It looks and feels like a recording studio, but it's a classroom.
It's where students learn to create their own album for college credit.
Introducing ACC's latest hit: Hip Hop Music Production.
"They seem really excited in class," says ACC music instructor Ray LaManna. "They're so passionate. They don't even want to leave at the end of class."
LaManna says the class does more than satisfy requirements. In his eyes, it's the first step to recognizing Austin's growing hip hop community.
"I think it's a big deal," he says. "A lot of times, we feel alienated from the music scene here in Austin, and it's the live music capital of the world."
He felt that struggle while still a student at ACC a few years ago, taking music classes not catered to the genre.
"There's nothing really for hip hop, and I didn't feel like I can relate to them," LaManna says. "And then I found out later on that my peers felt the same way."
Including his instructor, Tim Dittmar.
"Hip hop music is pretty common now, and so a lot of our students are interested in that, and we're not serving that particular market," Dittmar says. "I think that it will hopefully diversify our department a little bit more."
With more people singing the same tune, ACC decided to make room for the class in its curriculum.
"Because we are a community college, we're here to serve the community," LaManna says. “And when the community speaks out and they say that this is what they want, now I'm here to get the job done."
It's a sentiment that will someday ring true for Austin's hip hop community as higher education catches up with a beat.
For more information, visit http://www.austincc.edu/catalog.