The Ithacan

“DROWN” is an electronic dance music (EDM) track with 168,358 plays on Spotify — a statement number for Ivy., the stage name of Ithaca College junior Graham Johnson.

Ithaca College junior Kyra Skye approaches the microphone at The Haunt, greeting her audience with a smile.

Because SoundCloud is such a simple and accessible site for so many, it draws in a large crowd of unknown artists.

The truth is, and always has been, that the coarse, chaotic rhymes of this Florida-born rapper are an acquired taste.

While his message is admirable, his corny lyrics turn a powerful song into something that belongs in an after-school special.

That’s a big part of what rap is about, just saying what you want and trying to change the world politically.

Student DJs flock to Ithaca parties and events to perform their original mixes and mashups.