Hello! I'm Dr. Charles H. Beady, Jr., former president of The Piney Woods School, in Piney Woods, Mississippi. I served there as president for some 20 years. Founded in 1909, Piney Woods is one of four historically black boarding high schools left in the United States of America. Graduates come primarily from poor, single parent homes, yet they go to and graduate from college at rates that exceed the national average.

Piney Woods students introduced me to and keep me frustrated with, yet amazed by, the power of Hip Hop. My constant struggle was to have them understand I know it's not going away and I respect the fact that its stars are talented, but not to confuse respecting talent with condoning its many negative effects, world-wide. My goal with this project is to make sure as few of them as possible get sucked under and drown in its powerful undercurrents.






This project consists of a CD, Whatever It Takes (2 Motivate 2-Daze Youth), and two books. These materials are aimed at harnessing some of the power and energy of Hip Hop and using it to help motivate youngsters, who are not otherwise motivated, aspire to higher levels of academic and social achievement.

I told Morely Safer when he interviewed me for the appearance of The Piney Woods School on the famous program "60 Minutes," I will do whatever is right, legal and necessary to motivate young people. No, I'm not a rapper, but I will do Whatever It Takes (2 Motivate 2-Daze Youth).