By Ikeya Lake CT Visionary
Cass Tech’s Music Industry Mock Program is being serviced by Star Factory Artist Development and powered by the Sean Anderson Foundation in the Sean Anderson and Adidas Studio of Infinite Possibilities.
The Music Industry Mock Program was developed to educate students about the music industry and give them firsthand experience at mirroring several aspects of the real music industry. The mock program will include budgets, deadlines, studio sessions, photo shoots, and a “culminating” concert tentatively in May.
In June, CT alum Big Sean donated a recording studio to Cass Technical High School sponsored by adidas. The Sean Anderson Studio of Infinite Possibilities will become a place where students can be independent and creative.
“I feel like the program is going to give the creative, hands-on students something that they can do,” said Brandon Smith, founder of Star Factory.
There are four branches that students can audition for. The studio will include 12 engineers/music producers, 12 singers/rappers, six songwriters who will work in teams of two, and 18 business executives who will be allowed to work in teams of three. Each student will belong to a label.
All students selected will have the opportunity to train as business executives and start their own mock record labels know as Cass Companies using a Cass Cash budget. Twelve singers and rappers will be selected and will be obligated to release a two-song project by March and the studio time will be paid using Cass Cash.
Songwriters must submit three songs to mock labels by February and will be paid in Cass Cash for each song selected by the labels. Engineers are obligated to be present for one session per artist enrolled and they will be paid Cass Cash for their time invested. Each label will then compete for the interest of the Cass Tech student body.
“I think it is a very exciting and innovative program,” said CT band director Bryant McGee. “Public schools usually train students in classical music but this relates to them in ways that traditional educational music cannot.”
“The No. 1 thing we’re looking for is passion and the people who are going to appreciate this program the most and make us proud that we selected them,” said Smith. “We do want people that would be able to shine because we could be working with the next Big Sean.”
“The Music Industry Mock Program will teach me the things that go into making music, organization, and the competition that goes into the music industry,” said senior Lammar Jones, executive member.
In addition, the CT Visionary newspaper staff and CT Theater department will work in collaboration with Hot 107.5 FM and Radio 1 to feature student broadcasting through the studio. CT alumni and 107. 5 promotions manager George Jones and CT alumni and 107.5 radio personality Kamal Smith are eager to assist.
