Will Keck isn’t trying to tell you who to vote for in November. The important thing, he says, is that you vote … and maybe know a little something about manipulating a drum break.

“Here’s a chance for you to have your voice heard,” says Keck, a former rapper and the owner of MSQShop, a creative project management company where he does creative direction, graphic design, branding, video and other services for clients. He’s talking about the Rise Up Song Challenge, a patriotic online contest that promotes voter participation through remixing. “This is about reminding people to practice this American tradition that many people have died for.”

With the Rise Up competition, Keck is leading one of several Freedom Advances initiatives, a broader non-partisan civic campaign spearheaded by the Washington D.C.-based creative agency, NEWorks Productions. Participants in the contest are invited to download the elements behind one of two patriotic songs (at https://riseupmusicchallenge.com) and “cut, chop, sample, or build something entirely new with the lyrics from the song you choose.”

The producer of the winning remix will receive $1,500 (second prize $500) and the submission will be incorporated into the “Let Freedom Ring” Martin Luther King Birthday celebration at D.C’s Kennedy Center in January (it’s an annual event that NEWorks has produced music for since 2003). The deadline for submission is coming up fast: Oct. 20.

Freedom Advances is designed to educate and motivate citizens to participate in this year’s election, says Nolan Williams, Jr., the founder and CEO of NEWorks, and the composer of “Rise Up and Fight” and “I Have the Right to Vote,” the two featured anthems to be given the remix treatment from contestants. “The [contest] is meant to reach college-age voters, that’s why we’re centering it around Tik Tok and why we’re thrilled to have Will and his organization partnering with us. We’re trying to reach out to the African-American community as well.”

In addition to the contest, the Freedom Advances campaign features a bevy of public service announcements from assorted celebrities—everyone from Regina Belle to Billie Jean King to Masta Ace—some of whom will participate in the judging of the Rise Up song entries. Over its 21-year history, NEWorks has co-presented the Philadelphia Freedom Festival and produced a documentary on Washington D.C. history, among other pro-Democracy initiatives.

“For 21 years, the company has had a history of doing civic engagement projects,” says Williams. “It’s part of our core values. We believe in the power of the arts to impact the world for the better.” The Rise Up Challenge is a bit different, he admits, but the goal is the same. “We want to remind people of the 15th amendment. We want people to vote.”

No expensive audio software is needed to participate in Rise Up, Keck says. “The contest is open to rappers, singers, instrumentalists and DJs. That’s the beauty of things like Tik Tok and instagram, they have a platform there that can easily allow people to create content and music. We have the beats and sounds for you to download and you can just stitch it directly to your page and then rap right into your phone.”

It’s all about inspiring interest in the voting process.

“In the 2020 election, 81 million registered voters just didn’t vote,” Keck says. “Even though we did have the highest ever number of votes cast in that election, that’s just unacceptable.”

Williams adds that Rise Up invites people to showcase their own creativity while, in the process, becoming advocates for voting. “We want young people to manipulate these assets in a way that creates pro-voting messaging that will reach their peer group.”

The only provision? Contestants can’t endorse a particular candidate or party with their entries.

“We want everybody to participate,” Keck says. “We’re not going to cross that line of partisanship. There are already so many lines being drawn. It’s becoming which party you are with rather than the problem you are fixing. But, last time I checked, we’re all Americans and music can be a powerful tool for change.”

For full details on Freedom Advance’s Rise Up Song Challenge, including how to participate and enter, go to https://riseupmusicchallenge.com. The deadline for submission is Oct. 20.

Corrections: Keck recently sold Richmond’s CNTR creative space and is no longer the owner; he also no longer raps.