I consistently find myself in debates over the complexity, quality, and impact of the art form and culture hip-hop. An artform that was conceived in my eyes by the spirit of the youngest generation of a people that recently fought for a more equal racial positioning in America (keyword more). A group of majority brown-skinned young people seeking to carve out a place of there own in the American culture. Instead these be-bopping, rapping, record spinning, brown skinned Americans created the genre of hip-hop and changed the culture of America.
I will present an argument for the possible effectiveness of hip-hop education and how rap can be leveraged as a central tool for the method. The conversation then moves to how select rap lyrics can be utilized to assist African-American students develop a more nuanced understanding of self. I will then discuss how this hip-hop assisted development process can be leveraged to increase student critical thinking and listening skills. In support of my argument I will share lyrics that address the complexity of racial identity, and could be utilized to expand and augment narrow views of Black racial identity.
One of my former professors Bettina Love in her 2009 dissertation speaks to how more and more educators have sought to use the complex history and nature of hip-hop as an instrument for instruction. The most common counter argument to this claim is that rap, a significant portion of hip-hop, retards the progress of African-American students in terms of maturity and global perspective. However, I would argue that rap artists as a whole consistently contribute music that insightfully expresses and describes the complexities of the hip-hop culture it is a reflection of. Therefore, rap has the potential to be used as a vehicle to prime student discussions about critical thinking. Specifically, rap lyrics could be used to help students attack misconceptions about the rigidity and source of knowledge. In discussing how ideas and beliefs of knowledge can change, students could begin to deal with the overall complexity of knowledge. Greene in a 1994 article discusses how encouragement of reflective thinking on the complexity of knowledge has been shown to develop student’s capacity to think critically. Consequently, rap could arguably be used as a tool of successful hip-hop education methods. Even more the prevalence, origin, and target audience of rap makes it attractive to minority students in our society who have been the most difficult for our education system to reach (see research on achievement gap). The ability for hip-hop to connect to many of our nation’s minority students and facilitate high level learning activities is the basis of the hip-hop education movement in America.
The rap artist Childish Gambino, whose real name is Donald Glover, in his most recent album has a song called “Hold You Down” where he raps the following words.
“Cause God knows what these white kids say, ...
Subtle racism,
its hard to pen it cause you’d only understand if you was me for a minute,
This one kid said something that was really bad.
He said that I wasn’t black, because I had a dad,
I think that’s kind of sad, mostly because a lot of black kids think they should agree with that.”
This is only an excerpt of the complete song where Glover deals with a current popular social conception of what being Black means in our American society and his disapproval of the negative conceptions often associated with Blacks. At one point in the song Glover urges that “we (Blacks) should change the way we see each other,” speaking on reconceptualizing what it means to be a part of the black race. The lyrics of these verses stand as example of how rap artist can shrewdly address complex issues of race. As well, the message of this song comes enveloped in a package of soulful vocals, rhythmic claps, and boisterous drum patterns that frequently appeal to African-American youth. For that matter the musical accompaniment of the song would likely appeal to many youth, allowing for teachers to capitalize on the sound of the song to catch students attention. With students brought into the song, a skilled teacher could use Glover’s lyrics to stimulate a discussion considering the depth, construction and history of race.
Even more when thinking critically about race it would be important to consider the people, events, and cultures that contribute to the social construction of the term race and one of its designations Black. In the song “Murder to Excellence” recorded by rap artists Kanye West and Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, the duo discusses the issues of black-on-black violence and as a opposing view the pursuit of black excellence. West discusses the issues of black-on-black violence and the need for change in this verse:
“And I’m from the murder capital where they murder for capital,
Heard about at least three killings this afternoon,
Looking at the news like ‘Damn! I was just with him after school,’
No shop class but half the school got a tool,
And a ‘I could die any day’-type attitude,
Plus his little brother got shot repping his avenue,
Its time for us to stop and redefine black power,
41 souls murdered in fifty hours”
Carter in subsequent lines discusses how Black’s should push fervently for greater wealth in this verse:
“Now please, domino, domino,
Only spot a few blacks the higher I go,
What’s up to Will? Shout out to O, That ain't enough,
we gonna need a million more,
Kick in the door Biggie flow,
I’m all dressed up with nowhere to go”
Finally, West finishes the thought and concept of the song with his lyrics that follow:
“In the past if you picture events like a black tie,
What’s the last thing you expect to see, black guys?
What’s the life expectancy for black guys?
The system’s working effectively, that’s why!
I’ll be a real man and take care of your son,
Every problem you had before this day is now done”
Aside from the number of complex literary devices these lyricists utilize that could serve as the framework for a lesson discussing the complexity of poetry and the creativity associated with developing such word play, we are left with an opportunity to reflect. The duo carefully discusses concepts that frame the social conceptions that contribute to the state and meaning of the black race, and argue that changes to this framework need to occur. In fact, Carter and West’s language parallels the purpose of Social Reformist. The Reformist message captured in the lyrical samples provided has the potential to be positively impactful on African-American’s image of self, through skilled hip-hop education.
Viewing the black race as one that is not defined by poor parenting, senseless violence, or repressed by the system I argue are all-important understandings of a complex and healthy perception of black identity. I am not suggesting that discussions of rap lyrics are the only path to developing young African-American’s concept of self, or even that all Blacks need such development. I am however asserting that if carefully selected many rap songs can be used to stimulate discussion, leading students who would benefit from a healthier concept of racial identity. Even more, through the discussion about the complexity of race and the social conceptions that contribute to its current meaning, students are provided the opportunity to develop their critical thinking skills.
In conclusion, there are a multitude of rap songs and lyrics that contribute to the narrow and negative conceptions of Black race. While some may use the majority amount of these songs as an example to argue for the dismissal of rap as an effective tool of hip-hop education, I would of course assert these songs help to strengthen the argument I present here. Songs that reinforce negative stereotypes and ideas for the skilled hip-hop educator could serve as discussion or lesson topics, where students consider the narrow views presented and even contrast those songs to ones of higher intellectual quality. This activity encourages critical thinking, but perhaps more importantly models to students how to become active critical assessors of music and instead of a passive consumers. I can not attempt to measure or know the impact of hip-hop on the average African-American student, mostly because a major point of this work argues for the complexity of such a person. However, what I can speak to is my own experience and those individuals I have observed. Hip-hop is a humongous part of my life and from my perspective a significant part of the lives of my African-American family members, former students, and closest friends. Accordingly, encouraging African-American students to think critically about a part of their life that has the potential to be as salient as hip-hop means a great deal of critical thinking practice for them.
More on my position and bias: I'm an African-american male that listens to hip-hop daily. I search for new music(mostly hip-hop), that often is not played on mainstream radio. I love hip-hop, however in no way shape or form do I believe that on its own it can or should be used "to save" the state of the black community. Or for that matter the community needs saving. However, what I will argue is that their are rap lyrics that could contribute to initiating healthy discussion with young African-Americans and for that matter kids of any ethnicity in America. If you are a teacher and decide to use any of the songs that I discuss in this article please review them in their entirety, as many of the songs use profanity.
This post is a summarized and more accesible version of a paper I wrote for one of my grad courses this semester. Here is a link to the full paper: http://bit.ly/rUec4O
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