Milwaukee HFCA HS

Recorded at Milwaukee HFCA HS.

Written by Vashalla, Emman, Nick, Jamarion.
Produced by HFCA HS Milwaukee Block 2.

They decided that this Class beat from their FL Studio beatmaking sessions was a definite Halloween beat, so I told them to write a scene in a horror movie!

Trick or Treat! - Jastacia, Vashala, Emmanuel, Nicholas

Recorded at N4N HFCA.

Produced by: Block 1 Student Producers

Written and performed by Keioness and Devan.

KeKe told me she had a thanksgiving song for the Holiday Project. I said, "Yeah?". She smiled and told me she had it written already and just needed a beat. So we sat down and listened to the 35 Class Beats made by her peers. after listening to all 35, we came allll the way back to the first beat, Block 1 Beat 1. She and Devan came in aftershool to work on their song and make sure it was completed in time! We are grateful for and proud of their hard work and drive!

Thankful - Keyloww & SRT Rell

Recorded at N4N Milwaukee HFCA HS.

Produced & Mixed by Derrick Holt.

Jingle Bells - Malinda-Christine

Recorded at N4N Milwaukee HFCA HS.

Produced by DJ Quan and Nick Grace.
Mixed by Derrick Holt.

Christmas Time - Nate

Recorded at N4N Milwaukee HFCA HS.

Produced by Block 5 & Derrick Holt.
Mixed by Nick Grace.

Cold Lonely Nights - Parriona & Nate

Recorded at N4N Milwaukee HFCA HS.

Produced by Block 5.
Mixed by Nick Grace.

Winter In Milwaukee - Jastacia & Jamarion

Jingle Bell Rock - Malinda-Christine

Recorded at N4N Milwaukee HFCA HS.

Produced by Derrick Holt.
Mixed by Nick Grace.

Let's Talk About It! - Jaccari, Bryant, Kamarion, Shakeriona, Rakeeyla

Recorded at N4N Milwaukee HFCA HS.

Produced by Nick Grace.

This Christmas (Remix)

Recorded at N4N Milwaukee HFCA HS.

Written by Derrick Holt, Shyann, Lyrique, Jabari, Chris, Rakeeyla.
Produced by DJ Qwan and Derrick Holt.

We had a nice after school beat from their schoolmate DJ Qwan. And Rakeeyla said in class jokingly, "Life is hard so we put it in a bar(measure)". It became a no brainer for me to talk about what's difficult or hard for us in life. Shyann wanted to be on the song, but she does not write song lyrics. I asked her to write a few things down that she would like to be in the verse, and i wrote a short piece for her that actually became the hook for the song. She was happy; everyone was happy, and we are all proud of the song! One of the things she wrote was Maya Angelou's book title, "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings". Thus, the title, "Caged Bird"!

Caged Bird - Shyann, Lanita, Lyrique, Jabari, Chris, Rakeeyla, Qwan

Recorded at N4N Milwaukee.

Performed by Nate, Akyra.
Produced by Nick Grace, Daquan Suggs.

Mastered by Caleb Alexander & Grant Livesay at The 68 Sound Studios (A Room).

Chistmas Time (Milwaukee)

Recorded at N4N HFCA Milwaukee HS.

Produced by Block 4 & Derrick.

Block 4 made this beat and we were discussing subject matter for a potential song and voting on who wants to write to the beat. We call that process "conceptualizing the song". In the midst of the class conceptualization process, KeKe asked if she could do a solo song to this beat. Since she is one of our best and quickest songwriters, of course i said YES! This is the wonderful result!

Sandwiches With No Cheese - Keyloww

Recorded at N4N Milwaukee HFCA HS.

Producer: Veah & Derrick
Scratches: Derrick
Cover Art: Nick
Derionna made her first beat,and the girls wanted to do a song to it. So they wrote recorded together and only when the others were present. You can tell by the nergy in the song. They were very supportive of eachother, and we had a ball in those sessions.

YopBop - Veah, Niya, Keyloww, Zari

Recorded at N4N Milwaukee HFCA HS.

