VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A record deal from jail?
The Virginia Beach Correctional Center has started a music program for some of its inmates, and on Monday, music producers came to the facility to hear several inmates sing.
The intention of the program, that started at the beginning of the year, is to give inmates the opportunity to sing and create original music.
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Sheriff Rocky Holcomb said while they’re here, “their time is occupied; they’re able to build up some hope and maybe an opportunity when they get out they can parlay this into a job.”
Jonathan Jones whose nickname is “Lyrically Jones,” said he’s spent much of his adult life incarcerated and misses music.
“I took the last probably half of the time I’ve served trying to educate myself and make change,” Jones explained. “I have children, so I started thinking about ways I could you know, teach them, show them a better way to go about things so they don’t follow my footsteps, because when you’re a dad, an uncle, or just a figure that someone looks up to, they have a tendency to try to do the things you see you doing. They glorify it whether it’s good or bad.”
Jones said whether or not this turns into a record deal, he’s still very grateful for the opportunity and hopes other felons can share his passion for music.
“It’s phenomenal. It really does change morale,” Jones added.
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Local DJ, “Shaggy” with Z104 has played a role in this initiative, too. He helped arrange to have music producers come to the jail, and over the weekend, he had the inmates in the studio to sing live. He said the response from listeners was very positive.
“They see there are people out here like myself and others in the Sheriff’s department that want to see these guys win and want to see them make the right decisions. They just need the right support system, and that’s what we’re here for,” Shaggy said.
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Time will tell if they’ll get signed to record a song with a producer.
Meanwhile, the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office says that a program like this can provide a path to rehabilitation and that other jails that have these types of music programs have reported fewer disciplinary issues.
Sheriff Holcomb says it falls under their Road to Hope program. They also offer a G.E.D. program, food handler courses, landscape training, a substance abuse program, and more.
