Youth

Summer Camp Studs

My Dudes, Youth

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Every year at the end of the eight weeks of  BGC Adventure Camp, each group puts together a performance to share at our Annual Variety Show.  This year, one of the middles school boys groups made their own rap song called “Summer Camp Studs”.  And the beat was so infectious that everyone who heard it wanted to add on to the song with their own verse.  So what started as a small posse cut turned into an epic summer camp anthem featuring 20 MC’s comprised of both middle school boys and male staff (and one female staff who added a cherry on top LOL).  Props to my 8th grade dude Justin aka Snowflake for making the beat on Garage Band, and shout out to all the campers and staff who hopped on the song.  Everyone did their thing (you know I had to get on it), and for most of the campers, and staff too, it was their first time rapping on a song.  We had a blast recording it in our Cultural Arts Center studio (I helped with the arrangement of the song and general production duties), and even more fun performing it at the show last night in front of the whole camp and all of our family and friends.  Give it a listen here, and if you dig it the download link is below too…

DOWNLOAD LINK: BGC ALL STARS “SUMMER CAMP STUDS”

See you next summer!

Bronx Tale

Youth

Yo, I still don’t know what to call these dudes (Flip and Yung Rell?), but I feel their music videos and overall chi.  They are my boy Matty B’s students down in the BX, and the video above is their new clip for a song called “Bac to da Block”.  Check it out, and also check out their other joint “So Long” RIGHT HERE…

River Ciphers Recap

Events, My Dudes, Stan Ipcus, Youth

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The first ever River Ciphers, live from The Rec Room in Dobbs Ferry, was an absolute success.  The store was packed, the performances were great, and the vibe was super positive and fun!  Special thanks to Bahr for helping us to make it happen and providing us with the perfect venue for our cipher.  And a shout out goes to all the performers (some of my young boys from the BGC did their thing as did my boy Matty B above), and of course my dude Marlon “Moshe” Sobol for holding it down on his 28 instruments…HAHAHAHAHA!!  Moshe and I performed some Stan Ipcus songs unplugged in between the open mic performances which came out pretty fresh.  Here’s my two favorites….”Wifey Material” and Let’s Walk”….peep it…

Oh, and we played a game of “SWITCH” with Moshe too.  That was fun, though towards the end he started to auto-switch….ha!  Check it out…

Thanks to everyone who came out to the first ever River Ciphers.  Hope you can make it out for the next one.  All performers and listeners are welcome.  We’re gonna do it again before Labor Day so stay tuned.  Come through and perform, or just sit back and enjoy the music and have a glass of wine or sangria or iced tea.  Or do both!!!!  For more videos from the event, including clips of the open mic performers, please click the link below.  See you next time!!!!

RIVER CIPHERS PERFORMANCE VIDEO PLAYLIST

First Born

Interviews, My Dudes, Youth

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I think this summer is the perfect time to introduce my young dude Nivele’s music to the hip hop blogosphere.  Nivele, formerly known as Sosa (birthname Xavier Simmons), is DMX’s oldest son.  Born in Yonkers, Nivele has lived in Mount Kisco, NY for the past decade, and is entering his junior year of high school in the fall.  He’s sixteen, but you’d never know it from his rap skills, or his work ethic.  This kid is dedicated and passionate about his music, and can rap better than most grown men.  His vocab is excellent, his flow is precise, and he’s a professional when it comes to getting in the booth (he one takes most of his verses). 

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Nivele and I have known each other for two years now.  He frequents the Cultural Arts Center I run almost daily, making use of the recording and production equipment we have.  He keeps mostly to himself, but is very popular, and respected by his elders for his talent too.  I posted some of his stuff last summer after he was featured in XXL magazine (see article above), both solo and with his group Hood Legacy, but since then he’s been focusing mostly on his own career and his first official project, 1st Semester, recorded professionally at a local studio with his older friend and mentor producer Black.  He’s sold a bunch of burned copies at school, but for the most part it is still unheard.  So here at Westcheddar, we are going to give it an official launch.  But not today.  Next week, on July 29th, we will release the entire project, which features production by frequent DMX collaborator Dame Grease, his high school friend Matt Millz, and some original production too (in addition to him going in over some industry beats).  Check out this three part interview I did with Nivele where he discusses his creative process, suburban lifestyle, thoughts on current and past rappers (including his dad), meeting Nas and Jay-Z and hanging out with the LOX as a kid, how he plans to make his mark as a rap, uh, excuse me, pop star, and much more…

And here’s three exclusive songs from 1st Semester, which officially drops online for free download next week…

Nivele “Gossip” over the Weezy song

Nivele “Dreams” Produced by Dame Grease

Nivele “Stalker” Produced by Nivele

Stay tuned to Westcheddar for more Nivele, including a track by track interview breakdown of 1st Semester, coming next week along with the free download of the full project…hollerrrrrr.

