?uestlove Shows My 6th Period Class Some Love...

This past Friday, I promised my students in the 6th period class that I would take my video camera in if they proved to me on Thursday that they were ready to present some music. On Thursday, we practiced and practiced some more... and they sounded GOOD. So, in keeping my word, I took the camera in the next day (mind you, when I saw them throughout the day they bugged the HELL outta me from the time I arrived until class time - "Did you bring the camera today? Did you bring it?!!?"... YES dammit! LOL). 6th period finally came, I got a good take of them introducing and performing The Roots' joint "Break You Off" per THEIR request (how 'bout that?). I took the footage home, edited it, and put it up on YouTube Sunday night and tweeted about it. A few folks checked it out, a few others replied and gave the kids their props...




Sunday night, I also decided to DM a link to Brother ?uestlove via Twitter. I figured, if he saw it and said nothing at all... At least he would appreciate what these kids wanted to play, while sounding pretty good actually playing it. Low and behold, Monday night I'm on Twitter and I read via ?uestlove tweet...

now THIS RIGHT HERE?!! is why i don't mind 18 hour days http://bit.ly/2nOcGF thank you @zo3hree5ive

Yep, it was a link to my students' video.

I took a screenshot of the tweet and emailed it to myself so I could show the class on Tuesday (I needed a picture because, they wouldn't have believed me otherwise). When I saw the kids throughout the day, I kept telling them, "Make sure you're in class today, I've got a surprise for y'all."

Once the class came in, I had them gather around the computer and I asked them if they knew who ?uestlove is - half of um did...pretty good for a group of 16 and 17 year olds in my book. Once I explained that he was the drummer for The Roots (and damn near everybody else), I told them, "Well, he showed y'all some love on Twitter last night."

Of course then the question became, "How YOU know?!"

So I double clicked the .jpg screenshot of the tweet that he put up...

The entire class in unison.... "OHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!........"

In Class With Zo! (Vol. 1 - 4th Period)

I'm now going into my 4th year as a music teacher and as soon as we got a drum set in the classroom it was like tossing two rocks in the middle of a circle of heads. These kids literally swarm to the drums... the funny thing is, they ALL play the SAME BEAT when ever they sit down on the set - a 'bounce' beat which is a cousin of DC's Go-Go music. I guess it's what the younger kats listen to... different songs, same beat...

Anyway, being that all of my students think they're damn Dennis Chambers, I decided to have a competition between three of my students in my 4th period class... The rest is history.

Phonte and Eric Roberson Freestyling Over New Music from 'SunStorm'

Tay told me last night that this video would be available today... So check this out and feel free to put the pressure on kats to bring an official version of this joint to fruition...!