Pedagogy of Hip-Hop In Urban Schooling

Sindy Nuesi

Pedagogy of Hip-Hop In Urban Schooling

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Hip-hop serves as effective pedagogy for students and teachers in urban schools. The lyrics in hip-hop music as well as the principles that it promotes provides schools with a method of teaching that goes beyond that of the four walls of a school building. It also enables youth in urban environments to feel empowered and become more aware of the reality of what surrounds them. Although many are unfamiliar with how hip-hop can be used as a method can be used within a learning setting, it can actually contribute to a generation that challenges ideas and concepts instilled into them from the beginning of their existence.

            According to Thurman Bridges (2011), the three principles that support Black male teachers in school and help all the teachers effectively teach diverse student populations in urban schools are 1) call to service, 2) commitment to self-awareness, and 3) resistance to social injustice. Bridges conducted a qualitative study of 10 black male k-12 teachers from the hip-hop generation. This revealed that hip-hop encouraged activism within the teachers, and so lead to them wanting to give back to their communities. The teachers believed hip-hip culture exposes racism in places such as public schools, law enforcement and the broader legal system. The connection these teachers felt to their students came from the connection they felt to hip-hop, and it also motivated them to embody ideals and goals of service. For example, in the song Time’s Up by O.C., there are examples of the commitment to service. The lessons the teachers learn from hip-hip lead to them encouraging students to become more self aware, and realize they are living in a racially and socially oppressive society. Bridges (2011) mentions You Must Learn by Boogie Down Productions as a promoter of this self-awareness. The teachers also felt hip-hop also provides guidance to urban youth regarding productive ways to stay off the streets.

            Darius D. Prier (2012) argues that subcultures such as hip-hop allow urban youth to “affirm their identities and lived experiences in creative, transformative, and empowering ways” (p. 9). Students learn to question issues of police brutality, unjust school systems, inequitable health care, and more through the lyrics and themes of hip hop culture. In this way, urban youth can reclaim ideals and practices of democracy within their local community. Tightened security and surveillance of urban youth can make them feel imprisoned, so receiving education outside of the everyday curriculum within school can be beneficial to them.

            As one can see, hip-hop as pedagogy can impact youth in urban schools in positive ways. Through hip-hop, the students as well as the teachers become informed on the issues faced by its audience. Hip-hop can teach youth in urban schools principles that promote activism and resistance to injustices faced within their communities. Those who grew up being part of the hip-hop culture understand that Blacks often go through pain that goes ignored and disregarded by society as a whole, and hip-hop sheds light on the ironic fight for peace.

Work Cited

1.     Bridges, T.. (2011). Towards A Pedagogy of Hip Hop in Urban Teacher Education. The Journal of Negro Education, 80(3), 325–338. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/41341137

2.     Prier, D. D.. (2012). Chapter 1: Hip-Hop as Democratic Practice. Counterpoints, 396, 1–31. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/42981563