews uploads all of Wardlow’s “floetry” to the project’s website and Instagram. Both Wardlow and Andrews appear on the radio series to speak about the challenges and rewards of fostering creative freedom when physical freedom remains out of reach.
Tune in June 16th at dancegruv.net for the Father’s Day Special!
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