How is rapper 'Speech' helping U.S. inmates? | The Stream

Music and recidivism is at the heart of the new documentary “16 Bars” which chronicles the lives of four inmates at the Richmond City Jail in the US state of Virginia. Their stories and songs give the audience a raw look into America’s criminal justice system.

The film is the work of director Sam Bathrick and Todd “Speech” Thomas of the American hip hop group “Arrested Development”. Speech heard about the jail’s recording studio, which is part of a program designed to help inmates find redemption, and wanted to help out. He spent 10 days at the jail collaborating with the four inmates to record an album. The Album, “16 Bars”, serves as the soundtrack for the film.

“Lock a dog in cage and mistreat him. What you think gon' happen. once you release him?” raps Teddy Kane in the song “Lost One”. Kane, a former inmate, uses his experience in jail to talk about the struggles of incarceration and the difficulties of transitioning back into the real world once released.

On this episode of The Stream we are joined by Speech and Bathrick to discuss how music is helping those incarcerated change their tune.

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