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St. Paul Students To Face Off With Beyoncé For NAACP Image Award

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- When the 48th Annual NAACP Image Awards are announced next month, some Twin Cities teenagers will be in the audience.

Students from the High School for Recording Arts in St. Paul collaborated with the Grammy Award-winning Sounds of Blackness.

They created, performed and recorded the song "Royalty," which is nominated for two NAACP Image Awards, putting them in competition with stars like Beyoncé, Alicia Keys and Bruno Mars.

Gary Hines, the founder of the Sounds of Blackness, wrote "Royalty" with the intention of working with students at the High School for Recording Arts – and for them to perform it.

"'Royalty' was recorded here, the video was done here, it was mixed here, the photography, all of those things. So, it's really the heart and soul of HSRA," Hines said.

He says the song is about cultural awareness and pride.

Gary Hines In Royalty Music Video
Gary Hines in the music video for "Royalty" (credit: HSRA)

"We want to show that those stereotypical images can be not only be hurtful but just wrong," Hines said.

HSRA is a public charter school on University Avenue in St. Paul. The 350 students focus on learning the music industry as they also take traditional classes.

"We also focus on the students that a lot of people have given up on," said HSRA Executive Director Tony Simmons. "We recognize the genius in each of those kids. They have incredible assets, incredible abilities. They've shown resourcefulness in their lives."

Many of the students come to HSRA after dropping out of other schools.

"Of our students who get to 12th grade, we graduated about 75 to 80 percent of them," Simmons said.

Ishy Juan was a senior at HSRA when the video was recorded in 2015. He wrote the rap.

"I am referring to being looked at by the system as a slave, but knowing who I am and knowing what I can do in this society," Juan said.

"Royalty" is nominated for Best Contemporary Song and for Outstanding Group Duo Collaboration. They are competing with Beyoncé, whose songs "Freedom" and "Formation" are nominated. Alicia Keys' song "Blended Family" and Bruno Mars' "24K Magic" are also nominated.

The students say they are surprised by all of this, but are so excited their work is getting national attention.

The awards ceremony will be broadcast live on TV One on Saturday, Feb. 11.

Four students and two staff members are planning to fly to California for the awards ceremony. They are trying to raise money to pay for airfare and hotel rooms, and they would like to take more of students. Here is how to donate.

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