York College a cappella rapper's advice: 'Perfect your craft'

DeJour Hood, a fifth­-year senior at York College, is the rapper and vocal percussionist for YCP Rhapsody, the college’s a cappella group and has been in the group for two years.  A key that he says will help you if you plan to become involved in an a capella group, or a club in general is, “Perfect your craft. I practice the verses and beats by myself. The key is to be diligent.”

Members of YCP Rhapsody came to the York Daily Record/Sunday News office on April 7 for interviews with members of Teen Takeover.

YCP practices on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. YCP originated with only ten original members, and membership increased as the years came and they became more popular. For the current members, as tradition, every one of their concerts end with the songs “Build Me Up Buttercup” and “It’s Raining Men” because they were the group’s first arrangements when they started.

YCP Rhapsody has won the 2014 Carlisle Glee Competition and competed in the International Collegiate Championship of A cappella (ICCA) twice. One of the group’s most important assets is their thriving alumni support, who come out to visit them and join them in their concerts whenever they can, according to Hood.

Shaniece Holmes-Brown, a junior at William Penn Senior High School, is a member of the YDR's Teen Takeover program.