No matter what you may think about The Black Eyed Peas and their music, this is one of the most noble causes I’ve heard about in a while.
According to Associated Press, the hip hop stars will open a music academy in New York City this summer.
The school, called the Peapod Adobe Youth Voices Music and Multimedia Academy (long name), will teach video and music production to students ages 13 to 19. Students will be admitted based on recommendations from teachers and their interest in camera work, editing and graphic design, and they will have access to professional-quality equipment.
Will.i.am told the AP,
“Our passion for music and media was fueled by many generous people on our road to success…expanding the network of Peapod Adobe Youth Voices academies enables us to pay it forward, giving more youth the skills and encouragement they need to realize their dreams.”
The Academy is a collaborative effort between the Peas’ Peapod Foundation and the Adobe Foundation, a charity run by Adobe Systems Inc., makers of industry-standard software like Acrobat, Flash and Photoshop. The two already run three academies in California.
The East Coast branch will open its doors in July.