Students at Madison-Oneida BOCES are stars in a new music video.
The video called, "The Groovy Project," features New York City hip hop and jazz fusion artist Natekid. The song is a remix of Jim Post's 1960's anti-racism song, "Reach Out of the Darkness." Natekids remix has an anti-bullying message. A problem students a Madison-Oneida BOCES students like Kevin Drake say they can relate to. " I've experienced a lot of bullying. That is part of the reason why I don't like my old school. I can't stand being bullied and I can't stand other people being bullied," he says.
Broadway producer Jennifer Maloney-Prezioso says she and Natekid came up with the idea for " The Groovy Project" about a year and a half ago as a way to spread the songs anti-bullying message to kids. "Honestly if we came in here with a lesson plan about bullying I don't think any of these guys would care about it. It just wouldn't mean anything. But if we came in here and say we are going to shoot a music video, that is something that gets everybody engaged," she says.
The five and a half minute song features Natekid walking through the halls of the school using rap lyrics to spread his positive message to students. " In the lyrics, I say you found kindness was cool. You can't really say that because it sounds corny but you can rap that," he says.
The Groovy Project is more than a music video, it is also a social media experiment. Prezioso and students at Madison-Oneida BOCES hope their anti-bullying message goes viral. Their goal is one million Youtube hits. But students like Melissa Carpenter say no matter what happens, the song has already had a positive impact. " Since this video everybody's attitude is different. Now, we are getting along; it is so much better in our school," she says.
For more information: awakenentertainmentllc.com and natekid.com
