Posted on May 19, 2008

HOMETOWN HEROES

Hip-hop Artist's Message to Students is no Bad Rap

By Kimberly S. Wetzel
STAFF WRITER

TO AVOID THE bullets that whizzed past his south Richmond apartment, a young Stephen Ashford often did homework while lying on his belly. That he tackled his schoolwork at all is commendable, as Ashford had plenty else to fret about. His mother's battle with the bottle meant the youngster often was alone in a sometimes-violent city. Once, the water was shut off because no one paid the bill. Another time, his mother disappeared for more than a month and left Ashford alone. He depended on friends and extended family for a meal, shower or help with such things as school registration forms.

"My home life was not the best," says Ashford, now 33. "I learned early how to do for myself."

Instead of hitting the streets like so many at-risk youth, Ashford harnessed his passion for school and music, graduating from Richmond High and the College of Marin. Now, the East Palo Alto Charter School physical education teacher and rapper known as "Kontac" uses the memories of his hardships to convey an important message: Staying in school spells success.

Ashford, with the help of several Bay Area rappers and producers — including Keak Da Sneak, Jacka, Erase E, Mugzi, E-40, Hoodstarz, Federation, Mac N AK, Cholly J and Suga Kane — created a PG-rated inspirational rap song and music video, "Stay in School." The video has amassed more than 18,000 hits at YouTube and has been played on the BET cable television network and local radio stations such as Wild 94.9 and KMEL 106.1. School officials from across the country have expressed interest in the song.

"If 17 kids listen to it, maybe one will keep it in their mind," Ashford said. "If this motivates one student to stay in school, I've done my job."

The song is just the start of Ashford's message. He recently launched a children's magazine, BARC — Bay Area Rappers Care — which can be found in schools in the area. He's also working with Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin and other Bay Area leaders to organize youth summits stressing education's importance. [emphasis added]

Fittingly, none of it would have happened if it weren't for one of his students.

Ashford, who lives in Santa Cruz with his wife and three children, originally set out to follow in the footsteps of musical heavyweights such as Master P and 2 Live Crew, with whom he toured before they became big. Kontac's music contained the profanity-laced lyrics found in many rap songs.

"When he first started rapping, I wouldn't let the (music) come into the house," said Ashford's grandmother, Laverna Ashford, who lives in Richmond. "He wasn't allowed to curse when he was here."

But Kontac changed his tune after discovering one of his students bought his CD. Ashford was stunned — the boy was not old enough to know the difference between rap as entertainment versus reality.

"It made me sit down and think, 'Wow, he's really listening to my songs,'" Ashford said. He didn't want to glamorize violent street life to youngsters. So he decided to use his music for a positive reason, and the "Stay in School" song was born.

"His music is an evolution," said Kareem Lang, a longtime friend of Ashford's who grew up across the street from him. "He's hit a maturity and a growth period. You're not going to talk about gun-toting and drug-dealing and then go home to your kids and try to teach them the opposite."

The "Stay in School" video — shot professionally at East Palo Alto Charter School and featuring several of the students — has nifty one-liners such as "School is what's crackin', lose and you're lackin', degree like you're 10 times platinum," and "Go to school, get that diploma, don't be a stoner hangin' on the corner."

Proceeds go to Bay Area schools, including Richmond High and East Palo Alto Charter, to help fund extracurricular activities and other things. So far, about $10,000 has been raised, Ashford said.

Ashford's efforts have made a difference at East Palo Alto Charter, where Assistant Principal Saree Mading said suspensions and other disciplinary issues have dropped 40 percent since the song came out in the fall.

"When we premiered the video, the students were hyped," Mading said. "I love the fact that he's using hip-hop as a way to get the message out."

Ashford's children, two of whom attend East Palo Alto Charter and star in the music video, say they are proud of their father and understand the importance of the message.

"I think he's doing a really good job for the kids out there," said daughter Lashea Ashford, 9. "There's a lot of kids dropping out."

Ashford credits his family and students as his inspiration, but memories also fuel his resolve.

Ashford, Lang and friend Kerry Walker Hall were an inseparable trio growing up in Richmond. The three spent afternoons recreating music videos of artists such as New Edition and Snoop Dogg. They remained close long after high school graduation, and Hall became a godfather to Ashford's children.

But that ended abruptly a few years ago when Hall was killed after being pushed in front of a moving car during a fight. Ashford drove to the accident scene and picked up a nugget of glass, which he carries in his wallet.

"That piece of glass reminds me that life is short and you can do anything," Ashford said. "Every time I look at it, I think, 'I can't give up.' If I can make it out of my situation, other kids can probably do the same thing."
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Reach Kimberly S. Wetzel at 510-262-2798 or kwetzel@bayareanewsgroup.com.

Biographyname: Stephen Ashford, aka Kontac
age: 33
occupation: Rapper; teacher at East Palo Alto Charter School
residence: Richmond native; lives in Santa Cruz
claims to fame: Created a rap song and music video featuring several rap artists called "Stay in School." Also created a children's magazine with the same message and is working with Bay Area leaders to organize youth summits.

Hometown Heroes, a partnership between Bay Area News Group-East Bay and Comcast, celebrates people in the Bay Area who make a difference in their communities. In addition to highlighting remarkable individuals, the Hometown Heroes feature aims to encourage volunteerism, raise visibility of nonprofits and key causes in the area and create a spirit of giving.
Read about a new Hometown Hero every other Monday and watch the program on Comcast On Demand at Channel One-Bay On Demand-Hometown Heroes.