Hip-Hop and Education

8/14/2019 Hip-Hop and Education

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Andrew J. Ryan, raised in the Bronx, New York, is the Executive Director of Hip-Hop Matters, a non-profit organization whose mission

is to energize, motivate, empower and support Americas youth through responsible use of Hip-Hop culture. He is also the Editor-in-

Chief of The Journal of Hip-Hop, an educational publication that embodies the elements of the Hip-Hop culture.

Ryans urban upbringing sparked his passion to integrate Hip-Hop and education. He has taught at the university level since 1999.

Currently he teaches at the University of the District of Columbia and George Mason University. In the Spring of 2005, Mr. Ryan

began teaching at the high school level and will spend the 2005-06 school year teaching math at a DC charter school.

Mr. Ryan holds a BS in Computer Science and MS in Systems Engineering and expects to complete his PhD in Public Policy in 2008. His

prior professional experience includes organizations such as Chase Bank, Boeing, IBM, Lockheed Martin, NASA, and the FAA.

[email protected] | www.journalofhiphop.org | 202 841 4090

1. Bogdanov,Vladamir.AllMusicGuidetoHipHop:TheDenitiveGuidetoRap&HipHop.SanFrancisco,CA:

Backbeat Books, 2003.

2. Evelyn,Jamilah.TotheAcademyWithLove,FromaHipHopFan.BlackIssuesinHigherEducation.volume

17, no. 21 (December 2000): 6.

3. Fricke,Jim.YesYesYall:theExperienceMusicProjectOralHistoryofHipHopsFirstDecade.Cambridge,

MA:DaCapoPress,2002

4. Gause,CharlesPhillip.PerformingIdentity/PerformingCulture:HipHopasText,Pedagogy,andLivedPrac-

tice.UrbanEducation.volume.38,issue1(January2003):134-140.

5. Hall,PamelaD.TheRelationshipBetweenTypesofRapMusicandMemoryonAfricanAmericanChildren.

JournalofBlackStudies,v28n6p8026. Johnson,J.D.,Jackson,L.A.&Gatto,L.(1995).Violentattitudesanddeferredacademicaspirations:Deleterious

effectsofexposuretorapmusic.BasicandAppliedSocialPsychology,16,27-41.

7. Kitwana,Bakari.TheHipHopGeneration:YoungBlacksandtheCrisisinAfricanAmericanCulture.NewYork:

BasicCivitasBooks,2002.

8. Morrell,Ernest;Duncan-Andrade,JeffreyM.R.PromotingAcademicLiteracywithUrbanyouthThroughEngag-

ingHipHopCulture.EnglishJournal,v91n6p88-92Jul2002

9. Powell,CatherineTabb.1991.RapMusic:AnEducationWithaBeatJournalofNegroEducation,Vol.60,No.3,

HowardUniversity.

10. Rose,Tricia.FearofaBlackPlanet:RapMusicandBlackCulturalPoliticsinthe1990s.TheJournalofNe-

groEducation.volume60,no.3(Summer1991.):276-290.

11. Shusterman,Richard.TheFineArtofRap.NewLiteraryHistory.volume22,issue3(Summer1991):613.

12. Spady,JamesG.StreetConsciousRap.Philadelphia,PA:BlackHistoryMuseumUmum/LohPub,1999.

13. Stephens,Torrance;Braithwaite,RonaldL.;Taylor,SandraE.ModelforusingHipHopmusicforsmallGroup

HIV/AIDSPreventionCounselingwithAfricanAmericanAdolescentsandYoungAdults.PatientEducationandCounsel-

ing,v35n2p127-37Oct1998

14. Tyson,EdgarH.Hip-HopTherapy:AnExplanatoryStudyofaRapMusicinterventionwithAt-RiskandDelin-

quentYouth.JournalofPoetryTherapy,v15n3p131-44SPr2002

15. Wingood,Ginam.ETAL.March2003.AprospectivestudyofexposuretoRapmusicvideosandAfricanAmeri-

canFEmalAdolescentsHealth.AmericanJournalofPublicHealthvol.93,Iss.3;pg.437.3pgs.

Hip-Hop, as with many popular

cultures, is unique in the sense

that to accurately document

the culture, requires its inter-

preters to participate in its

expressions. - KRS-ONEFavoriteFemaleEmcee


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Hip-Hop and educationWorkshop -- July 19, 2005

Hip-Hop and educationworkshop -- July 19, 2005

Facillitated by: Andrew J. [email protected] -- 202 841 4090

OUTLINE

9.00-9.15Introduction

9.15-9.30FilmClip--WhatisHip-Hop?

