From the Classroom to the Studio

Georgia State is home to many rising artists, such as producer Arthur Putnam and a local rap group known as BB9K. These young artists have chosen to remain in school and live on campus as full time students.

Putnam, also known as AJ, is one of fifty students to be accepted for an internship with Mean Street Studios. Putnam is a music technology major. He's mastered the piano, guitar , and made a career from making beats for rappers in Atlanta. Putnam has turned his internship into a future full-time music engineering position.

"Its hard to stay focused but I've made it to my last semester, I chose to stay in school and finish for my parents," says Putnam.

Rappers like Kanye West have made it known that their success came after they dropped out of college. One of West's most notable albums is literally called "College Dropout." But many young artists want to obtain their education while chasing their music dreams as well. For these rising artists, education has remained a top priority in their life. Finding a balance between creating music and getting their education is a daily struggle for these up and coming artists.

" Time management has been everything , I always put school first and the rest of my time goes to my music career, I've given up a lot of my social life but my success makes it worth it," says Putnam

Putnam has been working with Mean Street Studios for nearly two years and has made impactful connections including meeting well known groups such as "The Migos" and "Lil Uzi Vert." He expects to graduate this spring and will then be a full time engineer for Mean Street Studios.

(Left to right) Riley Smith, Barnett Buchana, Vincent Ricardo, and Issac Kellum

Barnett Buchanan, Vincent Ricardo, Riley Smith, and Isaac Kellum are known around the underground music scene as BB9K. They are only first year students but are currently signed with the label Art is Currency and have continued to rise in the Atlanta music industry. With their new wave southern trap flow they have peaked at 450,000 plays on Soundcloud.

" I promised my mom, no matter where my career takes me I would graduate college for her,"says Antonio

For BB9K, juggling a developing career and being full time students comes with challenges.

"We focus on school during the week and push all of our shows to the weekend. Sometimes its hard to stay focused but we always work together and keep school a top priority," says Smith.

The group opened up for rap superstar "Lil Uzi Vert" in Florence, South Carolina in February.

"Its like everything is coming so fast but we still manage to maintain our school work even when we're on the road," says Kellum.

Family is the motivation that drives these young men to success. The group has agreed to only put school on hold if they have to go on a full length tour. Until then the young artists will work towards their degrees and musical dreams.