With the help of one multi-platinum rapper, Bronx students overcame their anxieties, learned to freestyle and even starred in a music video filmed at their own school.
Atlanta rapper Latto visited P.S. 369 Young Leaders Elementary school in Mott Haven to teach a class of elementary students the art of freestyle rap, as part of the “Celebrity Substitute” web-series, which sees various public figures share their talents with classrooms across New York City.
In a conversation with “Celebrity Substitute” host Julian Shapiro-Barnum, Latto explained why it’s important for kids to learn about music.
“Specifically rap, I think we get a misunderstood type of outlook when it comes to our genre. So I think maybe we can teach these kids to put some respect on it; it’s actually an art,” Latto said.
As part of each “Celebrity Substitute” episode, a lucky teacher’s Amazon Classroom List is cleared, while their lucky students receive a brief but memorable lesson.
The “Celebrity Substitute” crew aided the Young Leaders Elementary School with new renovations to their auditorium, including new lights and a wireless sound system.
Equally excited and engaged, the students asked Latto about her favorite movie “White Chicks” how much money she has “about $3 in my wallet right now” and if “Ms. Big Mama” has children.
“I bet ‘Big Mama’ is the best mom,” said one student, Alexis.
“Big Mama” is also the name of Latto’s most recent album, the cover of which highlights the pregnancy of her first child.
Latto’s two-hour lesson began with a lesson plan about the art of freestyling, where students creatively rapped about their best friends, which was followed with time to sit down and write a proper verse.
“‘Big Mama’ for me was an audible journey of my pregnancy,” Latto told the classroom. “I was rapping about that experience, being in love, feeling confident and what ‘Big Mama’ meant to me. Now you’re gonna be writing a rap about who your big mama is.”
At the end of their lesson, Young Leaders Elementary School students performed a remix of Latto’s track “Mama” with added verses about their own mothers.
While students got to enjoy the novelty of being featured in a music video, staff were humbled by the generous renovations to the schools’ auditorium.
“Our kids at P.S. 369 are super special to us and every year we have a talent show but we don’t have the best equipment and we really haven’t been able to give them the type of auditorium we deserve,” said Principal Jaleelah Cooke-Coleman.
“As you can see, The Bronx got talent,” third-grade teacher Ms. Morales added.
