THE RAP-UP: Where nature and rap heal together

Hip hop has always been about transformation: turning struggle into art and stories into success. But for Ian Solomon-Kawall, also known as KMT Freedom Teacher, hip hop has the power to turn soil into healing. As founder of The Hip-Hop Garden, he has spent nearly two decades proving that nature and music can change lives.

The Hip-Hop Garden operates in Gloucester, Bristol and London. “I was already involved in the hip hop scene as a DJ, promoter, fan, hip-hopper,” Ian explains. “But it wasn’t ‘til about five years later that it became cemented as a real programme. Music is a great format, but the environment in which music is created is not really a healthy one. People make beautiful music, but at the expense of themselves and everything else.”

Combining hip hop, sustainable gardening, and creative arts, the project guides young people through environmental awareness, food growing, entrepreneurship, and social change. 

The Hip-Hop Garden is built around five key elements, with a strong focus on well-being, employability, and entrepreneurship. “Hip hop isn’t just music, it’s a culture, with elements like graffiti, beatboxing, breaking, and now also well-being, entrepreneurship, and sustainability,” Ian tells us. The programme also emphasises food, teaching participants to grow and cook their own meals. “There’s a direct correlation between your achievement, success and your diet.” 

Talking about the materialistic themes commonly found in rap, Ian explains that The Hip Hop Garden is “an antidote to that world”.

The project aims to educate and empower young people from marginalised backgrounds. “One of the concepts we use is value in the edges and the marginals,” he says. “I refer to compost, and use our traumas, instabilities, and lack of opportunities as a wasted resource. Once they’re in the right environment, they can be transformed and create magical stuff.”

The project culminates in a collaborative event, Come We Grow, where participants bring together the skills they’ve learned. 

For those looking to take the first steps towards healing, Ian offers practical advice: “I think you have to look at yourself physically … Meditation is a big part of my lifestyle.”

Emphasising the importance of surroundings, he adds, “If you can bring some green into your space inside, I think that really helps. There’s a concept called biophilia – if you don’t have any green in your space, it really affects your psyche.”

He offers heartfelt advice for anyone looking to grow, heal, and find their own path: “Know that you’re loved and you’re beautiful, despite how society might perceive you. You don’t always have to have a mask or be tough. You can be vulnerable, though it’s difficult in society to be male, successful, and vulnerable at the same time.”

For participants in The Hip-Hop Garden, these principles of self-care, vulnerability, and connection to nature combine to offer a safe, grounding space where music, creativity, and growth go hand in hand. And for anyone facing life’s challenges, Ian’s festive message is one of hope: “Don’t give up. Though I haven’t been imprisoned, I’ve felt trapped in different ways. This is about recognising that if you want to make changes, it just takes time and being kind to yourself in that process.”