Hip-Hop: Culturally Relevant Pedagogy? Dominique Williams

Introduction Ensuring positive educational outcomes for all learners has been a topic of discussion for quite some time.

Creating a culturally relevant curriculum is important, as students who enter the classroom come from

different racial, linguistic, cultural, ethnic and social class different than them. Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings

coined the term “culturally relevant pedagogy” which is a framework that theorizes the development of

student instruction, created in 1994 to describe “a pedagogy that empowers students intellectually,

socially, emotionally, and politically by using cultural referents to impart knowledge, skills, and

attitudes”(Kim & Pulido, 2015). Contingent upon educators, the development of student knowledge is

rooted in considering the learner's cultural backgrounds to systemically mature academic skills. Hip-hop

music, as an element of popular culture and can be utilized as a central theme in the development of

culturally relevant pedagogy and secondary curriculum in other studies.

Research to Practice Points 1. Teaching is learning.

2. Hip-Hop as a pedagogy, examination through the elements.

3. Integrating Hip-Hop into the classroom.

Details on Research to Practice Points

Teaching is learning.

Teaching is learning is a process of slowly integrating knowledge into practice. The most important aspect

of teaching is developing the mental habit of reflecting on your instructional practice and of altering your

practice according to what you discover about how students learn best. Knowledge of multicultural theory

and practice will give you the reflective space, the necessary reservoir of cultural insight, to intelligently

address pedagogical issues as they arise in your everyday practice (Horton, Freire, Bell, & Gaventa,

1990). Our classrooms have become more diverse, affecting our youth and one way to address social

inequities is through the curriculum. Hip-Hop allows the teacher to connect with the student(s) and learn a

culture that enchants our youth. Positive relationships promote a healthy workspace for the educator and

learner.

Hip-Hop as a culturally relevant pedagogy.

Hip-Hop is a complex system of concepts, values, and ideas that reflect creative expression. Often taught

through song, videos, or lyrics in K-12 settings, Hip-Hop “increases students’ engagement, fostering a

cultural climate based on community, develop critical literacy, empower identities, and create more

opportunities for student voice both inside and outside of the classroom—goals that parallel those of

culturally relevant pedagogy” (Kim & Pulido, 2015). Incorporating Hip-Hop into the classroom bridges

the gap between positive sustained engagements. According to Dr. Stovall, “the best way that we can

prepare students to make informed decisions about their individual actions and choices in media

consumption is to recognize what influences are surrounding them and to begin a critical discussion of

these influences” (Stovall, 2006).

Integrating Hip-Hop into the classroom.

A substantial amount of research regarding Hip-Hop in the classroom fails to deliver understanding on

how to integrate elements of Hip-Hop into the curricula. Hip-Hop culture goes beyond rap, djing, graffiti,

and b-boying, educators can connect music using hip-hop songs, physical education through break

dancing, dance routines and hip-hop aerobics, math through understanding the recording industry, social

science through discussing the history of hip-hop and its roots in culture; political mobilization;

disenfranchisement and global influence. Using culturally relevant pedagogy as an educational framework

that fosters a climate of (a) support academic learning, (b) develop cultural competence, and (c)

encourage a sociopolitical consciousness for hip-hop. This teaching technique will help teachers

recognize that music motivates movement, how the way in which they teach and a small break may

influence a better learner.

Conclusions and Implications for Practice

Including hip-hop is effective in encouraging and engaging students, hip-hop pedagogy incorporates

solutions to societal and systemic problems students of color face but also embraces a culture of the

oppressed overcoming obstacles through elements of counter knowledge. By acknowledging and

privileging the cultural identities of students, educators can simultaneously engage students in critical

literary and social dialogues while also sending a clear message that students’ lives and communities are

present and relevant to classroom learning and culture (Kelly, 2013).

Areas Where Additional Research Is Needed

Hip-Hop as a culturally relevant pedagogy is still evolving. New directions often require applying

different theoretical perspectives (Petchauer, 2009). A broader research lens would be useful in collecting

more information to better understand the impact of using Hip-Hop as pedagogy, perhaps also using a

mixed-methods approach of collecting quantitative data on student outcomes, which might help to

substantiate the case for Hip-Hop as pedagogy.

Full References for all Reviewed Articles—APA format

Morrell, E., & Duncan-Andrade, J. M. (2002). Promoting academic literacy with urban youth through

engaging hip- hop culture. English journal, 88-92.

Oran, G. (2009). Culturally relevant pedagogy.

Chang, J. (2006). Total chaos: The art and aesthetics of hip-hop. Basic Books.

Chang, J. (2007). Can't stop won't stop: A history of the hip-hop generation. Macmillan.

Additional Resources and References

Horton, M., Freire, P., Bell, B., & Gaventa, J. (1990). We make the road by walking: Conversations on

education and social change: Temple University Press.

Kelly, L. L. (2013). Hip-hop literature: The politics, poetics, and power of hip-hop in the English

classroom. English Journal, 102(5), 51.

Kim, J., & Pulido, I. (2015). Examining Hip-Hop as Culturally Relevant Pedagogy. Journal of

Curriculum and Pedagogy, 12(1), 17-35. doi:10.1080/15505170.2015.1008077

Petchauer, E. (2009). Framing and reviewing hip-hop educational research. Review of educational

research, 79(2), 946-978.

Stovall, D. (2006). We can relate hip-hop culture, critical pedagogy, and the secondary classroom. Urban

Education, 41(6), 585-602.