Rap With a Purpose: How High School Cypher is Changing Rap’s Narrative

Local Outreach Program Turns At-Risk High Schoolers Into Artists

October 30, 2023 – By Savannah Jarrett, Moderately MoCo Intern

It’s 2023, and rap music is more prevalent than ever in today’s society. A cornerstone of Black culture, the genre of music that started in New York block parties during the early 1970s has evolved to incorporate numerous subgenres and styles. Despite its widespread popularity, rap has been under scrutiny for years due to many songs containing lyrics about subjects such as gun violence, sex, and drug use. Across America, rap is seen as “vulgar” and “inappropriate”. A 2008 Pew Research Center study found that 70% of Americans think rap music has a negative impact on society. 

But for one man in the DMV, rap is neither a simple music genre nor a plague on society, but an art form that many disadvantaged teenagers have unrecognized talent in— and he’s made it his mission to shine a light on that talent.

Andrew “DrewStar” Messam

Andrew “DrewStar” Messam grew up surrounded by music. His father Alphonso Messam is the CEO of independent record label Black Liberty Records. At age 20, Andrew started working alongside his brother Ramone in their production company Kno-Effort.

Andrew founded Drewstar Productions LLC (DSP) which owns and operates the High School Cypher (HSC) program. DSP is the actual company which does all the production work to create HSC & went to over 100 middle & high schools in the DMV & now does partner/contract work w/ DMV/County’s public schools & recreation etc. All production for Drewstar Productions (@_dsproductions) teaches at risk youth and build the Cypher. We also do paid service in our community for all artist and businesses.

Visit the DSP website here.

In 2014, he launched High School Cypher, a program that features high school rappers who rap together in cyphers. In these videos, several students from different high schools come together and rap in a positive environment. The rules? No R-rated subjects and no profanity. With his brother, Andrew produces music and videos for High School Cypher and gives ambitious young performers the opportunity to showcase their skills. 

High School Cyper

High School Cypher started in Montgomery County, and in the 9 years it’s been running has included students from over 30 high schools across the DMV in both MoCo and Prince George’s County.

Follow along with over 10,000 followers on Instagram where they mostly post shorter videos and nearly 1,400 on Youtube where they post the full videos. Visit the High School Cypher website here.

MCPS Talent

Here you can see students from several MCPS schools starring in one of their recent positive rap videos:

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