Insomnia

I wonder how many important inventions and ideas are outcomes of insomnia. Right now, I'd venture to say-not very many. That is because I am physically tired and mentally strained but I can't seem to relieve the tension between my mind and my body on my own.

It's like "Crank Dat Soulja Boy"- I know that it is mindless and I don't want to hear what he's saying as it is extremely derogatory and in some cases downright violent (if you didn't know of the explicit sexual content, check this out) but the stripped down steel drum beat can be compelling... no really what it is is that it's played out everywhere and my students are listening to it and learning the dance ENGROSSED in it's childlike simplicity or adult themes- whichever story you believe. To me, it is like a weed that takes over and absorbs all of the nutrients out of the soil... I pick my battles though, and there is no stopping the Soulja Boy craze right now- so I'm going to use my knowledge of it (and this tutorial) to gain some ground... and then maybe I can get some sleep!

The Spirit of Hip Hop

On the local hip hop and r & b radio station there's a Sunday morning show called "The Spirit of Hip Hop." It features music and artists that use the same music as rap and r & b, but the message in the lyrics is definitely sacred and religious in nature. It reminds me of the evolution of gospel music and it is symbolic of how people of faith find ways to be in the world without being of the world." If you don't pay close attention to what is said in the song you might just write it off as regular rap of the money, cash, cars, party, alcohol and drug variety. Its mere existence- this "gospel rap" or "holy hip hop"- brings out a critical aspect of my identity as a hip hop educator. For more information, check out AltaredLives.org, an Internet radio station featuring holy hip hop, and GospelFlava, for the latest news in the gospel music industry.

I love Jesus! I love hip hop! I love educating! While sometimes these loves seem to be at odds with one another, they coexist in my life. The soul of hip hop encompasses mind, body and spirit much the same way that education should seek to develop them. Actions demonstrate values that are formed through inquiry, experience and reflection. Therefore, I hope that through my actions my students know that I am a Christian (I emphasize the golden rule), they know that I know about hip hop (but they might not be aware that I consider myself a hip hop scholar :P) and they know that every moment is a teachable one as far as I'm concerned (even if it is play time).

In conclusion, the true essence of hip hop is living a purposeful, perhaps even prophetic, life in which you are- or striving towards being- who you were created to be... contradictions and all!

Edutainment

I have long lamented the shift of television news to infotainment. By "infotainment" I mean constant reports on celebrity lives (i.e. Brittany, Brangelina, Paris et. al.) headlining when our country is in an economic crisis, the president just vetoed a bill (SCHIP) that would provide health care for more uninsured children, Buddhist monks and peaceful protesters are getting beat down in Myanmar, the Iranian president is jockeying for more concentrated control of his nuclear program, 10,000 men in Philadelphia are gathering to combat violent crime and homicide, people are trying to assassinate Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan (where we KNOW there is an Al-Qaeda connection) and No Child Left Behind is up for reauthorization!!

Hip hop has been called "the Black people's CNN" because the music, the writing, the mentality, all mirror current conditions and consequences. However, it can inform and persuade everyone- not just Black people! While one purpose of hip hop is to build wealth (or at least gain material possessions), another purpose has been (and continues to be) to tell stories or report on the reality of living in this day and age. Unfortunately, I've found that so many of my students know this in only the shallowest sense (e.g. glorified ghetto life). Therefore, I seek to map out the lyrics (so many metaphors, similes, allusions, and alliteration too!) and discuss the symbolism of images from hip hop culture. Consistent analysis of things that genuinely interest students can promote critical thinking habits that will continue to work outside formal educational settings.

While recognizing and implementing curricula that emerge from student input is important, educators must not fall into the trap of the TV news- adopting a style that is less educational than entertaining. I call this "edutainment." Edutainment is the equivalent of parents befriending their children- it is undesirable at best as parents and teachers alike must exhibit and administer discipline. However, when there is an appropriate balance between core curriculum, high-interest subjects and so-called 21st century skills (read more here) students will learn, retain and apply more.

One activity that I use to accomplish a good balance is called Talk Show. Students are invariably familiar with aspects of television talk shows such as the host, microphone, audience, special guests, and expert opinions. I set up the room like a talk show set and use a marker as a mic and either pose a question or provide information to provoke discussion. As students make comments, I make a conscious effort to summarize their statements and sometimes guide students into making the next comment- e.g. "So and so says this, what do you think about it?" Additionally, this format allows me to introduce/recap key vocabulary and concepts either through a monologue (speaking into the mic is important) or from special guest "testimony." As long as they don't take it Jerry (Springer) or Maury (Povich) on you (some well established ground rules for audience participation can cut down on this), it is an effective way to edutain. ;) ***Take it even further using available technologies by video recording shows, having students create their own news report spots to show, or doing some consumer research on products and services for probable commercials.

