Litness Test: An Argument for Hip-Hop Music in Public Education

Abstract

An ethnographic research study was conducted to explore the benefits of incorporating hip-hop music production techniques into a classroom setting. This study evaluated student interest, behavior, and motive to participate in a music production class through analyzing classroom observations, written responses, and individual interviews. The case group consisted of 16 students meeting weekly over the period of a month.

Qualitative data shows that a high demand exists for constructing sample-based music in the classroom; that learning and engaging with this material yields musical and non-musical benefits such as increased creativity, enthusiasm, pride, and confidence; and that hip-hop music production classes contribute to a multicultural education. I also find that these results are more likely to be prominent for students of color.

Further, this study dispelled many myths and mischaracterizations about hip-hop learning as it kept the total cost to $0 and successfully avoided profanity.

These results substantiate and contribute to a field of education scholarship that analyzes the role of hip-hop and other elements of Black culture in the classroom. The discussion draws upon an eclectic theoretical framework grounded in distributive justice, critical pedagogy, and critical race theory to frame and analyze these contributions to the field.

General policy conclusions hold that public schools can and should incorporate sample-based music production classes to satisfy student demand, teach culturally relevant music, and contribute to a well balanced multicultural education.