9.30-9.50RapasEquipmentforLiving

9.55-10.15UsingHip-HopintheClassroom

10.15-10.30AllHip-HopisLocal--Knowing

andReachingYourAudience

10.30-10.45Q&A

LYRICALANALYSIS

1. ImAmericasworsenightmare

2. Imyoung,Black,andholdinmynutslikeYEAH!

3. WishIwasinthepub,havingalightbeer

4. Iwasintheclub,havingaghtthere

5. Yallcangohome,husbandandwifethere

6. Mymommaatworktryingtobuymetherightgear7. 9yearsold,unclelosthislifehere

8. Igrewupthinkinglifeaintfair

9. HowcanIgetarealjob?Chinawhiterightthere?

10. Rightinfrontofmysightlikehere(yeah)

11. Heresyourtickettotheghettotakeightrighthere

12. Sellmeyougobye,byehere,damn

13. Theresadifferentsetofrulesweabidebyhere

14. Youneedagun,niggasmightdrivebyhere

15. Yallhavingfun,racingallyourhotrodsthere

16. DownloadingallourmusiconyourIPODsthere

17. ImChuckD,standinginthecrosshairshere

18. Yallstraight,chicksgothorsehairhere

Jay-Z,Young,Black&Gifted(freestyle)

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DISCUSSIONQUESTIONS

1.WhataretheprosandconsofusingHip-Hopintheclassroom?

2.HowtoavoidcriticismwhenusingHip-Hopintheclass -

room?

3.WhichsubjectslendthemselvestointegrartionwithHip-

Hop?

4.ImprovingliteracythroughHip-Hop...why/whynot?

5.Trueorfalse?YoushouldknowHip-Hopbeforeteaching

it?

In its spiritual essence, Hiphop cannot be (and should not be) interpreted or described in words. It is a feel-

ing. An awareness. A state of mind. . . . Intellectually, it is an alternative behavior that enables one to trans-

form subjects and objects in an attempt to describe and/or change the character and desires of ones innerbeing. KRS One WORKSHOPGOALS

1.DeneHip-HopasCulture

2.DiscusstheConnectionBetweenHip-Hop

CultureandUrbanYouth

3.DiscussStrategiesforIntegratingHip-Hop

intoClassroomActivites

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RapMusicasEquipmentforLiving

byAndrewJ.Ryan

JournalofHip-Hop,Vol1

RhetoricianKennethBurkeinitiallypennedanessay

entitledLiteratureasEquipmentforLiving,heasserts

literatureequipsreaderswithstrategiesfordealingwith

recurringsituations.Thespokenword,isnodifferent

fromthewrittenword.Rapmusic,throughitsrstperson

narrativeandwordplay(asRakimsaidRhythmAnd

Poetry)providemultipleperspectivesforthosewhocan

relate...oftentimestheinabilitytorelatecastsrapina

negative light.

Hip-Hop, through its various elements, is constantly

adaptingtonewsituations.Wordsaretransformedto

depictfamiliarscenariosandcircumstancesnativetothe

culture.Burkeremarks:[Slang]wasnotdevelopedout

ofsomeexceptionalgift.Itwasdevelopedoutofthefactthatnewtypicalsituationshadarisenandpeopleneeded

namesforthem.Forinstance,Eskimoshaveover15

wordsforsnow,eachwithvaryingmeasurestoaccurate -

lydescribeit.Soitisnowonderrapmusicconsistently

evolves,seekingcreativeandcleverwaystodescribe

thepresentandshapethefuture.Rapmusicislledwith

evolutionarylinguistics,wordsandtermstodescribe

the culture.

Inthepast30years,Hip-Hopculturehasmorphedfrom

aSouthBronx(orurban)experienceintoaglobalmove -ment and corporate cash crop.

YouwouldratherhaveaLexus?orjustice?adream?or

somesubstance?ABeamer?anecklace?orfreedom?

-Stic.man(ofdeadprez),Hip-Hop

The great allurement in our present popular, inspiration-

alliterature,isthestrategyforaneasyconsolation.

- Kenneth Burke

ThoughIdoubtBurkeeverlistenedtorapmusic,and

likelyneverimaginedhisworkwouldstretchintoHip-

Hop.Theprophecyisironic.90210rap,wherearich

lifestyleisassumedwithoutanydetailofthemeansis

hurting Hip-Hop. While being poor is not intrinsic to

Hip-Hopculture,pretendingyourerichhasnorole

either.Withouttheabilitytodiscernbetweenthebusiness

acumenofCamron,E-40,orLilJonandtheindustry

controlled handpuppet, the unsuspecting Hip-Hop con-

sumer can easily be misled.

