Hip-hop’s deep roots in Newark were on full display this Tuesday as Mayor Ras J. Baraka and platinum producer Jerry “Wonda” Duplessis reunited at the new Ronald L. Rice Arts Center. Three decades after collaborating on The Fugees’ iconic The Score, the two were back together, this time at a new center built to offer at-risk youth an alternative to violence through arts education.
The Rice Center, located in a violence hotspot in Newark’s West Ward, will provide classes in music production, video editing, and photography starting March 1. Built with $1 million in federal funds, the center is part of the Mayor’s Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery, aimed at steering young people away from violence.
“These kids need guidance and options,” said Christial Holland, a violence prevention staffer. “With the right direction, they can make better choices.”
The center features top-tier equipment, including a 64-channel recording console, perfect for aspiring producers and artists. Wonda, who grew up in nearby East Orange, saw the parallels to his early days in a basement studio where The Score was created. The center is not just about music but offering a lifeline for youth, combining arts with therapy and social services to break cycles of violence and provide a brighter future.
