Emilio Razzano drops his mountain bike beside the playground to flip through his iPhone playlist. The screen鈥檚 reflection flashes across the slight, 11-year-old鈥檚 glasses as he studiously scrolls through various rap artists. He stops when he hits Sean Forbes. He turns the volume up 鈥� way up 鈥� and slips the phone into the pocket of his shorts.聽
Forbes is one of Emilio鈥檚 idols. He鈥檚 seen him in concert and had a photo taken with him after the show. Emilio even shaved Forbes鈥檚 initials into his short, brown hair. The outgoing boy鈥檚 music folder is full of Forbes鈥檚 material, and whenever he鈥檚 linked up to the Internet, Emilio checks out the Boston-based rapper鈥檚 latest videos.聽
Emilio dreams of following in his favourite star鈥檚 footsteps, being onstage rapping in front of a sea of people. This year, with the help of his classmates at Stawamus Elementary School, Emilio made his first music video. 聽
And while most parents cringe at the rhythms and heavy bass that accompanies the hip-hop scene, Emilio鈥檚 mother Pam encourages it. Forbes鈥檚 music shares some of the same funked-up beats of old school rap. Like many rappers, there鈥檚 defiance in his voice when he addresses society鈥檚 failings. 聽
There鈥檚 also a wallop of inspiration in Forbes鈥檚 music, something that at times lacks in the 鈥渢hug life and broads鈥� big hits. And there鈥檚 realism. A realism that makes listeners check themselves and investigate stereotypes they may not have known were there.
Although Forbes and Emilio are 21 years apart, they share similarities 鈥� both are Caucasian, with spiky brown hair and glasses. Both are short in stature. The likeness is played up as Emilio emulates his hero鈥檚 geek-chic style.聽
But there鈥檚 another factor the young boy and touring artist have in common 鈥� they鈥檙e both deaf.
鈥淓milio has five per cent hearing in one ear and seven per cent in the other,鈥� Pam said, explaining that he can鈥檛 hear things like talking, but he can pick up on loud bangs or bass.聽
As an infant, Emilio was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. He had three open-heart surgeries and countless trips to the hospital. His deafness was diagnosed when he was 18 months old.
Emilio is part of the mainstream school system. He jokes with his buddies, plays games with them during lunch, and works alongside them on school projects. Some of Emilio鈥檚 friends have learned a bit of American Sign Language (ASL). And like most kids his age, Emilio keeps up with his social life texting on his phone.聽
Outside of school, Emilio takes classes with Still Dancing. Emilio signs to his mother enthusiastically, communicating how much he loves dancing.
For two years, Sara Stuart has taught Emilio tap and jazz.聽
鈥淗e can feel the beat so proficiently within himself,鈥� she says. 鈥淗e picks it up so quickly. He is never off beat with
the music.鈥�
While Emilio took to the moves fast, what Stuart didn鈥檛 anticipate was how much he taught her and the class. Stuart has learnt to teach non-verbally, through demonstrations and showing students to feel the movements through the various parts of their bodies 鈥� their toes, heels and arches.聽
鈥淚 found that it has worked with a lot of the other students,鈥� she said.聽
Since Emilio started class, the previous flow of student questions regarding certain moves has slowed. Taking queue from Emilio, pupils try the moves first, going through the paces and watching the steps before taking to discussion.聽
鈥淓milio has been an awesome tool and he doesn鈥檛 know it,鈥� Stuart said.聽
Although he鈥檚 done jazz and tap, Emilio鈥檚 favourite dance genre is freestyle. Back in the park, he breaks out a few steps, as he signs to his mother that hip-hop is the best. His shoulders bounce in rhythm to the bass pumping from his phone to his blue hearing aids. He doesn鈥檛 miss a note; his body moves fluidly as he feels the music.聽
The links between music and the non-hearing world are nothing new, says Janice Lyons, head of interpreting services for the Western Institute for the Deaf and Hard-of Hearing in Vancouver. There鈥檚 the famous composer Ludwig van Beethoven, but in the MTV-era there have been deaf musicians entertaining teens for years, Lyons noted. When she was growing up, the big star was German-born Bob Hiltermann, who formed an all-deaf rock band in the late 鈥�80s.聽
Today鈥檚 technology is changing the scene for deaf musicians, Lyons said. Thanks to YouTube, the hearing and non-hearing world are able to find all kinds of artists at the touch of a button. That kind of exposure helps the deaf community build upon ideas; encouraging individuals to branch out. Technology like Facebook, closed captions, Facetime and texting is blending the communities, said Lyons, who invented Canada鈥檚 first 911 texting service.聽
Just as if not perhaps more importantly, is that hearing people become interested in learning to sign, she added.
It鈥檚 a big turnaround, Forbes noted in an email to the 小蓝视频. For centuries, the deaf community faced oppression. They fought for recognition, for their culture and for their language.聽
Today, the community has made great strides addressing accessibility with the help of technology, Forbes says. Television shows like A小蓝视频 Family鈥檚 Switched At Birth are pulling the non-hearing community into the hearing community. Launched in 2011, the teen drama was the first mainstream series to include multiple deaf and hard-of-hearing characters. And as more people are exposed to the deaf culture, Forbes hopes they鈥檒l want to be a part of cool community and language. 聽聽
Like Emilio, Forbes wears a hearing aid that amplifies sound, helping him pick up on bass, drums and sometimes guitar. And like Emilio, he can鈥檛 hear high-frequency noises. But Forbes believes he interprets music much like it sounds to hearing people 鈥� it鈥檚 all about the feeling. As with all music lovers, it鈥檚 the mood of a piece that enthralls him.
鈥淭he feel of a song is what makes you want to 鈥榣isten鈥� to it,鈥� Forbes says.
With the help of rap super star Eminem鈥檚 publisher Joel Martin, Forbes founded the Deaf Professional Arts Network (D-PAN) four years ago. The non-profit organization makes music accessible to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. The team鈥檚 first ASL music video, Where鈥檇 You Go, by Fort Minor generated hundreds of thousands of YouTube views. Since 2011, the organization has covered more than 10 artists, including John Mayer, Eminem and The White Stripes.聽
Forbes鈥檚 own work can be heard on NPR. He鈥檚 got a following made up of some heavy hitters, including world-renowned author Mitch Albom. Forbes regularly speaks on TV and radio programs promoting awareness. He鈥檚 also working on his next record.聽
Forbes wants to be known as a rapper and just a rapper. His music has fans in both worlds. He鈥檚 opened eyes and inspired the next generations, youth like Emilio, to go further.聽
鈥淯ltimately, if anything can bring the two communities together, the hearing and the deaf, it鈥檚 music 鈥� and that鈥檚 what I want.鈥�
