Publication Date: 26th August 2006
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In the midst of what frequently feels like our collective moaning about developing a more dynamic UK gospel music industry, some just get on with the tenets of the Christian faith, engaging with society in relevant, effective witness mode.
For GREENJADE, that meant embarking on their 'GUNZDOWN' project, a multi-media show touring schools. The 45-60 minute performance piece incorporates music, drama & film to hammer home the importance of making good choices in the face of day-to-day pressures that young people face in modern society.
GREENJADE have always been at the forefront of outward-facing Gospel Hip-hop, appearing as much on the Black circuit as they do at events like SPRING HARVEST and the
2004 OLYMPICS in Athens.
Co-developed by the Christian charity XLP, GUNZDOWN toured schools in London over the 2006 summer period, sharing a message of self-empowerment and the choices that ARE available to young children in the face of the mainstreaming of gun culture.
WIZ (second from left) kept a diary...
For GREENJADE, that meant embarking on their 'GUNZDOWN' project, a multi-media show touring schools. The 45-60 minute performance piece incorporates music, drama & film to hammer home the importance of making good choices in the face of day-to-day pressures that young people face in modern society.
GREENJADE have always been at the forefront of outward-facing Gospel Hip-hop, appearing as much on the Black circuit as they do at events like SPRING HARVEST and the
2004 OLYMPICS in Athens.
Co-developed by the Christian charity XLP, GUNZDOWN toured schools in London over the 2006 summer period, sharing a message of self-empowerment and the choices that ARE available to young children in the face of the mainstreaming of gun culture.
WIZ (second from left) kept a diary...
GREENJADE is (L-R)
WEI, WIZDOM, 3RD SON, JUDAH
and DJ SERET WEAPON (not shown)
WEI, WIZDOM, 3RD SON, JUDAH
and DJ SERET WEAPON (not shown)
WIZ's 'GUNZ DOWN SCHOOLS TOUR' DIARY
WOOLWICH POLYTECHNIC Year 9 (26/6/06)
The whole group met at mine with 3RD turning up late (which isn't unusual, although he said he didn't get the message), and we drove to Thamesmead for the show.
There was a possibility that the LONDON TONIGHT news programme were going to come down and film although the Head Master of the school wasn't too keen but hopefully we'll have the opportunity again.
Met up with the XL people (who went over before us to set up) at McDonalds in front of the school. I spoke to SURVIVOR (our record company who are manufacturing the GUNZ DOWN single) who were still having problems with our delivery of the artwork for the single. I assured them that they would have everything they needed by the end of the day. 3RD had had some problems sending the information to them.
We were at a modern-looking boys school and the show was for the year 9 group.
The kids were great from the start and really got into JUMP THE FIVER. By the time I came out
for BATTLE THE OBJECT, my freestyle session, they were up for it. The show went really well and we spoke to some of the kids afterwards who had seen us on R MUSIC (Sky Channel 370) last week.
We had some important visitors from Hackney Council and the Police who liked the show but wanted to see more of the consequences from the DOUGLAS MULLENS case. PATRICK REGAN decided that he would include that in his talk from now on. JUDAH also suggested that we put the 'DON'T RUSH, DON'T BE PUSHED' and 'BE SUSSED' on the screen during the talk.
I came to the school with the Mrs and my son Isaac as
we had been for my wife's 12-week pregnancy scan
earlier that day. The guys were there before me and
set up was under way. The kids were well up for it and
were really loud! BATTLE THE OBJECTS was cool. I
remember having a shoe, a Tesco's deodorant spray
for BATTLE THE OBJECT, my freestyle session, they were up for it. The show went really well and we spoke to some of the kids afterwards who had seen us on R MUSIC (Sky Channel 370) last week.
We had some important visitors from Hackney Council and the Police who liked the show but wanted to see more of the consequences from the DOUGLAS MULLENS case. PATRICK REGAN decided that he would include that in his talk from now on. JUDAH also suggested that we put the 'DON'T RUSH, DON'T BE PUSHED' and 'BE SUSSED' on the screen during the talk.
I came to the school with the Mrs and my son Isaac as
we had been for my wife's 12-week pregnancy scan
earlier that day. The guys were there before me and
set up was under way. The kids were well up for it and
were really loud! BATTLE THE OBJECTS was cool. I
remember having a shoe, a Tesco's deodorant spray
DEPTFORD GREEN (27/6/06)
(which we teased about), a baseball cap and a clarinet
case, which I saved for the last. Got a big response. We had made the changes to set from
the day before and the whole thing went really well.
