Kanye Launches New Music Program For At-Risk Chicago Youth
Kanye West’s non-profit, Donda’s House — named for his mother, Dr. Donda West — has launched a new program called “Got Bars?” aimed to help at-risk students ages 15 to 24 on Chicago’s South Side. The program was coordinated with Donda’s House and the St. Sabina Church. Young people will learn how to write and record music throughout the course of the 10 week program. Rhymefest, a Yeezus contributor and musician as well as co-founder and assistant director of Donda’s House, will be an instructor for the program. “Art instruction and particularly music instruction leads people to become better problem solvers, more flexible,” Donda’s House Executive Director Donnie Smith told WBEZ. “There are just so many outcomes that come from the study of music and particularly music writing.”