• View Comments
• Share with Shortlink:

An 18-year-old aspiring rapper recently won the opportunity to record his album for free as part of the D.A.R.E. America songwriting contest.

Brandon “B. Arch” Archer took part in a contest held by D.A.R.E., which was open to contestants interested in pursuing a career in the recording industry.

He submitted the winning essay and original rap song and was awarded the opportunity to record his album at Wavaflow Studios in Los Angeles, a state of the art recording facility.

“When I was 12, we were driving past Washington High School [in Los Angeles]. She saw this dude smoking. She looked at him and shook her head, then she looked at me and said ‘promise me you’ll never smoke.’ And from then on I promised her and I always remembered that. I never smoked anything, never will. It’s been easy for me to say no, because it’s just not something I want to do.”

D.A.R.E., which is an acronym for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, was founded in 1983 in Los Angeles to teach children from kindergarten though 12th grade how to avoid drugs, gangs and peer pressure.

The nationwide program is implemented in 75 percent of the schools throughout the United States and in 43 countries worldwide.

Wavaflow Studios is owned by Brazilian producer Wagner Fulco, who has worked with artists like actor Antonio Banderas, Elton John, Bob Dylan, Luciano Pavarotti, Ziggy Marley and numerous others.

“I want to not be known as a regular rapper downing girls and abusing drugs. I just want to set myself apart and be known,” Archer said.

A release date was not available for B. Arch’s debut album.

 video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsfree video player