Producer: Block 3 & Derrick
Cover Art: Nick
Story: We voted on who wanted to write to this Class Beat and we had a lot of people raise their hands. Then we Discussed the concept of a potential song. We started at relationships, and i reminded them to get a little more specific. Then someone mentioned people playing games in a relationship setting or when you're getting to know someone. Gave us a great opportunity for a fun and interesting class discussion! 

Playing Games - Nate, Kamarion, Akyra, Harmonee, Jaccari, Derrea, Bryant

Recorded at Milwaukee HFCA HS.

Written by Derrick, Devan, Kaniya.
Produced by Block 4 & Derrick.

The beat made by the class inspired an introverted song suggestion, so a student mentioned "struggle". To keep it balanced, i suggested "struggle and motivation". The lass liked the dichotomy! Cover Art by Nick!

Struggle Motivation - Zari, Devan, Kaniya, Shamar

Recorded at N4N Milwaukee HFCA HS.

Written by Jabari, Chris, Lyrique, Derrick.
Produced by Block 5, Derrick.

We had just watched a House Music documentary in class for Music Appreciation. Milwaukee is the most consistently segregated city in the USA, and many Milwaukee youth feel certain things are "white" or "not for Us".  No one raised their hands when i asked who likes Electronic Dance Music.  From the Documentary students learned that Black DJs and the LGBTQ community in Chicago giving us House Music decades ago. After the doc, i told the class we are making and EDM beat as the Class Beat that day. With 4-to-the-floor drums from the Class and some very simple chords from Derrick (students didn't start using chords until semester 2, and this is a semester 1 song) the beat came oul a little corny. While we all listened and got a good laugh out of the beat, Jabari, starts sining the hook, but he was just being silly. Chris says, "No! That's the hook for real!"

After the hook was written, Then they asked, 'Do we have to talk about school Mr Derrick??"

I said, "It would make sense with the hook, but y'all can do it in a different way."

So midway through their first semester at the new HFCA, the kids discuss growing pains and some unexpected consequences while attending HFCA HS!

This was great fun with the class, and a song that does not take itself too seriously! Enjoy!

Brush My Teeth - Shyann, Lanita, Jabari, Chris, Shakeriona

Recorded at N4N Milwaukee HFCA HS.

Written by Chase.
Produced by Block 6, Derrick.

We had a class berat that no one wanted to do vocals for, and Chase spoke up. "Can i hear it again?", and then she asked to be put on the list for that beat. She told me she had a solo about her senior year, and of course it came out dope!

HF Senior - Chase

Recorded at N4N Milwaukee HFCA HS.

Produced by Derrick Holt.

6th block had an unused class beat, and Jermiah wanted to put it to use. It was the last day of songwriting, but with some help from Mr. Nick, Jermiah was able to write, and record this track during a single class period. This song is an example of what students can accomplish when they are inspired to make full use of their limited time. 

Bands On Them iPhones - Jermiah

Recorded at N4N Milwaukee HFCA HS.

Written by Bink, Chase, Mr. D.
Produced by Block 6, Mr Derrick.

When we listened to the Class Beat they had made, Bink immediately raised his hand to spit lyrics all over it. Chase also raised her had. After seeing Chase Have such a good time on the song, Guiliania asked Mr Derrick to write a part for her! That's how we now have Where YOU At! 
NOTE: song created during Fall semester 2024

Where You At? - Bink, Chase, Guiliania

Recorded at N4N Milwaukee HFCA HS.

Written by Mr. Derrick, PArriona, Emarion, Nate, Harmonee, Kyra, Jaccari, Jayden.
Produced by Block 3 , Mr. D.

Block 3 made the class beat, and Mr. Derrick asked the class what they hear. Harmonee contributed to the discussion, "Where They At".  Mr Derrick told the class that there's money out there to get , knowlegde out there to gain, and people to meet. Of course, high schoolers will write about boys/girls and ask where they are. Emarion wrote abut a party, and NAte wrote about being in the studio working. They did not disappoint, and Mr Derrick added some scratches with quotes from Nas andJay Electronica!
NOTE: song created during Fall semester 2024

Milwaukee HFCA HS

Notes For Notes