Welder Underground unveils ‘Rappin' Max Robot’ through apprenticeship program

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Welder Underground unveiled the "Rappin' Max Robot" through their apprenticeship program with six apprentices in Bushwick. The nonprofit organization aims to teach the next generation of welders and metal fabricators all while partnering with artists to make large scale art. "Rappin' Max Robot" combines creativity with hip-hop and welding. “We did it in collaboration with Eric Orr," said Marc Levin, executive director of Welder Underground. "He’s an artist who’s been a New York hip-hop artist since the 80s since he was painting in the subways with Keith Hering, and this was our very first project!” Artist and designer Eric Orr says he first got involved in the designing process when Levin reached out after seeing his 1986 "Rappin' Max Robot" cartoons in the first ever hip-hop comic book. “They loved the character, one thing led to another," Orr said. "They found some money. And they built this thing here.” The Welder Underground Apprenticeship Program takes on six apprentices at a time to learn about welding, and show them there's more to life than a traditional education route. “I never thought I would do this before, this is probably the last thing I thought I would be doing, but I really enjoy it," said Justinn Bucano. Their mission now is to gather more young hands to weld a sustainable future. "