Rapper Warren "Wawa" Snipe on hip-hop in the Deaf community
Baby baby I know it's real But I can't believe that God brought to life Prayers into life I can't believe Made me a better man Woo yeah You heard from me I ain't trippin' 'cause I know where I'm gonna be Please -
Translator
My name is Warren Snipe. But you can call me Wawa. This is how you sign my name. Music has always been my thing. She's looking at me funny 'cause my signs were very clumsy Started learning just a month ago Teachers think I'm terrible. Wonder if she like to dance Should I ask her -
Translator
Dip-Hop is hip-hop through Deaf eyes. And I'm opening the door into my world. It's me. So you can see the world through my eyes. Wawa's world. When hip-hop first started, I was there. And I immersed myself. Did I understand the music? No. But I wanted to. So I asked my sister to write the lyrics down for me. She did, and then she would play the song and lip sync. So that way I could read the lyrics and lip read, and then I would feel the rhythm through the speakers so I could follow along. Rubble every day is full of action Fascinating language Wish it came with closed captions I wanna say I like her Maybe she can teach me how So I made a -
Translator
I wrote poems, and those poems became rap lyrics that I would rehearse, and that led to producing music. And since then, I've never stopped. It's something that I have been doing for a long time. (Star Spangled Banner plays) Oh say Can you see By the dawn's early light What so gallantly -
Translator
So for myself and the Deaf community, as an actor and a musician, I have the drive and the passion to make a difference. I want the hearing community to have more exposure to the Deaf community so they can see what Deaf people can do and what we have to offer. I want to squash the myths. Oh say does that star spangled banner yet Deaf people are here. Don't ignore us. Deaf musicians are here. Don't ignore us. We welcome you to our world. It's the 21st century and the time is now. And the home of the Brave (music plays out) (crowd cheers) -
Voiceover
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