TULSA, Okla. — An upcoming Hip-Hop album, music videos, or concert are words that generally pique the interests of high school students but are not something they expect to learn about in school.
That is exactly what’s happening at McLain High School.
When 2 News showed up at the school, “Miss Rita Pita,” as she's called, was shooting a music video.
“I’ve been writing poems since I was five, ever since I knew how to write—before I knew how to write,” she said. “Random verses, rhymes.. so this came naturally for me.”
The class, Music Industry 101, is the brainchild of local Hip-Hop artist Steph Simon. Before arriving at McLain, he worked for a carpet cleaning company.
A friend called him one day for suggestions on how to boost morale at the school.
“Instantly, I was like, ‘I’ll bring my studio up there, and they can record during lunchtime,” said Simon.
Lunchtime fun quickly turned into an actual class when Simon developed the curriculum and presented it to the school.
“I’ll be a janitor if I have to or a teacher’s assistant or anything if I can just be in here every day,” Simon recalls telling the principal.
Now, with help from grants, Simon has two, full-time teachers working with him. Class size has doubled since the first year in 2020.
They also transformed an unused closet into a recording studio. They call themselves “TMC World.” Simon hopes by posting videos and music, just like sports, scouts can find talent in the arts.
“I want to put them on the biggest platform I can for them to be discovered,” he said.
Even if that’s not the student’s goal, it is giving them motivation.
“From being in this class I figured out you can go to college by being a musician, you can get a scholarship,” said Juroyce Wiggins, a Sophomore. “It can set you up for bigger things.”
Simon hopes to continue growing the class. In the meantime, the morale-boosting goal from that first phone call appears to have been accomplished.
“I’m very excited because where I am from, there is not a lot of opportunity, and this has given me a lot of opportunity I didn’t know I could have,” said Rita.
For Rita, it is not just about opportunity but belonging.
“We’ve just become a family,” she said.
The TMC World album release and concert will be held at McLain High School on April 18 at 6 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend.
You can also follow them on Instagram at @tmcxrecords.
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