Image by: Providence Minds

 

By: Auzzy Byrdsell, MT Secretary 

 

The Atlanta University Center is flooded with talented artists in every facet of expression. Yesterday,  juniors Evan Wasson and Jelani Rashad, hosted ‘Spring of Soul’. This discussion and lesson on producing and DJing was held in LLC and open to all AUC students. 

 

Spring of Soul was held through Providence Minds, a cohort of artists in the AUC who explore and share their talents in music, fashion, photography and more.

 

Wasson guided the segment on DJ skills, while Rashad led the segment on music production. 

 

They gave step-by-step tutorials on their crafts, brief overviews of DJ culture history and personal stories on what music has symbolized for them. They also reviewed the different equipment, software and techniques they use like MPC Beats, DAWs, Fruity Loops.

 

Furthermore, the audience participated in asking questions and sharing their experiences creating a cohesive, vulnerable environment. Topics of discussion ranged from sustaining the art of DJs to navigating when to listen to specific kinds of music. 

 

Pulling inspiration from J-Dilla and Run DMC, Wasson and Rashad illustrated their passion for creating new sounds and mixes. 

 

“It’s all about getting lost in your practice,” Wasson said. 

 

Wasson is a junior marketing major fromDetroit. He said his first connections with music came from his memories of what his middle brother used to listen to.

 

“From there, I became more and more immersed in making memories out of songs,” he said.

 

In his spare time, he produces his own tracks but primarily creates his own mixes. He said he is always listening to music and absorbing the emotion and complexities of the sounds. 

 

“From middle school to high school, the music was like my girlfriend,” he said.

Image by: Auzzy Byrdsell

Wasson’s segment on being a DJ and mixing records captivated the audience with his energetic transitions from artists like Q-Tip, Smino and Action Bronson. 

 

His mix transitioned hip hop records from various eras. Some of the most notable moments were from A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Butter’, Kanye West’s ‘30 hours’ and Nas’s ‘One Love’. 

 

Rashad is a junior majoring in art from Atlanta. Since elementary school, Rashad has been a music fanatic and has been making music since middle school. In his spare time we work in graphic design and music production.

 

“Music is the healing that gets you through a lot of dark places, and personally music has gotten me through tough times,” he said. 

 

In the past two years he’s released six instrumental projects through Soundcloud displaying his versatility and uniqueness in production style. 

 

He said his ability to let his creative space guide his emotions when making music goes hand-in-hand with his passion for listening to music. 

 

“Music is the cure,” he said. 

 

His segment on sampling and looping was brief but informative. He went into detail on constructing a drum pattern around the sample of your choice using snares, hi hats and more. He showcased a beat using a sample from Erykah Badu’s ‘Hey Sugah (Interlude)’. 

 

“It’s important that this culture is showcased, because there’s a bunch of different morehouse students that have the talent that don’t always get the front light,” said Jordan ‘Wally’ Walls. 

 

Walls is a junior majoring in business marketing from Detroit and is one of the founding members of Providence Minds. 

 

“I feel like it’s our duty as the student body to put these early superstars on the pedestal,” he said.

 

Providence Minds plans to continue embracing AUC artists with their next event diving into fashion innovators in the AUC. 

 

To listen to some of Wasson’s released work, click here. To hear Rashad’s work, click here.

 

To learn more about Province Minds and their upcoming events, click here.