Street Stories: Music with a message

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - Teens who've seen what happens after bad choices are taking their musical message on the road and whether you hear them sing or talk, you'll think they're wise beyond their years.

"We're not swearing. We're not sending a negative message to anybody," Lillie Jackson said. "We're saying what we need to say but in the right way and we're reaching out to youth to make a difference."

Jackson is a sophomore at the Met School, one of 8 students who are going on a coast to coast tour to perform at schools from Philadelphia to Los Angeles. As it is with all of Terrell Osborne's Music One performances, every note, every word is original and the message is even more unique.

"We write, we sing about real life issues," senior Marggines Abreu says. "Songs about positive things like making better choices."

These teens have seen a lifetime already.  Kids with guns, friends shot, others choosing weed over work and too many adolescent mothers.

"You see little girls, 13 years old." Abreu tells us in this week's Street Story. "12 even, come into the laundromat with a belly."

They bring their lyrics about making better choices from across Rhode Island. Warren, Smithfield, Providence. Jackson is from Warwick and not too long ago, she was picked on for her weight but she credits music for helping her make a life changing choice to lose 30 pounds so far.

"I was determined to lose that weight because I was like, no one's going to talk about me any more."

Jackson steps out of her maturity for a moment, giggling after we asked how excited she is to go on tour all the way to California.

"I can barely hold it in."

The theme is Raising The Level, as in the level of goals, dreams and expectations. You can find out more by clicking here .