AP French students got the opportunity to attend a workshop hosted by Webster, a French-Canadian hip-hop artist, last week.
Giving most of his presentation in French, he taught the students about hip-hop composition, how beats are structured and the way they interact with the lyrics. He also stressed the importance of the message behind the music – in his case, themes of historical injustices, racism and courage in the face of adversity.
“He involved his culture’s background into his music, as he rapped about the history of slaves in Quebec,” said Estephanie Estrada ’21. “I have never heard of a rapper who talked about history in his music, and it changed my perspective on rap music and the possibilities that come with it.”
After walking students through various poetic effects, different kinds of rhymes and techniques for inspiration, Webster invited them to try their hand at composing some lyrics. A few students had the courage to share in front of the group.
“I definitely got the sense that they enjoyed it and I can tell you from a teacher’s perspective that they were learning a TON, both in terms of the language and in terms of the cultural context,” said French instructor Dr. Steven Crumb.
