Nelly has partnered with Vatterott College to develop a studio and recording school in his hometown of St. Louis. The Grammy award-winning rhyme-spitter owns a vacant building in the city and decided to help out school officials with teaching music to incoming students. The Vatterot College Ex'treme Institute is expected to open in October.

"Nelly and I can't wait to get this open," said Pam Bell, Vatterott's chief executive. "I think a lot of people will benefit who have an interest in music."

The 8,700-square-foot space will have a recording studio, a music-engineering area and a design workshop where students can create album covers and other music-related artwork. Students will also be taught how to use the latest in production software and equipment by knowledgeable instructors.

"We're not just building the most advanced recording studio St. Louis has ever seen," says Nelly, "but we're helping students learn recording and production the old fashioned way -- hands on."

The rapper's longtime recording engineer Carl Nappa is on board as the school's executive director and will develop a curriculum for students to learn the various tricks of the trade when it comes to studio production. Bell says that Nelly might visit the school, and, who knows, might teach a class on how to make hot beats. "He's helped with this project every step of the way," she says. "He will come in and see our students."

Since the government has severely cut funding for music-related programs across the nation, it's good to see artists give back to their communities especially in areas of music education for local schools and universities. Props to Nelly and much success on his new venture.

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