Hip Hop and Education - Educating Through Music
"Hip hop is inherently political, the language is political. It uses language as a weapon -- not a weapon to violate or not a weapon to offend, but a weapon that pushes the envelope that provokes people, makes people think." - Todd Boyd, Professor University of Southern California's School of Cinema-television
It's true what they say about music -- it is a universal language. Regardless of where people are from or what language they speak, music that has universal appeal can do more than entertain. It can bring people together, get people to think and some cases provide a soundtrack for change. Never has his become more present than in the music of hip hop that went from an expressive combination of lyrics and rhythm to a lifestyle and culture that has permeated popular society.
More than just a beat
As stated above the "hip hop" professor, Todd Boyd, hip hop is far more than just clever rhymes and banging beats. It has the potential to educate. Boyd is one of the many educators blazing the trail that of bringing hip hop to education purporting that as a learning tool, it's very powerful. Take for example the organization H2ED (Hip Hop Education). Their formula of T.O.P.S.Y (teachers, organizations, parents, social workers and youth) seeks to involve the adults and leaders in the community to band together focus educating the youth using things that they can relate to.
This Is How They Do It
According to their mission, "H2Ed is to serve as a resource for educators and those committed to helping children succeed in school by using the power of hip-hop culture as a learning tool. This is achieved by compiling and maintaining a comprehensive list of educational resources, products and services available for educators. By providing important networking opportunities and by advocating on both the institutional and grassroots levels for educational reform." (About H2ED, www.h2ed.net)
The common misunderstanding or misconception is that you walk into a classroom and there is a hip hop beat blaring while a teacher attempts to rhyme the key points of American history. While that my seem like a clever and entertaining idea for Hollywood films it's a hackneyed attempt at best to incorporate what hip hop can teach. Consider the basic tenets of recording, producing and distributing an independently produced hip hop CD. Within this one projecct.
* Basic Business Training
* Project Follow Through
* Problem Solving
* Social skills necessary for meeting goals
* Team Building
* Marketing
* Sales
(The DJ Project, By Dave Kim, Bay Guardian, San Francisco)
Involving youth in a project of this nature is exactly the goal of initiatives like San Francisco's DJ Project. Much like H2ED, the DJ project uses hip-hop culture to reach out to urban youths for which this music has become an integral part of their lives. It would seem that the old perception of this music being a bad influence and having no redeeming qualities has actually been changed and is now perceived as music that can actually create a sense of empowerment for many kids.
For the Colorado Hip Hop Coalition (CHHC) founded in 1979 they take this empowerment to another level by:
* Creating a cultural connection between hip hop Culture that and kids
* Giving youth a stronger voice in the creation of programs suited to their needs and interests
* Developing a community network of hip hop artists and entrepreneurs that work collectively to create community economic opportunity
The Future Is Bright
The next time you hear people bemoaning the negative influence of hip hop, think about these pioneers in education and how they have looked beyond the negativity and embraced the potential and common bond between hip hop, kids and education.
Author Bio
HIPHOPDX - The premier spot for all things Hip Hop, Rap and R&B culture, what'chu know 'bout that?
More Resources
Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exitingMore Music Information:
Related Articles
How to Find Musical Ideas
The Russian Composer Igor Stravinsky once said: " A good composer does not imitate; he steals."I think what he meant by this is that it's OK to use a technique developed by another and make it your own.
Composing for Dummies
When most people hear the word composer, they automatically think of classical composers like Mozart or Beethoven. This is the point where many "would be" composers freeze up because they tell themselves that their music could never be as good.
Your First Guitar
Congratulations, you just bought you first guitar! Now that you've met the love of your life and made that big commitment, you're probably excited about building a good relationship with your new partner. But where do you begin? You've just come home from the music store with this beautiful, mysterious stranger, or perhaps even rescued an abandoned orphan from the flee market or pawn shop.
Interview With Josh Epstein of Vision Music USA
Vision Music USA is a proactive and progressive music service firm with the interest of their clients the driving force that makes them successful. President Josh Epstein and CEO Nick Stamoulis are focused on helping the Independent artists to maintain control of their career by saving them time and their hard-earned dollars.
