John Wallace at his studio John Wallace went to jail and prison19 times, starting at age 18. Then he was sent to San Quentin, where he served two terms and started writing rap lyrics on his last trip there in the prison’s West Block. An initial opening to a career in music happened by chance when Wallace and other inmates created what he described as a “radio show” called K-FU** Radio in the cell block where they would sing, rap and tell jokes at night. He said it was like comedy night in the cell block, and it inspired him to … [Read more...] about Program helps at risk youth through music
John Wallace
SQ parolee helps troubled teens through music
By the time John Wallace was released from San Quentin, he had written 75 songs. John Wallace, 39, who discharged in 2003, founded a project called STOP (Surviving the Odds Project) to help deter at-risk youth from falling into the school-to-prison-pipeline. Fifteen years after his release, he’s showing kids the creative outlet he wished he had at their age. The former gang member now empowers at-risk youth through musical self-expression at Legion Beats in San Rafael, reported the Marin Independent Journal. His first class of 13 students will … [Read more...] about SQ parolee helps troubled teens through music