“I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO HEAR WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.”
“I’m not asking to have someone hold my hand and tell me its gonna be okay. I just want it [gang violence] to stop before I lose more people”
Christian a.k.a. CRS
Meet Christian. If I had just one word to describe him it would be, passionate. I met him after walking into the last day of our program at David Douglas High School’s fall quarter. As I entered the room I saw a young man wearing headphones step up to a microphone and start to rap. He could hear the beat through his headphones, but neither myself, or the other 10 or so people in the room, could hear anything but his voice. What he had to say was powerful. His passion and message was inspiring. I asked him to perform at our student showcase at Mississippi Studios which was only days away. Without missing a beat, he said, “yes! Months and years later he became a Student Leader, a public speaker and recorded tons of music before graduating.
Ian Mouser MVM Founder & Executive Director
“My song ‘When I’m Gone’ represents many things. It represents how much violence has affected our city. This past year I have seen teen deaths. I have lost two close friends to this violence and I’m not asking for revenge, I’m not asking to have someone hold my hand and tell me its gonna be okay. I just want it to stop before I lose more people and so that no one else has to lose their own son or daughter… It shows how we should enjoy every second we are alive on this earth and take every chance we get to make ourselves a better person. This song has not only made my music known it has also helped me express my pain and emotion through my music. When I made that song I never ever cared what anyone else thought about it. I made it because it felt right. Every single rhyme that I rapped just felt good and I’m glad I could make it. All I want is for the violence to stop – that’s all I want out of it.”
Christian a.k.a. CRS
“You taught me that music is something more than just notes on a page; it is a way for people to express themselves when words can’t. No matter what happens in life, music will always be there when others aren’t. For that, I thank you.”
Christian a.k.a. CRS
Christian recording during our after-school program at David Douglas HS and then performing at a Spring Student Showcase Concert: