<p></p><p><b>Mr. Stephan</b> shares that <b>Music Appreciation students</b> recently completed a study of the <b>birth of Hip-Hop in the South Bronx</b>, and were asked to compose a historically accurate original verse for Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five's song "<a href="https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DPobrSpMwKk4&data=02%7C01%7CRIngram3%40schools.nyc.gov%7Ccfc8b8d4bdfa405984fd08d80aecbea9%7C18492cb7ef45456185710c42e5f7ac07%7C0%7C0%7C637271359217226764&sdata=sUB%2Bu33p0gblRVlRR7oSx42wC7n3tcTgdXcs2YDsT%2Bo%3D&reserved=0">The Message</a>". Here are some excerpts of student verses, best enjoyed while listening to the background music of "<a href="https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Ftime_continue%3D11%26v%3DXzSt8EaIT9Q%26feature%3Demb_title&data=02%7C01%7CRIngram3%40schools.nyc.gov%7Ccfc8b8d4bdfa405984fd08d80aecbea9%7C18492cb7ef45456185710c42e5f7ac07%7C0%7C0%7C637271359217226764&sdata=lMH1HlDxa1cLIfOp8ja1O8a9RopziR%2FalU3nu8uJpzE%3D&reserved=0">The Message</a>". (photo credit: <i>Photograph: Jamel Shabazz)</i><br/><br/> <i>Think you're so upright, but you only spread terror.</i><br/><i> Ripped down cabinet doors, slashed sofas, shattered mirrors.</i></p><p><i>The same ol' story, same ol' bias.</i><br/><i> Police defenders ain't nothin but a crisis.</i></p><p><i>Creepin' down Harlem, I can still smell the ashes,</i><br/><i> And see the blood dotted sidewalk, from all the clashes.</i></p><p><i>Right up here, a life was taken with no rue,</i><br/><i> Our community's shaken, we'll make you pay your due.</i></p><p><i>This vicious cycle, when will it end?</i><br/><i> The day it does would be a godsend.</i></p><p>–Lyrics by <b>Phoebe Zheng</b></p><p><i>the race riots started in Harlem, rippling through American cities like a wildfire</i><br/> <i>we just avenging the death of a 15 year old, caught in the crossfire</i></p><p><i>they are getting too violent though</i><br/><i> with arson, breaking windows, stealing precious cargo</i><br/><i> we may be going at it wrong but we are just tired of it</i><br/> <i>All the hate, the police brutality, why can't we throw a fit</i></p><p><i>why don't the police care about us, what's wrong</i><br/><i> What's it gonna take for us to belong? should we just sing our swan song?</i><br/><i> in ‘66, New York was left at a standstill</i><br/><i> buses and subways on strike, we need help, Capitol Hill</i></p><p><i>trains screech to a stop, city buses grinder to a halt</i><br/> <i>Can someone tell me who is at fault?</i></p><p>–Lyrics by <b>Rahma Abdallah</b></p>
