Psalm One collaborates with Riley Elementary kids

Last year, Philly rockers The Great Unknown came to Milwaukee to work with kids at MPS’ Hayes Bilingual to write and record a song as part of the America SCORES ASCAP Foundation Songwriter Residency tour. The track they wrote and recorded was released last spring on a CD.

This month, rapper Psalm One kicks off the annual tour – inaugurated in 2006 – in Milwaukee with kids at James Whitcomb Riley on the South Side.

Psalm One – a Chicago Public Schools alumna – will spend Sept. 26 and 27 at Riley, writing with the kids. Then, on Sept. 28, they will head Downtown to Tanner Monagle Studio to record the song.

When the kids return to school, Psalm One will repeat the process at schools in Seattle, San Francisco, Denver, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, New York and Boston before wrapping up in her Windy City hometown.

Psalm One has worked with America SCORES since 2008 as a poetry and soccer coach and previously wrote and recorded a song, “Going Smart,” with a group of 8-11-year-olds from Reach Academy, and another, “Fly Imaginary Cars,” with kids from Pope Elementary School.

She will also spend time at Rhyme School, the music mentoring program at Chicago’s Avalon School, working with student musicians on incorporating rap into their musical repertoire.

I’ll update you once the session has happened here in Milwaukee.