- [Voiceover] Real voice, please.

- Mic check, one, two.

- [Voiceover] I used to feel like I

didn't have, no talent.

I used to feel like the only thing I knew was

the streets.

But now I feel like, I can rap!

♫ "We make the hits like

♫ We make the hits like

♫ Always make the hits when we know what feels right, uh

♫ We make the hits like

♫ We make the hits like

♫ Tryin' to live life in the Bronx night"

- My name is Ian Levy. I am a school counselor

here the New Visions Charter High School

for advanced math and science 2.

This is a space within my counseling office where

students come to write and record tracks about

different emotional experiences that they've had.

- Music is therapy,

so he just created a space where kids can come

talk about their problems, talk about

specific problems they had, and transfer

all that energy into music, especially hip-hop music.

♫ "Catch a conflict, caught a bomb threat

♫ (Rapping)

♫ Next topic

♫ Celebrity holding image got me sicker than clinics

♫ I put a finish to that, man we all know it's nonsense

♫ Man I lost it, yeah"

- Once you step in the office it's just a

whole different vibe.

You have other people who are thinking as

hard as you are about the craft

and like they can exchange other concepts that you

would have never thought about.

And that you can also apply your writing and

record and make something dope.

(hiphop music)

♫ "I represent the colors of youth

♫ Our color's the booth

♫ Where every syllable that comes out from under my tooth

♫ A thunderous proof to why I'm always rumbling troops

♫ The path to riches always there I'm always in the pursuit"

- I learned from Mr. Levy that

if you can put all your thoughts and emotions

in just one song, and you can

try to rap with it, like just go ahead and do it.

♫ I like to say I battled obstacles but some say I flex

♫ I guess I'm best when I write honest

♫ I'm servin' up a pot full of coffee I'm a ground fresh

♫ Yeah my ground's fresh

♫ My ground's fresh"

- I used to be really shy.

I learned how to be more open with myself as a person.

I got more comfortable, I'm talking, I'm making friends

and I'm speaking all that through my rap.

- I come into the classroom and I automatically

start rapping.

I can accurately express my feelings here,

Like, I can act like myself.

I definitely understand myself better now.

♫ Slick with the words you can start to see

♫ Some more of me

♫ Pawns what I make when the rain drop metaphorically

♫ My mindstate is different from what it seems like

♫ I'm 'posed to be

♫ Let the temple run through my words so I

♫ won't forced to be

♫ Sleeping on the...

- It's not really about school.

I mean it is about school because we're in school,

but it's about life.

And working towards building something for yourself

that you love and enjoy, and this is helping you

to understand who you are and how you feel.

(hip-hop/soul music)

♫ Oh yeeah