Air Yeezy and iPod Touch Coloring Sheets

Coloring Sheets, Youth

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I’m back baby!  Got some fresh new coloring sheets for the 2009 camp season.  Only the flyest pages for the youth.  Try to find these somewhere else in the world.  Yes, I take pride in my coloring sheets (I draw them myself).  Usually, for the sneaker sheets I draw one sneaker nice and big for the kids to color (see the bottom of this post), but I thought it would be cool for the Air Yeezy (Kanye West’s new Nike sneaker) to give them a chance to design their own collection, since that’s what Kanye did.  Here’s a couple examples of what the kids did with them.  These were done by a couple of pre-teen members that frequent my Cultural Arts Center at the BGC (Boys and Girls Club)…

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Check out my other new one, the iPod Touch.  The kids love this one.  I’m excited to see what they can do with it.  Check out a couple examples below of what they’ve done so far.  Not bad huh?

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And here is the first Sneaker of the Week winner from the 2009 summer season, off one of my original sneaker designs…

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Stay tuned for more winning designs from this summer.  And for all previous Sneaker and iPod of the Week winners, and more sneaker coloring sheets and other fresh pages for kids, check the link below…

WESTCHEDDAR COLORING SHEETS

The Office

Youth

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My desk.  As you can see I’m a total neat freak.  This is where I’m at everyday.  Just me and the youth.  Here’s a link to a closer look at some of the hip hop activities that go on up here (for those of you who might have missed it when it was originally posted), and an additional link to the rest of the Westcheddar posts focused on kids.  Now back to the grind…

Leaders of the New School

Westcheddar YOUTH

Dumb and Dumber

Youth

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Summer Camp officially starts tomorrow, and every year, there’s always a few crazy kids that really keep me entertained.  I’ve got a couple this summer that I’m looking forward to goofing around with.  But these two above were the craziest, funniest, weirdest, most off the hook campers I ever had.  They attended my Teens on the Run travel camp (they started as middle schoolers) that I used to direct in the early 2000’s down in Maryland, and they made every day a blast.  They were out of control in the most hilarious way.  I think the picture above says it all.  I mean, they dressed up like that for every trip.  Legendary.  Thanks for the memories fellas.  Hope college is treating you well (from the looks of your Facebook, it is).  The offer is still available to come visit me in New York sometime, though I don’t think my wife would be able to handle more than 5 minutes with you two lunatics.  Enjoy your summer. 

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Where are they now?  Look below…

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“You two donkey dicks couldn’t get laid in a morgue.” – Chet, Weird Science

WP’s Finest

My Dudes, Youth

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Gotta show some love to my dude Sancheeze a.k.a. Mr. Sanchez, a teacher at Highlands Middle School who has been overseas since April with the U.S. Army in Iraq.  Check the picture he posted on Facebook today, sending his congrats back home to his students in White Plains.  Awesome.  Shout out to all the students celebrating graduations this year, and all our soldiers overseas…peace and love…

With or Without You

Sports, Youth

After school programs across the country provide a safe environment for kids to hang out, do their homework, and participate in stimulating cultural and athletic activities.  Ever wonder what it would be like without them?  Well with the recession, many of these programs are suffering and on the verge of having to close their doors.  My boys up in Y-Town Northern Westchester, who I work with once a week, made a comedic video (above) to explore what life would be like without their beloved after school program.  Hahaha!!!  And below is a behind the scenes “day in the life” style look at one of their crazy kickball games… 

Isn’t kickball the best?  Support your local after school programs…

Dance Or Go Home

Youth

Here’s a couple highlights from D Cole’s latest installment of Dance Or Go Home, where New York’s finest Get Dark dancers battle for city supremacy.  Above is the well known Mr. Youtube vs. Mr. Jones (dude is kinda nice!!), and below is Tokyo vs. Kid Pat.  Both are great battles, displaying lots of new Get Dark styles and moves…

Anyone like me who works with kids in NYC, Westchester, Long Island, or even farther out, probably knows that this style of dance has a strong movement behind it.  For a behind the scenes look, Westcheddar style of course, CLICK HERE.  And to stay up to date with all the new battles, check out D Cole’s Youtube page on the reg.  Peace.

D Cole’s Youtube Page