Anthony's Podcast: Music Mayhem with Anthony by Anthony

Anthony's Podcast: Music Mayhem with Anthony by Anthony - August 2018 Scholarship Essay

The accessibility that students have to information has skyrocketed since the increase of technology. Methods of gathering information can range from the placing questions into search engines to texting someone for an answer. However, one method that has been very effective for many students, yet is never outwardly expressed are podcasts. If I were the creator of a popular podcast, it would focus on the art of rapping and how to recording one's own voice. Now, one might ask how is this an educational podcast? My response would simply be that education is anything that can be taught and learned and transferred to others. There is a lot that goes into the creative process of writing and vocalizing one's words and thoughts. Cultures are heavily reliant on music and by teaching the youth the realities and hardships that go into pursuing music we secure the evolution of culture and the progression of sound.

There is no one or concrete way to become a lyrical master. Through my own endeavors, I have found that with the proper guidance someone can choose what works for them, thus synthesizing a method that fits them as an artist and an individual. A common comparison that I used to make sense of what I am saying are the systems placed in institutionalized academia. During my time in high school, in English class, when writing essays there were set rules and/or rubrics that students had to follow. These rubrics are simply "training wheels" that were waiting to be mastered then taken off. This concept is also very applicable, especially when rapping. Once a person masters the basics of any concept they give themselves more freedom to experiment and create their own set of rules unique to them. That is what my ultimate goal would be. To be a catalyst for the next generation of the new talent. However, to do that a person would need a set structure for this imaginary, yet very possible podcast.
The foundation is the most important part to any project because without it, no matter how brilliant the idea, can never truly progress and develop. The structure I would take for my podcast is simple. I would break it into 4 sessions a month running anywhere from an hour to two-and-a-half hours. The overall goal would be to open students and the public to the multi-billion dollar industry of Hip hop and rap., I would have special guests like recording artists or talented producers whose purpose would be to explain what worked for them while also taking time to answer viewers' questions. By doing this I would unlock some of the biggest mysteries and myths of the industry that are emphasized and propagated through social media outlets.

My first podcast would discuss the different generic rhythmic schemes and patterns used in popular hip hop and rap. Cadence is very important in rap music. We would first explore the musical definition of cadence. Cadence is simply the sequence of notes, chords, and sounds that are comprised into a musical phrase. After being able to define and understand the term, we would then discuss its importance to a rapper and that artist's sound. I would say something along the lines of, "Delivery is everything. It shows everyone listening to you that you have a unique sound that is yours and yours alone. Think of cadence as a musical sentence...if you're boring when reading that sentence out loud everyone won't wanna listen to you." After this portion of the podcast, I would then bring a guest, maybe someone like Smino because of his unique sound. This would be an amazing lesson and opportunity for students to learn about hip hop.

The more exposure to that a person gets the better that person will understand that topic. Music is a part of our daily lives while podcasts are part of our academic life. However, why do these two lives have to be different? With this podcast we can de-stigmatize and increase the importance of arts in our educational system. My podcast would not only engage the artistic minds of the youth, it would create a space where people can actually learn to harness their skills as if it were an educational course.