Individuals' Journeys Through Music-based Mentoring: Mark's Story of Peer Mentoring

We asked individuals involved in Music-based mentoring to tell us a bit about their experience. Mark is a mentee...

This page is part of a resource pack on Music-based mentoring.

At the studio my mentor helped me make a beat with a sound I made – which was a snare.

I made a track about the war in Afghanistan, which got uploaded.  I’ve been working on it for a while. At first it was hard, but it got easier as we progressed. I’ve been making loads of beats – using headphones. It’s hard to make bass.

Before this I didn’t really know much about hip hop. I listened to it but didn’t know. I went with Ross [mentor] and really liked it. I do it cause it is enjoyable and I love it. Lot of rappers just talk about nonsense when they should be talking about stuff that is going on in the world so that is why I made the track about war cause it’s just pointless.

My confidence has got better – for instance previously I would have been nervous and head down in this situation here (interview).

I am hoping that after I release my mix tape there is still somewhere to record and get my stuff out there, to become a better artist.

Music is a part of me and I am expressing my ideas –more people hear them and like them and I feel more confident as they like my ideas.  

[NB Names have been changed to protect the anonymity of this person]