Local artists give Sarasota students a musical history lesson

His lyrics may rhyme, but don’t call him a rapper.

For hip-hop artist Ryan “Ryanito” Larrañaga, the title is too terse to describe his artistry, too trite to describe the evolution of his medium — an amalgamation of culture and genre.

“You get lost without knowing where something came from.” Larrañaga said. “Jazz is kind of like a grandfather of hip-hop. It’s the same elements except the addition of the vocal and the rhyming portion, but if you look at it, the same elements exist.”

It’s an attitude he carries through all of his art, but has particular relevance to his latest endeavor — Art, Rhymes & Kids, a program designed to teach elementary students the history of hip-hop through jazz.

Just like his music, the program is the product of creative evolution. Larrañaga, along with program co-curator Marcel Bauduin, launched Art, Rhymes & Kids in June. The pair are known for their radio show, “Coffee and Donuts,” as well as their music festival Art, Rhymes & Beer.

It was at their first Art, Rhymes & Beer event two years ago that they met Jessica DiLorenzo, the arts integration specialist for Any Given Child.

“I was immediately blown away with how professional they were, and how the underlying message was really to bring the community together and ... use music and hip-hop to spread positive messages, which is different than what a lot of artists are doing,” DiLorenzo said.

Any Given Child is a Kennedy Center initiative to expand local arts offerings in schools. It’s a goal DiLorenzo thought paired well with Bauduin and Larrañaga’s mission. She asked them if they would consider adapting their program for children.

So they swapped the beer for some kid-friendly beats, formed a band, created a set and Art, Rhymes & Kids was born.

The pair was able to launch a pilot program in June, performing in four area schools with Larrañaga as the front man. He introduces the genre and walks the children through its elements. Eventually, the children break out in groups, writing a rap using prompts provided by Art, Rhymes & Kids band members.

“That’s one of their main goals as well,” DiLorenzo said. “Collaboration is a tool to empower students.”

However, that’s just one of many objectives. Bauduin and Larrañaga want to instill in their audience the importance of creativity and education. But, above all, they want to make role models, especially role models in the arena of hip-hop, more accessible.

“There are these preconceived opinions ... about (hip-hop),” Bauduin said. “We want to show the impact and the influence it can have when you value the culture and it’s used in a positive, community-conscious way.”

For Larrañaga, that mission is personal. He grew up in low-income neighborhoods throughout Maryland, eventually settling in Baltimore in his teens. He learned his medium like most kids learned how to ride a bike — slowly, through trial and error.

He started playing the violin in third grade, then learned he could sing, then rap. He started writing his own lyrics and developed a voice. Larrañaga said he is proud of where he ended up. However, his introduction to his art took place in less than favorable conditions. A program like Art, Rhymes & Kids, he said, could have made a world of difference.

“It would have changed my whole life, because I learned the hard way that music was my medium, was my outlet.” - Larrañaga 

Larrañaga and Bauduin, along with DiLorenzo, have big dreams for the program. They want to introduce it into more schools and varying grade levels.

“We haven’t nailed down the details,” DiLorenzo said. “It’s really just a matter of finding teachers who are excited about this who are willing to partner with them.”

So for now, the pair, along with their band, are continuing to develop their set. They’re confident their program, like their medium, has the power to evoke change.

“We are pretty confident that given enough time you can adapt a program to whatever it is,” Bauduin said. “That’s what hip-hop is. It’s something that’s been adapted.”