Mentoring Matters: Mentor Uses Hip Hop To Help Teach A "Path" To Success

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Mentors often help their mentees get on the "path" to success.

And for some, that path includes lessons in hip hop.

"MC'ing, DJ'ing, BBoying, urban art, and we also implement knowledge, wisdom, and overstanding as the 5th element," explained Seth "Brimstone" Schere.

That's the lesson plan for PATH - Preserving, Archiving & Teaching Hiphop, Inc., a program funded by the Children's Trust.

"So music is a language right. Music is communication. And so is the dance," Schere said. "Hip hop itself is communication, whichever element you're practicing. It's used as a way to bring people together."

It's brought Schere together with countless kids, including Brandon Naguit and Khairi Muhammad.

"It's like an opening, it's like an adventure. Just opens your world up to so many new things," Muhammad said.

"The PATH program is really unique. It's really different from every other program. I think it's really dope because it explores hip hop in a different light besides just rapping. It shows you that there's more to it," Naguit added.

Brandon was already a B-Boy, or a break-dancer, before joining "PATH".

But the program has opened his eyes to other forms of hip hop and he credits his mentor Schere with broadening his horizons.

"He's really knowledgeable," Naguit said. "Like you can go to him and he'll know about breaking. If you ask him about rapping, he'll know about rapping. Back in the day, he was a graffiti writer. So if you want to know about bottling, you can go to him and he'll teach you about it."

The goal of "PATH" is to inspire, educate and entertain, while challenging negative stereotypes and destructive behaviors often associated with hip hop culture.

Schere says the key to making that happen is mentorship.

"Hip Hop was actually founded in mentorship. The only way it grew to the next generation was through mentorships. It wasn't programs like this, it was a street mentorship," Schere said. "We're able to filter through the right and the wrong and pass that down to the next generation."

The group performs all over South Florida and recently even took the court at a Miami Heat game.

If you have a talent for hip hop and want to volunteer, or perhaps you want to donate to the scholarship fund, visit pathtohiphop.org.

If you are a mentor and would like to share your story with us, please email us at mentoringmatters@cbs.com.

Click here for more Mentoring Matters.