At the end of the show one of the teachers spoke and said that she had worked at a school where someone had been stabbed to death out side her school and how the other students had to deal with the memory of losing a friend.
After the show I got talking to the head of OPERATION BLUNT (The Metropolitan Polices knife amnesty that took place between April and June 2006) who had visited the show. One of the teachers came up to us at the end and said that we were excellent role models and that she would do all she could to let other schools know about the tour.
That was really encouraging and really lifted us!
case, which I saved for the last. Got a big response. We had made the changes to set from
the day before and the whole thing went really well.
At the end of the show one of the teachers spoke and said that she had worked at a school where someone had been stabbed to death out side her school and how the other students had to deal with the memory of losing a friend.
After the show I got talking to the head of OPERATION BLUNT (The Metropolitan Polices knife amnesty that took place between April and June 2006) who had visited the show. One of the teachers came up to us at the end and said that we were excellent role models and that she would do all she could to let other schools know about the tour.
That was really encouraging and really lifted us!
ABBEY WOOD (28/6/06)
We had a really large group in the big hall and we had another really good show. I can't remember what objects I had but most of them went well.
After the show we went to Pizza Hut for lunch and I picked up a copy of the DVD from a performance we had done at the Olympics in 2004 (will soon have it up on our MySpace). Met up with STRATEGIK L from ZIONNOIZ who also works with us and went to our next school.
After the show JUDAH and I got speaking to one of the support staff teachers who knew of GREENJADE from before. She really encouraged us that we were doing a good thing. It turned
out that her mother lived across the road from me and I saw her out of my window visiting her Mum that night.
We went into the school which had a really impressive auditorium, which looked great. On the way in I saw Steven Tyler and Karren from OPERATION TRIDENT who had come to the show.
After the show we went to Pizza Hut for lunch and I picked up a copy of the DVD from a performance we had done at the Olympics in 2004 (will soon have it up on our MySpace). Met up with STRATEGIK L from ZIONNOIZ who also works with us and went to our next school.
After the show JUDAH and I got speaking to one of the support staff teachers who knew of GREENJADE from before. She really encouraged us that we were doing a good thing. It turned
out that her mother lived across the road from me and I saw her out of my window visiting her Mum that night.
We went into the school which had a really impressive auditorium, which looked great. On the way in I saw Steven Tyler and Karren from OPERATION TRIDENT who had come to the show.
KINGSDALE (28/6/06)
This school was really loud and the
teachers seemed to be overly anxious
about the kids being quiet, having their
shirt tucked and their behaviour with the
lights down. We just wanted to get on
with it and from the minute the show
teachers seemed to be overly anxious
about the kids being quiet, having their
shirt tucked and their behaviour with the
lights down. We just wanted to get on
with it and from the minute the show
started we had them and there was no trouble at all.
BATTLE THE OBJECT was really good and I remember ending with the excellent stamp someone had given us. After the show we got talking to some of the kids who had had a friend stabbed to death recently and it reminded us as to how important this kind of show is in helping young people make better choices.
We started off with year 7 who were really polite and well behaved and a little unsure as to how to react to start off with but they got into it and really seemed to absorb all the jokes and serious parts.
We had an interesting problem right in the middle of the show:
a power cut!
The fuse blew on one of the plug adapters as we were ending the
chorus to 'OH NO'. MATT and the rest of the team frantically
ran around trying to sort it out, while PATRICK gave his talk.
BATTLE THE OBJECT was really good and I remember ending with the excellent stamp someone had given us. After the show we got talking to some of the kids who had had a friend stabbed to death recently and it reminded us as to how important this kind of show is in helping young people make better choices.
We started off with year 7 who were really polite and well behaved and a little unsure as to how to react to start off with but they got into it and really seemed to absorb all the jokes and serious parts.
We had an interesting problem right in the middle of the show:
a power cut!
The fuse blew on one of the plug adapters as we were ending the
chorus to 'OH NO'. MATT and the rest of the team frantically
ran around trying to sort it out, while PATRICK gave his talk.
ALWYN GIRLS (29/6/06)
We managed to get it back just before the projector was needed to show the 'DON'T RUSH' information. It was the only time it could have happened that it wouldn't have been noticed during the whole presentation.
