Hip Hop Hope

Hip Hop Hope is an exciting 5-day retreat camp that brings together a diverse group of youth to create a Hip Hop CD that challenges and inspires.

Using portable digital studios, youth record beats, songs, raps and poems, most of which are created during Hip Hop Hope. Hip Hop Hope provides an enriching and empowering learning community for youth to express themselves using a musical genre at the core of youth culture. Youth also get to explore issues of media literacy and the controversies surrounding Hip Hop culture before they step behind the mic to say what they think is important and what they think needs to be heard.

Who Hip Hop Hope is for:
Youth ages 14-18 who want to make their voices heard on issues they care about. Power of Hope staff and teaching artists who are skilled musicians, beatmakers, DJs, percussionists, writers, spoken word poets, beat-boxers and more will guide the process. The staff will include regional Hip Hop and Spoken-Word Artists, many of whom are recording artists themselves. Some youth who come to Hip Hop Hope have lots of prior experience with Hip Hop, and some have none — at Hip Hop Hope everyone is welcome.

What’s Required to Get Involved:
You don’t need prior experience singing, composing or recording to be a part of this project—although experience is welcome. What you do need is the desire to speak out on issues that really matter to you and the willingness to participate in building a strong community of support that will help us all do our best work. You can be a part of this project even if you don’t want to perform. There will be lots of opportunities to contribute writing, help with the recording, and keep a positive, supportive vibe going.