By Nolan Strong
Rapper John Forte is putting his new found freedom to good use as a new teacher with The City College of New York.
Staring on March 31, Forte will work with In Arms Reach, a program designed to provide a positive environment for at-risk youth and children of incarcerated parents.
Forte will teach a twelve-week course geared towards students aged 12-15. He will use music as a therapeutic means to address stress, anger and pain.
“John hopes that the catharsis of song composition will help children deal with the stigma of having a family member who is incarcerated and rebuild the spirit of those who have been traumatized or abandoned,” a representative for Forte told AllHipHop.com about the course.
The rapper will be talking to students from a point of experience, as he was recently released from federal prison, after serving almost have of a 14-year sentence, after he was found guilty of possessing 31 pounds of liquid cocaine.
In November, Forte was one of 14 people who received a presidential pardon by President George W. Bush.
Since returning home from prison, the Grammy-nominated singer has been pro-active in returning to the Hip-Hop scene.
Forte recently released a new song titled “Life Has Just Begun (Returning Home),” has appeared on remix to Kanye West’s “Homecoming” with Talib Kweli and will make his first live public performance in eight years, for Kweli's SXSW Blacksmith Records showcase on March 19th, at Scoot Inn.
John Forte is currently in the recording studio working on his untitled third solo album.