By Isaac Mell
When Doc Harrill, aka Dee Jay Doc, walks around his Glenville/University Circle neighborhood, he does not see what other people see.
When others focus on abandoned buildings, Harrill looks at the adjacent plot, where an urban garden grows. When others notice signs of crimes, he acknowledges the efforts of the neighborhood block watch. And where others view disadvantaged youth, Harrill sees musicians, lyricists and MCs.
All it takes is a fresh look and a breath of fresh air—hence The FRESH Camp, his hip-hop recording camp for Glenville/University Circle nine- to sixteen-year-olds. The two-week, half-day camp (Mon 7/16 Fri 7/27) has received grants from Famicos Foundation and Neighborhood Connections, support from families, outreach by community leaders like Cheryl Johnson and Pam Adams, and funds from an online campaign.
To Harrill, artistic collaboration leads to positive change.
“When the students see how we transform an old house into a turntable lab and recording studio, they see what’s possible with a little imagination and effort,” Harrill writes. “Their eyes light up and they have hope of what exciting music they can create. I’ve seen the confidence increase on the final performing day, after the students hold their finished recording in their hands, knowing how they created it from scratch.”
Children start from scratch in another sense—by learning how to “scratch” turntables and make beats. Then students brainstorm together: What can they do to make their neighborhood better? They turn the concepts into rhymes, the rhymes into vocals, and the vocals into recordings (it is during the studio sessions, Harrill says, “when it all seems to gel and make sense for them”). The children celebrate their accomplishments at the CD release party, during which they share their new skills by performing for their families.
In an expansion of last year’s pilot program, The FRESH Camp now offers a culinary component.
Harrill writes, “Chef Brian Doyle from Sow Food is dedicated to working with Cleveland communities to provide fresher food access, and as a part of their goals, he’s helping us. He’s doing a special cooking lesson where students will create their own lunch from fresh ingredients grown here.”
Children will eat fresh food every day, including produce like blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and squash. Students will also take field trips to “local parks, urban gardens, and places we can find art and entrepreneurial ideas that are inspiring and growing.” For instance, they will help create a multimedia installation for Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
Of course, the camp is still grounded in hip-hop, which is the way that Harrill developed his own self-assurance as an adolescent. Through The FRESH Camp, he returns the favor to the current generation—a chance to discover talents that nobody expected.
Consider the case of Deangelo, a child with a disability that affects his speech. When he first volunteered to take the mic, people were prepared to applaud an honest attempt. And that’s when Deangelo revealed his gifts: impeccable timing, combined with a limitless energy.
Harrill says Deangelo had “the best rhythm at camp and the most guts. Every chance he got, he was on the microphone leading chants like, ‘When I say hip, you say hop. Hip!’
‘HOP!’
‘Hip!’
‘HOP!’”
Another child, Desmond, started out tentatively, unfamiliar with the methods of leading a chant. Yet somewhere along the way, he got it—with newfound charisma and rhythm, he would “rise to be one of the best MCs at his camp.”
That’s The FRESH Camp philosophy: Everybody is welcome, everybody has something to show. This is especially important in a neighborhood that may be outwardly struggling, but inwardly strong. In a theme song he created for the camp, Harrill inspires listeners to work together to make life better for everyone. “Give the little that you have, just make it your best,” he raps. “That’s how we cultivate FRESH.”
For more information, visit http://TheFreshCamp.com or email doc@deejaydoc.com.
Isaac Mell grew up in South Euclid, OH and attended American Jewish University in Los Angeles. He welcomes conversations with potential employers, collaborators and friends.
One Response to “The FRESH Camp: Hip-hop Improving Community”
Being the Change…. | Tinamou Consulting, LLC
[…] FRESH Camp (see http://www.coolcleveland.com/blog/2012/06/the-fresh-camp-hip-hop-improving-community/ is a synthesis of all his talent and promises to change the way the youth in his neighborhood […]