Hip-hop meets royalty as Wigan performance groups create the King's rap

Alan Gregory hopes to mix the royals with rap ahead of the coronation.

If you have ever wondered what would happen if the royal family produced rap music then a performing arts initiative from Wigan is to give you a pretty good idea!

Alan Gregory, CEO of Pianos, Pies and Pirouettes is giving children the chance to decide what they believe King Charles III should say during his coronation this coming May.

Issues that they choose to address, such as environmental causes and the importance of protecting the planet for future generations will be championed in the form of rap – a genre of music that originated in African-American and Latino communities in New York City in the 1970s.

The rap itself will be written by popular children’s author Vince Cleghorne, which will then be put to music by Alan himself.

The programme is open to children between five and 14 years old across wigan.

A street-dance will be choreographed by Donna Harrison, which will not only consist of traditional street moves but courtly dances of Charles I and Charles II including a 17th century sarabande and minuet – showing the stability and the longevity of the monarchy through dance.

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Alan said: “We’re going to send it to the palace so that Charles can have a boogie himself after the coronation!

"We chose rap as it’s a way of converting what is seen as a very grand and very conventional into something that is much more modern and what the kids would understand.”

Alan hopes that this can be part of the bank holiday celebrations within the town, allowing the children to perform the routine in the park on the day of the coronation.

The programme began this week and is open to five to 14-year-olds across the Wigan borough and is being held at Bickershaw Village Community Club.

The first week will runs to Thursday April 6 before week two which will be Tuesday to Friday including the performance itself on the final day.

Media Cubs, who teach children how to become news reporters, will be filming and editing footage ready for it to be sent to King Charles III and Camilla.

For more information on how to get involved in the programme, Alan can be contacted directly by email on [email protected] or by phone on 07434 985955.