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Musician wins Mobo for saving youths from gangs
Amar Singh15 Oct 2008
A LONDON musician who has helped steer hundreds of youths away from street crime is to be honoured with a special award at tonight's Mobos.
Ricky McCalla, who started tackling gang violence after being shot by a carjacker, runs a small recording studio in Crystal Palace where he mentors young people at risk of becoming gang members. But the 26-year-old from Lewisham today warned a lack of funding could force him to close his studio this year.
A bullet lodged in the back of his neck from the June 2005 attack is a constant reminder of the impact of gun crime, which cut short his career as a choreographer. Doctors warned he could be paralysed if he danced again.
He said: "It was devastating as I was at the top of my career,. I had become well established as a dancer and choreographer but my world turned upside down when I was shot. I was strongly advised in hospital to stop dancing and told I would be taking eight medications every day for the rest of my life. They couldn't remove the bullet as it is so close to my spine."
He set up the Frosted Ice project with his psychotherapist mother, Kimouy McCalla, to help young people in his community when he learned about the boy who shot him.
Mr McCalla added: "When I found out that my attacker was under 18 that put a stamp on the situation as something that happened for a reason.
"I wanted to use what happened to me to help young people by giving them something constructive to do and making them feel like they are part of a family. Teaching them music is the tool to keep them away from the streets." Mr McCalla, who runs the project from a basement, will be given the BeMobo Award 2008 for making a difference in his community. He received hundreds of nominations from the public.
He estimates he has helped more than 300 young people with songwriting, recording and advice and contacts in the music industry. Despite the chance to meet some of his musical heroes tonight, including John Legend and Run DMC frontman Rev Run, he is more interested in using the event to appeal for funding.
He said: "The pressure of running the project with no steady income has put a real strain on my mum and I. We may have to close it all by the end of the year. I hope that by winning these awards I can raise awareness as we desperately need help. I know how much this means to the kids and the minute this is taken away from them the streets are waiting."
Noel Clarke, who directed the critically acclaimed film Adulthood, describes Mr McCalla as "an inspiration in our community and a role model for others to follow".
He has made a short film about Mr McCalla to be shown at the event.
Kanya King MBE, founder of Mobo, said: "It's wonderful that we are able to honour many people and organisations in the community who like Ricky make a difference, day in, day out in the lives of others." The Mobo Awards are broadcast live from Wembley Arena on BBC Three, with a special 90-minute show on BBC One on 17 October.
Reader views (7)
Again Frank - it is not a black only award ceremony, artists such as Duffy and Adele were nominated as well as a multi-cultural mix invited to attend, including white people.
Maybe once award ceremonies such as The Brit awards and the British music industry as a whole start recgonising other types of music and talent, and by this I don't mean lumping everyone into the "urban" category (which was actually dropped by the Brit Awards in 2007)then maybe the MOBOs would not have as much significance.
Even if you do believe the Brits reflect the make-up of Britain, it also ignores a majority of the 5million plus people from ethnic minority communities and their musical talent which is not only popular with black people, but with the youth and other wider audiences.
Steve, award ceremonies worldwide cater for different types of music; there are rock, indie, country awards, the list goes on. The Mobos is merely a celebration of a celebration of a different genre of music. So while Country awards ceremonies do not explicitly state that they are for white people, a majority, if not all nominees are white as the music is not of black origin, and black talent is not highly represented in this genre. Maybe the Mobos should be called "The Hip Hop, Reggae, Soul, Jazz, RnB, African, Gospel, High Life, Soca awards". However, the music it celebrates is of black ORIGIN so I beleive there is nothing wrong in saying what you see.
- Michelle, London, 16/10/2008 10:46
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My understanding of the word racist is very clear as it has been newly defined for our "minority-centric, politically-correct" 21st century society.
It's meaning is no longer as described in the Oxford dictionary and hasn't done for a long time. Being a racist is only confined to white people.
It is a black only award ceremony and the Brits simply reflect the actual make up of the UK, not the media perceived make up; and that is that 90% of the UK is white.
- Frank, Home Counties, England, 16/10/2008 09:15
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Steve, there is no reason to have an award show for music of black origin, just like there is no need for one that is for music of white origin. It is racist, as colour is stateb as the requirement of origin. If the shoe was on the other foot it would be racist, so why the double standard?
- Brandon Thomas, London UK, 16/10/2008 02:20
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Can you send me details of the studio that Ricky Macalla runs (MOBO AWARDS)
- Dan, london, 16/10/2008 00:19
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Frank, clearly you are as misinformed as you are ignorant. MOBO stands for "Music of Black Origin" and is a celebration of a certain genre of music (including such music performed by white people).
It is in no way a "Black Only" event, nor is it aimed at excluding other ethnic groups. So your use of the word "racist" only exposes your total lack of understanding of the awards and most probably of the word "racist" itself.
- Steve, Hertfordshire, England, 15/10/2008 16:58
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There is a "white only awards function". It is called the Brit Awards and awards are usually won by angry, untidy, incoherent rock bands. It is very popular.
- Sam, Brixton, 15/10/2008 16:14
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The Black Only Awards ... hmmm. Nothing racist about that at all.
Wonder what would happen if we had a white only awards function sometime?
- Frank, Home Counties, England, 15/10/2008 14:32
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