A 16-year-old CedarBridge Academy student is bound for New York City this week to compete in a rap contest on BET’s American Hip Hop video show ‘106 & Park’.Jeremiah Steede whose stage name is Lil Quan, won the ‘Can You Rip It?’ competition against five other local students.The contest that started in October and finished in December involved the students competing over several weeks to learn various aspects of the music industry, public relations, interviewing skills, branding and music history.Contestants were required to create two original songs for a live competition held at the Berkeley Institute, with the winner representing Bermuda on the cable network show.The contest was led by executive producer Jonathan Talbot of J Roc Communications and co-producers Jodi Lewis, Neville Darrell and Glenn Tucker.After months of planning, BET producer Terrance Clayton has now solidified a spot for the winner and his producer Cahlii Smith of Dem Biez to appear in a live recording of the show which will be aired on Wednesday.Jeremiah said yesterday he had been raising funds through pledges for the trip later this week ever since he won the competition.“I had anger problems when I was in Middle School at Dellwood,” he said. “I used to get in trouble a lot for getting mad easily because I didn’t know how to express my feelings. Now I’ve learned how to express my feelings through rap.“I think a lot of young guys my age have problems because we keep our feels locked up inside, they think it’s like being a sissy if you express yourself, I think it’s just how some boys are.”He is the second child of four siblings. He said his mother Laurel Steede is “more excited than anyone”.“I’m hoping I will be recognised by an international artist or producer and educationally I have a few goals of my own,” he said. “I would like to attend college in Canada, and one day become a police officer. Maybe I will study law.”He admitted that gangster rap has a heavy influence on young people. “I listen to it to see what they’re doing, but I do inspirational rap, but I’m not influenced by it,” he said.The Wednesday edition of the show will be aired at 7pm Bermuda time on BET Cable channel 34.“I will be performing in the US competition on the show, I don’t really get nervous,” he said.“I’m asking all my friends to watch the show and vote for me to win, the show will tell you how to do it. The grand prize if $5,000 and a recording session.”He will be accompanied by Mr Talbot and his back-up singer. They leave on the same day of the show because he has a test to write tomorrow.“I’m looking forward to it and hopefully we’ll get a chance to do a bit of shopping too,” he said. “I just want to say to all my peers, don’t let anyone steer you wrong.”For other young men with anger issues he advised: “Find something that you’re passionate about, something that relaxes you and stick to it.”