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 Questlove 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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!……..”