A charity co-founded by Kanye West is working with a local Chicago church to offer a free music training program to at-risk youth on the city’s South Side. Donda’s House, named for West’s late mother, and St. Sabina Church have teamed up to host “Got Bars?,” a 10-week course that will teach students between 15 and 24 to write and record their own music, Chicago radio station WBEZ reports. Grammy-winning rapper Rhymefest, a West collaborator who co-founded Donda’s House, will spearhead the studio sessions. The program will also offer exercise and nutrition advice from a former professional football player.
Donnie Smith, executive director of Donda’s House, said the program is intended to provide activities for young people in the city who often don’t have many similar positive opportunities.
“Art instruction and particularly music instruction leads people to become better problem solvers, more flexible,” Smith said. “There are just so many outcomes that come from the study of music and particularly music writing.”
Donda’s House will release an EP after the course that features participants’ songs. The program intends to expand “Got Bars?” with programs in drama, dance and art, with eventual plans to establish a national presence, Smith told Jet magazine. Applications for this year’s course are due on August 2nd.
