I had the pleasure last semester to take the Hip Hop initiative course at my school (NCCU) where my teachers 9th Wonder and Christopher 'Play' Martin (from Kid & Play) schooled me on the history of Hip Hop, from the birth of it to where we stand today. Despite the writing extensive content that went along with it, it was DEFINITELY a great experience. 9th also has a studio on campus fully equipped with all the right weaponry (Pro-Tools) and with it there has been a plethera of talented students graciously working with 9th like M1-Platoon, a 5 man group of 19 year-olds from Washington D.C., who are all students at Central, Kooley High and Young Swift, a 17 year old from Durham, who's in a pre-college program at Central. So 9th talks about a track he did with some of the students:

Basically, we are in there at most 4 days a week, or at least when I am in town. It has became a haven for kids who have a love for music, and to fellowship with ones who want a change in it....We call this place...DE STUSO....DE STU was packed as usual...

Big Chopps and Arafat Yates(Get Tha Cakes), heard the beat and was like..."YEAAAH, I remember this jam....you made this one in the A, whassup with THAT jam?"

Now....its about 12 rappers in the studio by now, with friends and associates alike, HOWNGRY to rap....

I was like "ok...ima put 7 cats on this joint...everybody can try out.....but only 7 rappers can get on the jam....."

well....everybody scrambles for pen and paper......12 cats.......all writing at the same time......reciting there rhyme...practicin' the flows...all that...

So....in the control room it sat me, my assistant Alleis(Softserve) and Picasso(resident beatmaker extraordinaire....

One by one, each rapper entered the booth, and lefted the booth 2 flame in their wake.....it got MORE and MORE impossible for me to CUT somebody....and at the end...I DIDN'T.....

The crazy thing is...the age of these kids range from 17 to 22......with most of them being UNDER 20

so...I bring to yall B-BALL TRYOUTS......starring in order of appearance...

GUOP THE GREAT
PRICELESS
TEE-THREE
BIG CHOPPS(M1-PLATOON)
PHOCUZ
ARAFAT CAKES(M1-PLATOON)
YOUNG SWIFT
SCOOPAY(M1-PLATOON)
BLAIR THE GLARE
C-4 BLACK(M1-PLATOON)
REP
RAPSODY(KOOLEY HIGH)

B-Ball Tryouts - 9th Wonder, M1-Platoon, Rapsody, Young Swift & Others

Shout outs to my NCCU fam and everybody in DE STU!