Articles & Reviews Hip-hop and health – why so many rap artists die young The song “Be Healthy” from the 2000 album by hip-hop duo dead prez, “Let’s Get Free,” is a rare rap anthem dedicated to diet,... The ConversationJuly 19, 2023
Articles & Reviews Tupac’s “Dear Mama” endures as rap artists detail complex relationships with their mothers, street life & the pursuit of success In hip-hop music, it sometimes seems as if songs to and about mothers are common enough that audiences might take them for granted. As... The ConversationMay 12, 2023
Articles & Reviews How hip-hop has enhanced American education over the past 50 years, from rec rooms to classrooms One of my most heartwarming memories from elementary school was the day my gym teacher tossed the planned activities, turned on some hip-hop music... The ConversationApril 18, 2023
Articles & Reviews As the global musical phenomenon turns 50, a hip-hop professor explains what the word “dope” means to him After I finished my Ph.D. in 2017, several newspaper reporters wrote about the job I’d accepted at the University of Virginia as an assistant... The ConversationMarch 30, 2023
Articles & Reviews Rappers are victims of an epidemic of gun violence – just like all of America Add the name of Takeoff, a member of the popular rap trio Migos, to the ever-growing list of rappers, recent and past, tragically and... The ConversationNovember 21, 2022
Articles & Reviews Kanye may not like books, but hip-hop fosters a love of literature When Ye – the artist formerly known as Kanye West – stated during a recent podcast that he doesn’t read books, some people questioned... The ConversationSeptember 27, 2022
Articles & Reviews When all else fails to explain American violence, blame a rapper & hip-hop music The day after the May 24, 2022, mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson promptly blamed the violence... The ConversationJune 15, 2022
Articles & Reviews How hip-hop in the classroom is raising the volume of learning: 4 essential reads Scholars trace the origin of hip-hop to a “back to school jam” that DJ Kool Herc threw in an apartment in the South Bronx... The ConversationNovember 16, 2021
Articles & Reviews Hip-hop holiday signals a turning point in education for a music form that began at a back-to-school party in the Bronx Whenever I teach courses on hip-hop at the University of Virginia, I provide a brief overview of where hip-hop music began. One of the... The ConversationAugust 10, 2021
Articles & Reviews 10 hip-hop songs to take you on a voyage into space From the earliest days of hip-hop, rap artists have referenced the extraterrestrial to help us escape our earthbound existence. In “Rapper’s Delight” – the... The ConversationMay 26, 2021
Articles & Reviews Hip-hop professor looks to open doors with world’s first peer-reviewed rap album As a rap artist who is also a professor of hip-hop, I always make it a point to have my songs reviewed by other... The ConversationMarch 28, 2021