Come On People

Bill Cosby and Alvin Poussaint have a new book coming out. Here is an interview detailing their vision for following "the path from victim to victor."

http://www.bordersmedia.com/shows/adviceforliving/cosby.asp

While I have not yet read the book, I gather from the interview that the message is for people to mobilize. Mobilization is key in hip hop culture as well as in realizing the possibilities of globalization. From moving your body (to a funky beat) to marching in protest (or in celebration) to circulating a demo or mix tape, flyer or brochure- hip hop moves! As an educator I know that if we, the adults, the examples, don't "bust a move" these first generations to be "worse off" than their parents will continue to regress. We have to teach our children to move!

Expanding horizons

Is music appreciation linked in some way to good character? I think so! Being able to listen to (without drowning out the sound with complaints and belly-aching as my students do) and perhaps even enjoy music of genres outside of the mainstream- mainstream as in rap and r & b, specifically- is quite similar to respecting people who are different from the mainstream and different from oneself. While the works of artists representing the best of hip hop clearly show the influence of artists and genres other than hip hop/rap, my students are so resistant to hearing and feeling other music. The familiar booming bass, melodic hooks, and references to pop culture stereotypes- Dollar Bills, Extra Expensive Car, Clothes, and House, and Club Scenes- lull them into a secure narrow mindedness, the kind that creates and perpetuates glass ceilings and is indignant about how far in the past one might find nooses hanging from trees...

Here are some artists who provide important lessons both in music and in character while integrating their wide array of interests, experiences and (musical) influences.

Disclaimer: This list is by no means exhaustive. The artists are not all rappers and some could be considered "mainstream." The key is that they exhibit the talent and creativity to be fully integrative (and they are some of my favorites!).


Outkast
Anthony Hamilton
Alicia Keys
Kanye West
India Arie
Jill Scott
Soulive
Gang Starr
A Tribe Called Quest
Queen Latifah
The Roots
Common
Talib Kweli
Mos Def
De La Soul
Public Enemy

Hip Hop gets a bad "rap"

People are always surprised when I tell them, "I love hip hop." They figure that since I am highly educated, I speak standard English, and I am a teacher that hip hop must be excluded from my consciousness... However, hip hop is the reason why I continue to strive for excellence as a teacher. It provides a mode of expression of injustice and oppression and call to action to make a difference, but it also demands appreciation for the art that it is.

When I break down elements of hip hop in terms of core content areas in a formal educational setting (using refined definitions from the Temple of Hip Hop website) it includes:

emceein= language arts, mathematics, social studies, science
beatboxin= vocal music
deejayin= instrumental music, physical science
graffiti art= visual art, mathematics (esp. spatial reasoning and geometry), chemistry, language arts
breakin= dance, (biological) science
street entrepreneurialism= social studies, mathematics, language arts

Still, there are some (of my colleagues) who argue that hip hop does not have a place in school as it promotes violence, the objectification of women, the glorification of money, drugs and alcohol. There is definitely some truth to their claims, however, this all or nothing mentality is precisely what continues to strip our children (as they are ALL our children- urban, suburban, rural, rich, poor, of all races) of the valuable lessons hip hop has to teach.

Hip Hop is Global Education- Part I

Since I believe that hip hop culture and global education are very closely linked in application and require culturally competent educators and I think it is useful to state some of the learning outcomes I hope to encourage...

Upon graduation from high school students should be able to:

• recognize global interdependence and its impact on their lives as well as their impact on the world,
• research countries, cultures and peoples in a realistic, broad but deep way, understanding that the process is often as important as or more important than the product,
• demonstrate and promote respect of all people, regardless of race, gender, age, ethnicity, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, mental or physical ability, or socio-economic status,
• communicate with people from multiple regions of the world as the capability to communicate in several languages and across various cultural differences is an essential skill,
• see issues from a variety of viewpoints to aid in problem solving and conflict resolution and
• analyze themselves while discovering other cultures.

Of course, the question is "How do we promote and ensure the achievement of these goals?" And so the journey begins!