‘Stepping into your dream’ New recording studio opens in metro Atlanta school

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Students at The B.E.S.T. Academy in metro Atlanta will now have the opportunity to record and produce their own music, thanks to a new state-of-the-art recording studio.

“When we first walked in, it was like stepping into your dream,” said Mar’quavious Clayton, a senior at The B.E.S.T. Academy.

The B.E.S.T. Academy partnered with two non-profits, 100 Black Men of Atlanta and Music Education Group, to open the studio.

“You’d be amazed, once you put a microphone in front of a kid. Things come out that they normally wouldn’t talk about,” said Ric Ross, founder and CEO of Music Education Group.

Ross has spent decades working behind the scenes for record labels.

His mission is to bring music, film, and digital media to underserved youth. Ross also acts as a mentor — teaching students critical life skills.

The recording studio, he says, is a safe space for students to express themselves creatively and emotionally.

“I’ve had kids write raps, songs, and poetry. And once they get in front of that mic, they release that. So, it is a therapy for them,” he said. “This experience will live with them forever.”

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