ME AND MY SCHOOL Project (essay)

Photo: Gavin Evans

They say all good/bad things come in threes. Here is the third of my writings on hip-hop and education. This one is less about hip-hop, although it does get a reference and much of the work I discuss in this essay informs my current practice and feeds into the HipHopEd work I am involved in. I wrote this in 2006 at the end of a year participating in the TAP Programme and it is presented here without appendices and with a few incomplete references.
TAP was a professional development programme for artists and teachers. It took participants on a highly creative and academically rigorous exploration of their own and each others practices and pedagogies. TAP focussed on multi-disciplinary approaches, creative risk-taking, relationships and collaboration. Run by L.I.F.T. and accredited by the I.O.E., TAP was an innovative and rewarding experience that hugely developed my understanding of teaching, learning and creativity.

*Obviously it lost its funding and now only exists in articles on the internet


ME AND MY SCHOOL Project By Chris Beschi (2006)

When Words Collide on iPlayer + download

Last night's BBC Radio 1Xtra documentary, "When Words Collide, was a truly epic look at hiphop, poetry and education. Made by sound recordist and documentarian Nick Taylor, this programme featured the words and work of such luminaries as Chuck D, KRS One, TY, Mystro, Akala, Mos Def and Dels from the hiphop camp, and Kate Tempest, Angry Sam, Mark Grist, Deanna Rodger, Scroobius Pip, Polar Bear, Kat Francois and many more.

Stand out contributions came from Kate and Akala, whose linking of hiphop and poetry through time was enough to have a spoken word performer and hip hop head like me shouting, "Tell DEM!" at my laptop screen!

The show, presented by Nihil, is available to listen back on iPlayer

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Download link

Big props to everyone who contributed and especially to Nick for doing the damn thang!

peaCe

Wordamouth 2011 - Welcome back!

Wordamouth kicks back off for 2011 at the first of two exciting new venues. FreeStyles at Favela Chic retains the high standard of performance and revelry that it brought to the Live Room. Hosted by myself and Angry Sam, FreeStyles showcases the best in Spoken Word poetry for a creative and conscious audience. Favela Chic is one of the hottest venues in the capital and Wordamouth are taking full advantage of its support for poetry.

The first event at Favela is on 8th February (flyer above) and features HKB FiNN, Cole Salewicz (The Savage Nomads) and Anna Le (Sage and Time). The event is partly sponsored by ethical clothing company Statemeant who are supplying me with clothing in return for props! Check 'em out and buy a T-shirt!

There is no open mic at this event, but fear not - Wordamouth sparks up at another new venue at the end of March that will offer a larger, brighter spotlight to the poetry scenes emergent laureates. Alaska Studios is the venue and Waterloo the area. A 2min walk from 'the Imax', Alaska offers a warm welcome to a plethora of creative talent. Wordamouth is proud to be part of the roster. More news on that later...

Dates:

8/2/2011 - Wordamouth presents FreeStyles @ Favela Chic, 8-1am, Free Entry.

poets: HKB FiNN, Cole Salewicz, Anna le

DJs: curious, Billy, Anarkali Elektra

8/3/2011 - Wordamouth presents FreeStyles @ Favela Chic, 8-1am, Free Entry.

Poets: Johnny 'Fluffypunk' Seagrove + support

Djs: curious + guests

26/3/2011 - Wordamouth @ Alaska, 8-Midnight, £5/4 - OPEN MIC

Poets: tbc

Djs: curious + guests

12/4/2011 - Wordamouth presents FreeStyles @ Favela Chic, 8-1am, Free Entry.

Poets: Sessions and the Bear (Polar Bear, Session Noisses)

Djs: curious, Session Noisses + guests

Wordamouth - Old to the New

BIG LOVE to everyone who came down to Wordamouth on 22nd November. The jam might not have been packed but the mic was busy all night. The enigmatic straight talk of Tim Wells was counter-pointed nicely by Charlie Dupre's rhythmic onslaughts and Swing-hop spitting. The open mic was live as usual. Stand-out for me was Nathan Guessask's tale of incarceration, but a shout goes out to Richard Marsh; Chip Grimm; Hayley Stevens and Catherine for representing lovely.

Here's the pics:

curious

Charlie Dupre

Tim Wells

Hayley Stevens

Richard Marsh

Chip Grimm

Catherine

Nathan Guessask

Still to come in 2010 is the Wordamouth New Years Hold Up at The Live Room on 29th December. Great line up for this one with, hip-hop spokenword supremo HKB Finn bringing his own brand of vibes; Paul Case aka Captain of the Rant will be spitting his use fire of satire and Prisoner turned poet, Chris Syrus brings his own guitarist to the party to get the party started with some positive movements. The mic will be open as ever, with the added bonus of a dj on stage for the MCs who want to drop on a beat or for those that just want to get their jam on...

2011 - Look out for more spoken word from Wordamouth as we plan a move out of North London towards a more central location as well as getting down with plans to set a sister night up in Birmingham, courtesy of Wordamout family member, Hayley Stevens. Nothing is finalised yet, but there's big ting a gwan for Wordamouth in the New Year, stay aware. peaCe