Every Saturday morning, a group of 10 or 15 teenagers gathers in the KPRS 103.3 studios at an hour earlier than most adolescents can fathom being awake. There, they produce a radio show called Generation Rap, opening it by shouting out their graduating class or school name: "It's your boy Rob from Central" or "It's your girl Ailey, reppin' the good ol' class of '09." The kids take calls from teenagers all over the metro; topics include rap, sex and drugs. Turning over a live radio mic to high schoolers from the 'hood might be some people's idea of a train wreck waiting to happen, but Jim Nunnelly (who on weekdays administers Jackson County's COMBAT anti-drug program) puts his trust in these kids, and they respect him right back. Nunnelly, aka "Granddad," provides guidance but gives them control on-air. "Let's go deep," Nunnelly says behind the scenes. "What does the word vulnerable mean? Let's be more vulnerable." Last we heard, 15 kids were on the waiting list for a regular spot on the show.
