BY CHEMELLE RICE
The Grammy-winning rapper gave the generous amount of $75,000 to help create the inspirational space at the “Strawberry Mansion High School”, the 28-year-old Canadian said he was “deeply affected by a news report on the challenges faced by the Philadelphia students”. Although the charitable studio was finished last summer, the Principal Linda Cliatt-Wayman said “budget problems combined with the school’s reputation for violence made it hard to find a music teacher. We thought we were going to be ready to go in September. They’ve been dying to get in to the studio”
THE BIG GESTURE:
Drake became involved after ABC News aired a program focusing on Wayman’s tough-love efforts to improve the school, which serves one of the city’s poorest and most dangerous neighborhoods. Campus assaults have dropped dramatically since Wayman arrived two years ago, but academics and resources remain a struggle. Less than a quarter of Strawberry Mansion students perform at grade level in math and reading. When Drake came to Philadelphia during his past concert tour in October 2013, he invited members of the school community to a private gathering before the show. That is when Rihanna’s ex surprised them by announcing the awesome gift. “This is about you”. He pointed out “This is about your principal. This is about your future. The students screamed with over-whelming joy. “I love you. I care about you. I want to see you succeed.” Well Drake is a big softy after all. How sweet!
Building the Rappers generous studio meant having to purchase tones of new equipment to go with the new decor: new keyboards, acoustical accessories plus cleaning and painting long-disused sound booths at the fruitfully named Strawberry Mansion. The equipment isn’t exactly the most fancy or expensive in terms of brands, according to Cliatt-Wayman ,but it offers them a standard basic music technology and the right amount of guidance for their masses. Members of Drake’s talented crew completed the work over the summer, wow! Drake even sent in enforcements to get the ball rolling, he got tired of keeping the kids waiting according to Strawberry’s Principal. To top off the hard graft the Philadelphian’s hopeless search for a teacher came to an end when part-time music teacher Ben Diamond arrived in early February of this year. Diamond being a highly appropriate name to have considering you saved them Ben. After all the waiting was over- 50 teens signed up immediately “You have to prove everything to them,” said Wayman. “So many people disappoint them.”
INSPIRED STUDENTS:
Former student Josiah Showell, a junior who has mastered beats- teamed up with eager to teach freshman Zalmir Deputy on the keyboards and senior rapper Jerrick Fripps. The trio recorded their first record within days of entering the strawberry mansion studios. Teen Showell only had the chance to compose music on his phone before this phenomenal facility arrived – and he never shared his tracks with anyone at all. “Without the studio, no one would still know I do music,” said the 17 year old. He elaborated “The studio inspired me to bring out the love of music that I have inside of me”
“Many of them don’t have very many other reasons to be excited about coming to school,” Music teacher Diamond divulged “To be able to give them an outlet for things they want to express is very special.”
Zalmir Deputy, 15, thanked “Headline” rapper Drake for his effortless generosity and hopes the world class performer might consider revisiting one day between his busy daily schedules. “I really appreciate it”… Zalmir focused “because this is what we really needed,” Drake’s new album “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” came out last month on February 13th, his representatives have not yet responded to the comments and requests of the students but to keep them more than satisfied for now The Toronto born; originally born Aubrey took time to feature on a song labelled “Amen” by Strawberry Mansion itself. What a nice man Drake is.
