Aventiv Technology announced its first-ever hip-hop contest dedicated to aspiring artists who are currently incarcerated. 

The company, which provides resources to incarcerated individuals and correctional facilities, is partnering with Grammy award-winning artist Lecrae, who is most widely known for his faith-based, social justice activism.

“My commitment to the incarcerated community is no secret. It's why I'm working w. @JPay_com & @1881MorrisBrown to elevate the musically talented w. a 1st of its kind hip-hop contest,” Lecrae wrote in a tweet on Tuesday. 

“There are very few opportunities that give those locked up a sense of hope, and even fewer that encourage and recognize the level of musical talent that sits in our prison system – this contest does both, which is why I’m proud to be involved,” Lecrae said in a press release shared with Blavity. 

“Our brothers and sisters in the incarcerated community are often forgotten, but with this project I believe that Aventiv is committed to amplifying their voices in a bold and innovative way,” he added. “I know I’ll be amazed by the submissions and create an incredible moment for one individual with the production and mass distribution of the winning track.”  

The “Original Hip-Hop Track Contest” is open to all individuals incarcerated in select State Department of Corrections facilities. Contestants are tasked with writing original lyrics and a song title to one of three beats provided by Zaytoven, a hip-hop record producer who has collaborated with artists like Usher, Gucci Mane and Future.  

From there, three students under the direction of Bernard Short from the Morris Brown College department of music, an HBCU in downtown Atlanta, will select the top 25 finalists. After the preliminary round, Lecrae will choose the winner whose song will be recorded on-site at their facility, mastered and released to the public. 

“Aventiv is uniquely positioned to bring a contest of this scale to the corrections community, so we were elated when Lecrae and Morris Brown College agreed to partner with us to shine a spotlight on the creative talents of the incarcerated, and make one individual’s music dream come true,” Dave Abel, president and CEO of Aventiv Technologies, said. 

The winning song will be available to all incarcerated individuals with access to music services provided by Aventiv, as well as to the general public on streaming platforms including Spotify. Any revenue generated from the project will be allocated to a 501c3 charity providing rehabilitative services for the correctional community in the winner’s state.

The winner of the hip-hop contest will be announced on Oct. 19, 2021, and their track will be ready for public distribution by the end of November. 

“Music has a powerful impact on our mindsets and daily lives,” Abel said. “One of the goals of this campaign is to ignite creativity and passion among participants, and we hope it’s a life changing experience for the winner.”

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