Building literacy skills through Hip- hop

Hip-hop is not just a genre of music, it is a cultural movement.  Analyzing hip-hop music can help students develop a range of literacy skills, including vocabulary, reading comprehension, critical thinking, writing skills, and cultural competence while appreciating and affirming their identities and culture. 

Beginning with an important teacher self-reflection and an introduction to the concept of linguistic bias and justice, this resource provides guiding questions for students to analyze lyrical context and perspective as well as an activity to reflect on their own experience with hip hop culture relevant to their generation. Students also can make connections from past hip-hop culture to today, while reflecting on how gentrification and appropriation have impacted hip hop and its culture.  For an interactive version, click here