We had a lady from the Home Office come this show and advice as to where we could get some funding, which was very helpful information.
Year 9 was much louder and excitable than their year 7 compatriots. I remember taking the mick
out of some 90s style earrings during BATTLE THE OBJECT as well as a 'NO LONG TING' folder. After the show had some time to answer questions and we were asked to do a freestyle. I pushed WEI forward as he's really good but a bit shy. We got 2 words from the audience, 'prejudice' and 'teen-pregnancy'. WEI smashed it and I was really glad for him.
Afterwards, some of the year 7 came back for autographs and were then joined by year 9 and ended up with me, JUDAH and SECRET getting mobbed and almost having to be pulled out. It was really funny!
We had a lady from the Home Office come this show and advice as to where we could get some funding, which was very helpful information.
Year 9 was much louder and excitable than their year 7 compatriots. I remember taking the mick
out of some 90s style earrings during BATTLE THE OBJECT as well as a 'NO LONG TING' folder. After the show had some time to answer questions and we were asked to do a freestyle. I pushed WEI forward as he's really good but a bit shy. We got 2 words from the audience, 'prejudice' and 'teen-pregnancy'. WEI smashed it and I was really glad for him.
Afterwards, some of the year 7 came back for autographs and were then joined by year 9 and ended up with me, JUDAH and SECRET getting mobbed and almost having to be pulled out. It was really funny!
We were visited by Croydon Council who seemed to be really impressed and picked up on line about:
'EVERY TEENAGE GIRL HAS GOT A PRAM/BUT HOW OFTEN DO WE SEE THEM WITH THEIR MAN'
from 'OH NO!' Apparently Croydon has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in the UK! I didn't know that when I wrote, as it was originally about Walthamstow but you can't fit the word in a rhyme. We drove over to the next school and stopped by Brockley Kitchen for some lunch.
We had to move rooms as we were meant to be in the sports hall but got moved to the lunch-room at the last minute. The XLP team were fantastic as always and set up the room excellently.
It was really hot and we were really tired but the show was another good one.
BATTLE THE OBJECT finished with Georgina's Technicoloured Painting, which was great. Back stage, our tiredness was beginning to show. JUDAH fell asleep and his chair slipped,
'EVERY TEENAGE GIRL HAS GOT A PRAM/BUT HOW OFTEN DO WE SEE THEM WITH THEIR MAN'
from 'OH NO!' Apparently Croydon has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in the UK! I didn't know that when I wrote, as it was originally about Walthamstow but you can't fit the word in a rhyme. We drove over to the next school and stopped by Brockley Kitchen for some lunch.
We had to move rooms as we were meant to be in the sports hall but got moved to the lunch-room at the last minute. The XLP team were fantastic as always and set up the room excellently.
It was really hot and we were really tired but the show was another good one.
BATTLE THE OBJECT finished with Georgina's Technicoloured Painting, which was great. Back stage, our tiredness was beginning to show. JUDAH fell asleep and his chair slipped,
KNIGHTS ACADEMY (29/6/06)
which was really funny! We signed some autographs as well as Georgina's painting.
This was the end of our first week and the day was blazing hot. I spoke to one of the teachers before we did the show who had heard been called by a friend about the song GUNZ DOWN on the radio the day after he had booked the show for the school. I said I would send him a copy of the single when I got them.
This one was hard work as the kids were quite tired and really quiet but I think the show was excellent from our point of view. We have learnt a lot through out the week...
Afterwards we thanked SIMON, RHOD and MATT who had volunteered to help throughout the week along side the XLP team. My wife came to show and was teasing me about having fans because the crowd seemed to make a lot of noise when I came on for BATTLE THE OBJECT, but I didn't remember that.
This was the end of our first week and the day was blazing hot. I spoke to one of the teachers before we did the show who had heard been called by a friend about the song GUNZ DOWN on the radio the day after he had booked the show for the school. I said I would send him a copy of the single when I got them.
This one was hard work as the kids were quite tired and really quiet but I think the show was excellent from our point of view. We have learnt a lot through out the week...
Afterwards we thanked SIMON, RHOD and MATT who had volunteered to help throughout the week along side the XLP team. My wife came to show and was teasing me about having fans because the crowd seemed to make a lot of noise when I came on for BATTLE THE OBJECT, but I didn't remember that.
SACRED HEART (30/6/06)
It's been a excellent week but now it's back to the day job....
One day we can do this full time!
One day we can do this full time!
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