Hip Hop Education

Abstract

Hip Hop Education is a field of research and practice that connects the teaching and development of youth with aspects of Hip Hop, including the five elements of Hip Hop (rapping, b-boying/-girling, DJing, graffiti, and knowledge of self) as well as the language, culture, and history of Hip Hop. Since Hip Hop culture is shaped by and shapes popular culture and youth culture, it is positioned within Hip Hop Education as an ideal site for developing curriculum and teaching practices that are relevant and engaging for young people. In classrooms, this can involve standards-based approaches such as studying Hip Hop music as a form of academic text; creating rap music to reflect knowledge of academic content; or using Hip Hop music to teach traditional academic skills. Community-based applications of Hip Hop in classroom settings include teaching for social justice through Hip Hop culture and Hip Hop sensibilities; creating digital content rooted in Hip Hop culture; and structuring classroom community in alignment with the elements of Hip Hop. In addition to its implications for teaching and learning, Hip Hop Education is also associated with research approaches to learning about adolescent identities. In particular, past research has examined the roles that Hip Hop music and culture play in the development of young people's ideologies, their consumption and production of media and popular culture, and adolescents' critical consciousness development. Since media and popular culture are consistently in flux, Hip Hop Education is a dynamic component of educational practice and research that is diverse and ever-evolving.