Pubdate: Thu, 28 Jun 2001
Source: The Post and Courier (SC)
Copyright: 2001 Evening Post Publishing Co.
Contact:   http://www.charleston.net/index.html
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/567

CONTEST PROMOTES MESSAGE, YOUNG TALENT

The S.C. Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services and the 
Carolina Music Group Foundation will sponsor the third regional competition 
of the Message in Our Music project at 7 p.m. Friday at the Gaillard 
Municipal Auditorium. The project, which involves middle and high school 
and college students, was launched statewide in March. Students submitted 
original rap or hip-hop songs with lyrics that combat the negative message 
in popular music, particularly those relating to alcohol, tobacco and other 
drug use. Ten youths have qualified for the Charleston regional 
competition, which is free for spectators. The competition will include: 
.  Ben Heyward, 16, of Johns Island, who has been rapping since he was 7. 
He says alcohol and drugs haven't interested him, and he has seen too much 
devastation around him caused by the use of these substances. His stage 
name is Wisdom. . Tony Salley, 17, of Walterboro competes in many contests 
and loves music as well as rapping.

He's never been involved with drugs, but he knows plenty of people who have 
been. His stage name is is Soulja. .  Vincent Coakley, 17, of Mount 
Pleasant is a performer who hopes one day to sign a recording contract.

He wants to pass on his message of staying drug-free to other youths.

He performs under the name Young Fetti. Greenville and Columbia held 
regional competitions earlier this month. The winner of the competition 
will receive a $1,000 cash prize and will be eligible to perform in a 
showcase this fall. Participants will have their songs featured on a CD 
produced by the CMG Foundation. The CD will be distributed to record 
companies nationally, South Carolina radio stations, schools and other 
programs for young people. A national study released by the Office of 
National Drug Control Policy revealed that 75 percent of all rap music 
contained references to alcohol and/or other drug use. Alcohol and other 
drugs were mentioned in 20 percent of all Hot 100 songs, 20 percent of all 
alternative rock music, 14 percent of country songs, and 12 percent of 
heavy metal songs. "The constant exposure to negative messages contained in 
today's popular music has a profound impact on young people," said Rick C. 
Wade, director of the state Department of Alcohol. "All of these references 
to alcohol and other drugs without mention of the negative consequences 
make kids think it's OK to use these substances. That's the wrong message 
to send our kids, and we're determined to do something about it." The 
national study reported that young people spend 10,500 hours listening to 
music while they are in the seventh through 12th grades.

In comparison, they will spend only 6,500 hours in school in that same 
time. Young people believe behavior such as using alcohol and other drug is 
typical or normal when it is portrayed frequently in the news media.

As a result, they perceive that the behavior is acceptable. Further, in 91 
percent of the songs on the radio today, there are no messages about the 
negative consequences of using these substances.