A recent blog post, “Hip Hop as Pedagogy”, from D^3’s blackbox Lab, led by James Riley, Principal Investigator of the lab and Assistant Professor at Harvard Business School, explores hip hop as an educational framework to engage students, bridge cultural gaps, and foster critical thinking. It highlights Dr. Jae Williams, Executive in Residence at Emerson College, who uses hip hop to create culturally resonant and inclusive learning experiences. By linking song lyrics to historical events like public housing policies and redlining, Dr. Williams fosters meaningful discussions about race, class, and systemic inequality. His classrooms emphasize inclusivity, blending diverse perspectives to uncover shared experiences. Drawing on Steve Stoute’s concept of “tanning”, which refers to a consumer mentality based on shared values and experiences, rather than ethnicity or demographics, Williams transcends demographic differences to build deeper connections. By contextualizing hip hop’s global impact and roots in marginalized communities, Dr. Williams inspires students to analyze societal structures and their roles within them, showcasing the power of culturally grounded education.
Teaching through Hip Hop
