Untitled - Narodowe Centrum Kultury

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Rap
Workshop for
Beginners
Rap Workshop for Beginners
is a series of workshops run
by the Culture Practitioners
Association and funded by the
Cultural Centre+ Programme.
f
or several years now, as part of
culture animation projects run
at the youth correctional facility
in Falenica, we have used rap music. We developed
a “rap method” in our workshops,
which puts emphasis on words and stories. In
our first project, which involved a group of
girls from the Falenica facility, we added new
lines to existing songs and changed lyrics of
rap songs. Then the girls, under our guidance,
wrote their own lyrics on a freely chosen or
assigned topic. We found this to be a universal
method of culture animation, combining individual
work with teamwork, and rhythmbased
work with creative expression through
writing and rapping lyrics. We decided to
adapt it to a different context.
the project
We arrive, set up the equipment, invite the
group in. We begin by talking about rap music
– discussing its sources, explaining what
it is all about. We stress that rap originated
as socially committed music that called for
equal rights and social change, that it expressed
discontent. Rap is above all a deliberate
statement – this is key for us.
Then comes a rhythmic warm-up: we
count to four, clapping our hands, stamping
our feet. The first assignment is to come up
with several rhyming lines starting with “One,
two, three, four”. Participants work in small
groups, jotting down lines excitedly. Some
rhymes come naturally, others need to be
worked on. We help. After about 15 minutes
we reform the circle. It’s time to present your
work. Some participants are still shy, others
rhyme with ease, trying to get the feel of the
beat. We repeat the lyrics many times. Then
we add the mike. In the meantime everyone
has the chance to add new lines. At first they
are allowed to write anything they like as long
as the lines rhyme. Then we encourage them
to strive for meaning. In the process we ask
questions like: What is this song about Is this
what you really want to say
We hone the beat, flow, intonation,
stage presence. Finally, we record the songs
in a portable recording studio set up in the
adjacent room or in a car.
target groups / methods
The method we have been developing for
a few years during our workshop involves
the creation of short narrative forms – typically
songs, but also fairy tales, short stories
and recorded tales. For all their differences,
these forms have one thing in common:
they can be used to convey an important
message.
The work can also serve as the jumping-off
point to provoke thinking, reflection,
questions like: What is important to me What
do I want to speak up about What are the
things I don’t accept What do I like/dislike
Workshops are aimed at young people
aged 7 and over. There is not upper age
limit as long as participants come from the
same age group. We have experience leading
workshops with both 7-year-olds and people