Essence and Berklee Announce Third Teen Hip-Hop Songwriting Contest

Five winners will receive Berklee scholarships; Yo-Yo, Pete Rock, Roxanne Shante among judges

January 15, 2008

Essence's Take Back the Music campaign and Berklee College of Music are again looking for the next generation of hip-hop stars. Since 2005, Take Back the Music has examined the ways in which black women are depicted in popular music and videos. The campaign continues to promote balance in mainstream hip-hop's messages, and remains the inspiration behind the third songwriting contest.

Three winners will receive scholarships to attend a high school music program at Berklee this summer and perform at the 2008 Peace Hip-Hop Festival at Boston's City Hall Plaza. Two runners-up will study online at Berkleemusic.com at no charge. Entry forms and contest details are posted at Essence.com/takebackthemusic and Berklee.edu.

Last year's winners meet the mayor. From left: Prince Charles Alexander, Berklee professor; Nicholas Garcia, Lodi, NJ; Justin McGibbon, Keasby, NJ; Thomas M. Menino, mayor of Boston; Jake Bragg, Columbus, OH; Cynthia Gordy, Essence assistant editor. Photo by Phil Farnsworth.

Students 15 to 19 who are unsigned songwriters and/or producers have until March 10, 2008 to submit their original songs. Judging will be based on innovative lyrics that convey a positive message, as well as melody and composition. Berklee judges will be professors Prince Charles Alexander (music production and engineering), Pat Pattison (songwriting), Mike Hamilton (music production, Berkleemusic.com), and Da'Raya Wilson (student, 2006 contest winner).

Judges include Pete Rock (renowned producer, rapper/DJ with credits as a solo artist and with CL Smooth), Roxanne Shante (pioneering MC once with the Juice Crew, now mentoring young women rappers and practicing psychology), and Yo-Yo (Grammy-nominated rapper, advocate for female empowerment). A group of Berklee scholars will be announced soon.

Three winners will attend the 2008 Berklee Five-Week Summer Performance Program (July 12–August 15), which immerses students in performance, music theory, and music technology, with electives focused on songwriting, music synthesis, and music business. Two of the three winners will receive the grand prize of a full scholarship, including tuition and room and board (each valued at $6,930). The second-place winner will receive a tuition-only scholarship (valued at $4,130). These three winners will also perform at the 2008 Peace Hip-Hop Festival on August 2 at Boston's City Hall Plaza.

Two runners-up will select from a diverse catalog of courses for online study at Berkleemusic.com. Courses are valued between $695 and $1,195.

Contest Winners Find Success

The 10 finalist songs from last year's contest were posted on both Essence.com and Berklee.edu, and were heard by more than 27,000 listeners. MSNBC interviewed two of last year's winners about their positive songs live. Boston mayor Thomas M. Menino invited the winners studying in Boston to perform their songs backed by a group of Berklee students at his 2007 Peace Hip-Hop Festival, headlined by De La Soul and Slick Rick. Additionally, 2006 grand-prize-winner Da'Raya Wilson—who didn't know about Berklee before the contest but found a place to work on her dream of a career in music when she did—is now in her first year at the college on a full scholarship.

The top three winners of last year's Teen Hip-Hop Songwriting Contest perform at the Peace Hip-Hop Festival at Boston's City Hall Plaza: Nicholas Garcia, Lodi, NJ; Justin McGibbon, Keasby, NJ; and Jake Bragg, Columbus, OH. Photo by Phil Farnsworth.

For editorial information or digital photos, the media may contact:

Allen Bush
Office of Public Information, Berklee College of Music
617 747-2658
abush@berklee.edu

Sheila Harris
Essence
212 522-1089

Ra'Chelle Rogers
Essence
212 522-2724

Related Links

• Wellesley High School student finishes Top 10 in nationwide songwriting contest (Wellesley Townsman, June 26, 2008)
• Sanford student runner up in national hip-hop contest (Lakes Region Weekly, May 21, 2008)
• Brockton Teen Hits Right Notes (Brockton Enterprise, May 12, 2008)
• Rapper Wins Again (Boston Globe South, May 8, 2008)
• Lehigh Count teen wins in songwriting contest (The Mornng Call, April 24, 2008)
• A Bad Rap (Harvard Crimson, April 24, 2008)
• Big Shoes to Fill in Songwriting Contest (Friendswood Journal, April 22, 2008)
• Detroiter in hip-hop finals (Detroit Free Press, April 9, 2008)
• Hip-hop contest seeks positive messages (Boston People's Voice, February 1, 2008)
• Local Teen Performs in Hip-Hop Festival (Community News, August 15, 2007)
• With Positive Message, Local Rapper Wins Essence Contest (The New Jersey Sentinel, May 23, 2007)
• Phantom, a Lodi Teen, Gains Attention in Hip-Hop Contest (North Jersey Herald News, April 27, 2007)
• Got wholesome hip-hop? (The St. Louis American, February 28, 2007)
  
• Seeking Talented Teens (Boston Globe, February 8, 2007)
• Teen rapper's New Song Wins Nationwide Contest (Columbus Dispatch, May 5, 2006)
• A New Star is Born in Brockton (The Enterprise, May 5, 2006)
• Taking Back "My Hump" (Inside Higher Education, January 31, 2006)
• Aiming for an Alternative Hip-Hop (Boston Globe, January 30, 2006)
  

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