Ouch, It Hurts When I Sing!
When I first set out to write this article about voice problems in singers, I was looking for two experts from contrasting fields of medicine - "medical" and "holistic". What I found, instead, in the first practitioner that I interviewed, was a delightful mixture of the two.
Music Business Contacts: Music Business Registry connects artists, managers, publishers, producers &
"The difference between success and failure is information," notes Ritch Esra, and he should know. Along with his partner, Stephen Trumbull, Esra is a leading part of the number one most-reliable source of information on "who's who" and "who does what" in the music business.
The King of the Delta Blues Singers - Robert Johnson Still Stands at the Crossroads
Probably the most enigmatic Singer and Guitarist of the twentieth Century is now one of the most revered and respected of all Musicians who make up the Genre of the 'Blues'. I speak of course about the wonderful Robert Leroy Johnson.
Spectral Muses Revisited: The Channeled Melodies of Rosemary Brown
Rosemary Brown (1916-2001) was a middle-aged South London widow, making ends meet as a grade school kitchen assistant, who rocketed to international fame in 1968 through a BBC broadcast recounting her purported collaborations with long-dead composers. These included Liszt, J.
Guitar Players...Get a Balanced Guitar Practice Diet
Do you have a wide variety of things that you practice. Or do you like to binge? (You know.
People are Turning to Meaningful Songs for Emotional and Spiritual Relief:
A New Breed of Aspiring Songwriters Is In The Making. What are the Sacrifices of the Solo Singer Songwriter in Today's Changing Culture?David La Motte and Michael Alan are performing musicians and singer songwriters who share their experiences and insights about the hard work required to earning a livelihood in the music business.
Bluegrass Music - Alive and Well in the Appalachians
One of the Appalachian Mountain region's greatest contributions to the world is Bluegrass music. Born in hills and hollows, Bluegrass is simply mountain folk music with heavy Celtic influences.
Eminem: A Social Commentator
In an interview given to Musik Magazine in 2000, Eminem comments some of his lyrics: 'Please Lord, this boy needs Jesus/Help this child, help him destroy these demons/Please send me a brand new car and a prostitute while my wife is sick in the hospital'. What I'm trying to say is we've got all these preachers going 'Jesus, Jesus! And then they're molesting kids.
Music For Self Improvement
Would you like to pop in a CD and have a better quality of life, and even self improvement? There are three ways you can use music to accomplish this.Music For MotivationPut on energetic music, and even doing housework seems less like work.
How to Construct Chords and Improvise
How To Construct Basic Chords on the PianoThe easiest way to start learning how to build chords is to practice their constructions in the key of C Major. You're just playing all white keys.
Do You Know What a Didgeridoo Is?
Do you know what a didgeridoo is? There are so many things in this life that are unknown to us. I bet you could find out about something outside your normal sphere of vision and experience everyday for the rest of your life and still not get close to knowing about everything out there.
Are iPods Changing the Way We Listen to Music
They're everywhere, and not only are they everywhere, they look cool too. Since its launch in 2001, 10 million have sold and 8 million of those were in 2004.
Play Piano As Fast As Possible!
One of the rules of practicing we all hear over and over is "Be sure to practice slowly." (I'm guilty of this too!) Often the result of this is a feeling of inhibition, which leads to tedium.
A Brief History of Fender Guitars
Perhaps no other guitar maker has touched the hearts of so many players and collectors as Fender. By producing excellent guitars at reasonable prices, Fender has been the instrument of choice for many guitarists throughout the world.
Radio - What's Happened To It?
Remember when radio stations played great music?OK, before you accuse me of sounding like your dad, I'll rephrase that. Remember when radio stations played an exciting variety of music and artists and you never knew what they would play and when?Well my friends if you do remember that, you've probably been around awhile.
Music Bytes - Tips For Saving On Professional Software For Musicians, Part I
If you are outraged by the prices software giants demand for their tools, it's time to check out shareware. Small independent developers often provide similar solutions that cost three to five times less AND you get to try them before paying.