Features 19

Daring rap group makes a name for themselves in the Omaha rap community.

Screaming fans, a sea of people, traveling the country going to clubs performing for hundreds. What may seem like a dream to most is just the beginning of a reality for others.

Junior Christian Freed (AKA Fr!day) and sophomore Gage Dixon (AKA Lucid) are two ordinary guys, until the weekend hits. Then they become the Troublesome Two, a rap group that performs in clubs and shows all around the Omaha area and beyond.

Ever since eighth grade Freed has been practicing and performing as a solo and duel rap star.

“When I was a kid I thought I wanted to be a rock star, but I couldn’t play any instruments and didn’t have the vocals to sing, so I turned to rap,” Freed said.

Junior Decker Schneider (AKA Kid Dex) is the hype-man; he goes to shows with the duo and gets the crowd ready to go before a show.

“Christian was already rapping and I thought it was cool so I joined him,” Schneider said. “I’m

still pretty new to it all, but it’s been awesome.”

Both rappers write and perform original songs that they compose whenever they get a spare moment.

“Writing your own stuff is the main skill to have; if you don’t write your own stuff you aren’t really rapping,” Schneider said.

Rapping takes plenty support if you want to become successful.

“My parents are really supportive and they try and come to all the shows,” Freed said. “It’s really helpful to have someone there for you.”

Inspiration is key to being successful, especially when it comes to rapping.

“Some of my top inspirations for writing are Dizzy Ray and Kendrick Lamar,” Schnieder said. “If I like a song I like it, I don’t have one set area of rap.”

Freed and Schneider’s practice and hard work have paid off in the rap community.

“We have been all around Omaha, in addition to Wichita,

Kansas, and in a few weeks we’re going back,” Freed said. “We have been as far as Denver and Des Moines and we could be going back again soon.”

Life in the fast lane doesn’t slow down for anyone, especially when you are as talented as the Troublesome Two.

“Recently, our manager called us and told us we were going to audition for ‘America’s Got Talent’ in Denver, Colorado. I was shocked because we had also booked a gig in Denver that same night, so we had a crazy day,” Freed said. “We are feeling pretty good about our audition; hopefully we will hear back in April.”

The rappers are staying optimistic about ‘America’s Got Talent’ experience.

“Whatever happens happens,” Freed said. “We can’t be negative about something like that.”

Both rappers agree on one thing that has helped them with their success.

“Just be yourself,” Schneider said.

rap godsDevin Mueller Business Manager

Focus 19

Art can be illustrated in many different ways. Painting a picture, sketching a person or even doodling a character can be interpreted as art. But what about music? Members of PLHS’s wind ensemble think that music is an art form, and one of the best kinds.

“Music really helps me express my emotions,” junior Kenny Pancake said.

Pancake is a member of PLHS’s very own wind ensemble and has been playing music since the seventh grade. He uses music to express himself the same way people use art to express themselves.

He is not the only one who feels this way. Junior Jacob Moore, another member of the wind ensemble, agrees that music is a way of expressing yourself.

“When someone writes a song, they write it because it means something to them,” Moore said. “It is a cool way of expressing yourself.”

Some may argue that music is an even better art form than conventional ways such as sketching or painting.

“Music is better because you can picture your own image when listening or playing a piece unlike a picture

where everyone sees the same picture you do,” Moore said.

But students are not the only ones that have been using music as an art form.

“A good example of this is the famous song ‘American Pie’ by Don Mclean, Moore said. “Don

Music for thePLHS band members tell how music is their own art form.

Devin Mueller Business Manager

wrote that song to show how he and all of America felt when three famous singers died in a plane crash. It was really powerful.”

The wind ensemble class really helps students present their art form in a challenging and fun way.

“The class allows me to play different types of music whether it is super complex or just one note,” Moore said. “I am expressing myself every day.”

Perfecting this art form is not an easy task.

“We have to practice more than

the other bands but we get to play more difficult

and sometimes fun pieces,” Pancake said.

No matter what you consider an art form, hard work and

practice always pays off. “The more I got

involved and the more time I put into it, the better I got,” Moore said. “It was

really cool to see that.”

Soul

Junior Kenny Pankcake and junior Jacob Moore

MONARCHSCOMMUNIT High school students partake

in a number of activities on the weekends, like going to sporting events, hanging out with friends and even working. Senior Kat Mundorf does all of that and more: she builds houses for refugees with an organization called Habitat for Humanity.

Habitat for Humanity is a volunteer organization that is operated by everyday people in the community. The people they are assisting have come to America for many reasons, and from many places. Most of the time, they are escaping mass suffering in their homeland, such as war or disease.

For people like Mundorf, it is just an opportunity to help someone in need.

“It’s really cool at the end, saying you helped build a house and having your name be one of the big helpers on a project as big as that,” Mundorf said.

For many families, English is not their first language. By working with these families, volunteers learn

new cultural experiences.“It’s really sweet when the

family comes and helps out, you learn a lot about them and where they are from. They are always so grateful for your work and it’s just awesome,” Mundorf said.

Mundorf has been involved with Habitat for Humanity for six years. Though she is a veteran now, she was a little nervous in the beginning.

“My dad is the event organizer so that’s how I started out,” Mundorf said. “I was a little nervous at first, but once I got started it was a lot of fun, and I started to learn a lot.” Over the years, Mundorf has acquired multiple skills that have helped her in other aspects in her life.

“I have learned a lot,” Mundorf said. “I can put up dry wall, roofing panels, and can use a power drill. It’s pretty cool, maybe later on I could help build my own house.”

As Mundorf gains new skills,

she is hoping to put them to use on other projects in the future.

“I do plan on continuing volunteering with Habitat for Humanity when I am out of high school; I might even be a team leader by then,” Mundorf said. There are plenty of ways to get involved in Habitat for Humanity.

“There are so many different locations here in Omaha. Just go to the website and it will list all of the locations,” Mundorf said. Getting involved is easy, and an extensive knowledge of power tools is not required.

“You don’t have to work on just the house. Bringing lunch to different sites is always helpful and so is donating power tools. Everything helps,” Mundorf said.

At the end of the day, helping fellow residents benefits the community, and Habitat for Humanity provides a unique experience for anyone.

Features28

Students improve the community one nail at a time.Devin Mueller Business Manager

Devin Mueller Business Manager

elping the rachel Boyce assistant eDitor

Photos by Devin Mueller and Rachel Boyce

Devin  Mueller  Papillion-­‐La  Vista  High  School