Many people believe hip hop does not have a place in the classroom or in education. Some people claim it promotes violence and mistreatment of women. Other people claim that hip hop can help some students learn, who would otherwise be disinterested. I believe that hip hop should be included in classroom education because it’s more relatable to students, it reflects real life while classroom culture is out of touch, and it’s fun and exciting.
Hip hop being the most popular genre of music touches a younger audience and is more relatable to students. According to the Nielsen’s Annual music report, hip hop is the most popular genre in America since 2018. If teachers added rap music to the curriculum the students would be more interested in what they are learning about. Hip hop increases social consciousness for students, which means raising awareness about what people actually have to go through such as drugs, money, and violence.
Hip hop could allow students to relate to what they are learning about so they can achieve more.
Classroom culture is out of date, while hip hop culture is more like real life for people. Classroom culture is out of touch with reality because it hasn’t changed in over 100 years. Meanwhile, hip hop is modern and speaks to the youth. School culture is out of touch with the real world, especially Waldorf education. They teach you old things that aren’t in touch with the real world, like knitting. They haven’t even thought about slavery and injustice and it isn’t discussed in class. Hip hop talks about racism and injustice while schools dismiss that.
Hip hop is very fun to listen to, and says important things that are happening in the world. Kids would be more excited to go to school if hip hop was relevant and not frowned upon. If we had rap music in music class, other classes would not be as boring. Some critics of including hip hop in school claim that hip hop glorifies gang violence and bad behavior. If gang violence was discussed in the classroom it wouldn’t be glorified. All rap music is not just about gang violence. There are positive songs that contribute as well.
Rap music should be taught in a classroom because it teaches lessons on real life. People hear about gang violence and how it’s so terrible, and people from schools in areas where there isn’t gang violence may not understand it or may even glorify it. I’ve been around it and don’t glorify it. It needs to be taught and gang violence and gang problems should be talked about so kids don’t make the wrong decision. Not all hip hop is about violence and it’s meant to reflect real life.
By: Rory