As the dominant youth culture, the yearn to learn

moreaboutHip-Hopstartsearly.Lastyear,Ireceived

ane-mailfromsecondgradeNewYorkCityPublic

SchoolteacherEllyColeaskingifIcouldassist

withaclassproject.AsaadPlummer,now8,chose

thetopic:WhatisHip-Hopforhisschoolreport.

Weexchangedafewe-mailsandafew

weekslater,Ms.ColemailedmeacopyofhisA+

report!

Comprehensionofliterature,whetherNathanMc -

CallorNas/LisaJonesorSistahSouljahmustbe

includedonHip-Hopsagenda.Programslikethe

NationalUrbanLeaguesHip-HopReader[www.

hiphopreader.com],whichawardstudentsforreading

various Hip-Hop and cultural books are a start. Their

progressivemodelshouldbewidelyadopted.

Tomanyurbanyouth,Hip-Hopofferstheonly

reputablecounselforcopingintheirenvironment--

Oprah,Dr.PhilandDearAbbeytypicallydontad-

dress their concerns.

While30and40-somethingscritiquetodays

popularrap,andlongforthe2005incarnationofPete

RockandCLSmoothorthenextDOC,thefocus

mustbeshiftedtowardeducation;onHOWtovalue

Hip-Hop and not WHAT one should listen to. Asaad

hasaheadstartonmostofus...letsmakesurehes

not alone.


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1.Streetstooloudtoeverhearfreedomsing

2.Sayevacuateyoursleep,itsdangeroustodream

3.ButyouchaincatsgettheyCHA-POW,whodeadnow

4.Killineldsneedbloodtograzethecashcow

5.Itsanumbergame,butshitdontaddupsomehow

6.LikeIgot,sixteentothirty-twobarstorockit

7.Butonly15%ofprots,everseemypockets

8.Likesixty-ninebillioninthelasttwentyyears

9.Spentonnationaldefensebutfolksstillliveinfear

10.LikenearlyhalfofAmericaslargestcitiesisone-

quarter Black

11.ThatswhytheygaveRickyRossallthecrack

12.Sixteenouncestoapound,twentymoretoaki

13.Aveminutesentencehearingandyounolonger

free

Mathematics,BlackonBothSides,MosDef

Ideas to Incorporate

Hip-Hop in the Classroom

1.Analyzelyricsforcontentanduseofliteraryandpo -

etic device

2.Developcriticalthinkingskillsbyanalyzinglyrics

fromhistoricaltracks(PE,Pac,Latifah,Luke[lawsuit])3.Developmedialiteracythroughthestudyofmusic

videos

4.CreatemathsheetsusingHip-Hopcontext[budgeting

amusicvideooralbumproduction.Investigatingthe

breakdownofarapcontract.]

5.Artappreciationthroughthestudyofgraftiandpro -

test art

6.Createsurveyandhaveclasstabulateresults.

7.Writepoetryonsubjectofyourfavoritematter[haiku/

tonko/personication]

8.Useraplyricstoparalleleventsinclassreading[excel -

lentforhistory]

9.HavestudentscreateHip-Hopbasedblog

10.InclassdebatesonfenceissuesinHip-Hop(basedon

pre-reading, not opinions)

11.Reectionwritingonsongoftheday

12.Studypolicy/advocacyissueimpactingthem.Use

Hip-Hop lens to provide solutions

13.Usespokenwordpoetrytoengagestudnetsincritical

thinking

14.Teachinggeographyviathehomeofvariousrapstars.15.Havestudentscreatetheirowngraftitags

16.Hip-HopLeadershipSurvivalGame

17.Createadvocacyproject[i.e.environment/pollution]

18.Exploreurbanpolitics/protestthroughHip-Hop

1.Imetthisgirl,whenIwastenyearsold

2.AndwhatIlovedmostshehadsomuchsoul

3.Shewasoldschool,whenIwasjustashorty

4.Neverknewthroughoutmylifeshewouldbethere

forme5.Ontheregular,notachurchgirlshewassecular

6.Notaboutthemoney,nostudswasmiccheckin

her

7.ButIrespectedher,shehitmeintheheart

8.AfewNewYorkniggaz,haddidherinthepark

9.Butshewasthereforme,andIwasthereforher

10.Pulloutachairforher,turnontheairforher

11.andjustcoolout,cooloutandlistentoher

12.Sittinonabone,wishinthatIcoulddoher

13.Eventuallyifitwasmeanttobe,thenitwouldbe

14.Becausewerelated,physicallyandmentally15.Andshewasfunthen,Idbegeekedwhenshed

come around

16.Slimwasfreshyo,whenshewasunderground

17.Original,pureuntamperedanddownsister

BoyItellya,Imissher

Common,Resurrection

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Hip-Hop and Education