Wisdom and Bars behind Bars

Last Wednesday night we played a Mixtape Concert at the Grafton Correctional Institution. Our set list was made up of requests we had received at our previous two concerts there, and it was a completely different list from Monday’s Mixtape Concert at the women’s prison downtown. (If everyone had wanted the same songs it would have made things simpler, but the men had different requests!) They asked for everything from Star Wars Cantina Band to Gerswhin’s Summertime to the Godfather Theme.

Before playing each song, we asked if the person who had requested it was in the room (all but one was!) and let them share why they had picked it. In answering why he requested Kanye West’s ‘Jesus Walks’, one audience member said “Because there’s a line in the chorus that says ‘Jesus walk with me.’ And that’s what I have to remind myself of every day, that Jesus walks with me, with us.”

Wow.

For that same selection, we invited whoever was interested to come up and perform Kanye’s rap while we laid down the beat. Before the song was over, not one but two audience members had gotten up to perform with us, and what started with Kanye’s words evolved into some impressive freestyling. Sitting and playing next to these men while they had a few minutes to shine was an amazing experience. To create a platform for their creativity, to watch them perform and express themselves, to speak truth to the room, to be free for a few minutes - what an immense privilege.

Another memorable moment - after our performance of Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going On’ an audience member declared “You girls got soul.” (An honor to hear, truly.)

Would it have been easier and less costly not to learn two entirely new sets of music for these Mixtape concerts, some of which we may not have a reason to play again? Absolutely. But the men and women listening are worth it. And to see the image of God in them shine through as they share a piece of themselves with us is a precious gift.