Gloucester young people talk about knife crime on hip-hop album

A group has created a music album which they say challenges the stereotypes of young people while raising awareness about knife crime.

G-Coda, a group made up of six young people, launched its album Lights Out at Gloucester Cathedral.

Working in collaboration with The Music Works, the album includes hip-hop, drill, Afrobeats and spoken word.

"That's what music is, translating pain into art," said Travon Powell [known as T Santana], 21, rapper for the project.

He added: "One thing I've realised is that the more authentic you are with how you feel about subjects like the Knife Angel - putting knives down and making people aware of the violence that goes on in their city - it makes people want to be more authentic themselves.

"When I started, I thought people were going to think certain things about me. But I think it's down to your perception and how you view life.

"If I think that, I come from a more authentic place with my music."

The album was inspired by the Knife Angel project in Gloucester - a statue made of knives that young people had surrendered.

The group made the music for the launch of the sculpture last year, and then went on to make the album.

Mikel Medley, youth support manager for The Music Works, said it had been "life-changing" for the participants.

"Some of them have said they wouldn't know where they would be in their life if they wasn't doing music," he said.

"They probably would have got themselves into trouble or not be in a good well-being space."

Coby, who does marketing for the project, said: "To me, it was really important just because I got to convey a lot of the stuff that isn't spoken about so much.

"I think when it comes to the topic of knife crime we often talk about the fallout of what happens when all of these things come to a head.

"No one wants to address how we can limit the fallout that comes from kids not getting the right the opportunities or given the right belief systems that lets them steer away from that to begin with.

"I think this is a perfect embodiment of what can happen when you tell young people in general that they're capable of doing something more than what's expected of them based on societal norms."

Jayden, 15, who was also involved in the project, added: "Having something like a second family to come to, it's definitely helped me focus and improve my life."

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