Teens discover the power of the mic at Montreal music studio

WhenSven Creese was younger, kids would tease him by calling him "Seven."

The 16-year-old has now embraced the moniker as hisrapper name and, with the help of NBS Studio in Cote-des-Neiges, he's learning to produce his own music.

He wants to rap about "doing the right thing, being a better you, not listening to haters."

"There's not really a lot of negative things that I talk about because negative things, it's a way for people to get lit, but I get lit in positivity," he said.

Sven says guidance from NBS Studio has changed his perspective and approach when it comes to certain social situations, like when other teens try to '"roast"him.

"For example, they say, 'Your hairline is so far back, it goes outside the solar system' and I'd be like 'Oh yeah? Well you're the loveliest person ever,' and they get confused and laugh. It's funny," he said.

NBS Studio offers free mentoring to youth who are between 11 and 18 years old.

It's located in the basement of Chalet Kent, a youth drop-in centre formerly known as Maison des Jeunes, in Kent park.

No cursing

Teens are involved in all aspects of production writing, rapping, editing, making beats,mixing sound, recording videos for social media, branding, logos and organizing the space where they create their productions.

"If a young person comes in and all they become is a better rapper, I feel like we missed it," said Jai Nitai Lotus, director of NBS Studio and a rap musician with more than 20 years experience.

"Because we can translate that confidence they have into many different areas of their life."

And no one is allowed to include cursing in their music,said Lotus.

That's just fine with 17-year-oldGerry Vincent, whose rapper name is Kamino.

"If you curse, it's just waste of words," saidGerry, who admits his lyrics weren't so clean before he found NBSStudios.

Now he writes more about his own experiences.

"I'm talking about how you don't always have the support you need,so that's why you've got to push yourself to the limits," he said.

He gaveMic Drop, CBC'snew podcast for teens, a tour of the space where he creates his own beats.

Gerry loves making beats

6 years ago

Duration 0:59

Gerry loves making music but rapping is not what his parents had in mind. He's featured in the "My Way" episode on Mic Drop, the new podcast for teens you can listen to at cbc.ca/micdrop.

Gerry says his parents do not relate to his interest in rapping.

After learning guitar, piano and several other instruments, he starting writing raps but was hesitant to show anyone his lyrics.

Once he did share some lyrics with a friend, that friend convinced him to check out NBS Studio and explore the opportunity to learn from a professional hip-hop artist, free of charge.

'Letting no one stop me'

Now, on top of his CEGEP studies and his part-time job, Gerry regularly heads to the studio to work on his music and he's determined to stick with it.

"It's like I have a white canvas and it's up to me to decide how I'm supposed to paint it . . . and I'm letting no one stop me," he said.

Gerry says he wants his parents to be proud so he's considering a career in architecture, but he's not ruling out his dream of becoming a professional musician.

"This space gave me an opportunity to take my dream a little bit further."

You can hear Gerry in My Way (Episode 3) of the Mic Drop podcast.Download hereor subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.