International disc jockey, Tayari McIntosh, more widely known as “DJ Trauma”, has donated high-end studio equipment valued at US$10,000 to the music programme at Herbert Morrison Technical High School in St. James.

The school has a robust music programme, which includes a band and choir, and has produced several notable musicians and artistes since its inception in 1978, two years after the school was established.

They have performed at several events, including Reggae Sumfest and other notable engagements. McIntosh donated the items on June 5, as part of his philanthropic initiative, the Trauma Unit Retreat, which he established in 2020.

The DJ is widely known for touring with comedian Dave Chappelle, Jay-Z and other notable acts. During the handover ceremony at the school, the DJ said that the talent of the students in the programme and his goal to assist in their artistic development were what inspired his donation.

“I am a DJ, and I have lived my whole life in the arts. That is how I pay the bills, and that is how I created a life for myself. I wanted to inspire some kids to be able to do the same thing, and I want them to be able to take their ideas and record them and create great art,” he said. The DJ thanked his friends for their donations to the cause, including international producer Bryan Michael Cox, who donated one of the computers to the cause.

He encouraged the students to dream big and told them that it is possible that the people around them will be the ones who help them in their future careers.

Head of the art and music department, Nicola Watson-Morris, told journalists that the donation is significant and will be used to establish a professional studio at the school.

“We are invited to a lot of programmes and prestigious events such as awards ceremonies, and here we have our own production setup, where we use our musical equipment to showcase the talents of the students. We are planning to use the equipment to set up our own studio here, and I am looking at a very big picture, where when we have international artistes and even our local artistes coming in to Sumfest, we can have a space where they can use our studio for rehearsals,” she said.