Offence: Moderate Nas Discusses – It ain’t Hard to Tell – with Harvard Professor of Poetry 13 May 201917 May 2019 This song is from Nas' first album which is a work or pure art and worth some serious exploration. It is essentially a 'big-up' song in which he makes several…
Offence: Clean Common – Letter To The Free ft. Bilal 13 May 201919 May 2019 Beginning with the title, we are encouraged to ask, who are 'the free' of American society? An answer may lie in the delicate refrain that rings through this song which…
Offence: Clean Cultural Appropriation: Hoop Earnings, Dreadlocks, and The N-Word 12 May 201913 May 2019 These issues are a great talking point which can lead to a deeper understandings of Hip-Hop's themes which not all students will have equal access to. A good example is…
Offence: Clean Toby Morris – Humanoid Language Week 10 May 201917 May 2019 I have found this comic a useful tool for conveying an idea of what it might be like to live as a non-white person, especially, in a postcolonial nation such…
Offence: Moderate Joelistics – Not In My Name 10 May 201919 May 2019 Spoken word meets Hip-Hop song in one of the most emotive critiques of the colonial project to ever find voice through a beat. Joelistics begins by alluding to Australia's deeply…
Offence: Clean Akala – Interview on Institutional Racism and Knife Crime 10 May 201928 May 2019 This is a perceptive and stereotype-challenging interview with one of Britain's best conscious rappers and thinkers. He addresses problems which are relevant to youth and non-white demographics and specializes in…
Offence: Clean Rashad and Confidence – Rumors of War 10 May 201913 May 2019 This song formulates an attack on the American dream and the ideas it represents. The speaker describes an urban environment which has been ruined by violence, used by criminals and…
Offence: Clean J.Cole discuses the Risks of Social Media 10 May 201913 May 2019 In this personal and honest interview J. Cole discusses the difficulties and benefits of distancing himself from social media which he describes as if he were giving up a drug.…
Offence: Moderate Hip-Hop which addresses the Complexity of Relationships 10 May 201913 May 2019 So much modern commercial music and popular Hip-Hop offers an oversimplified version of relationships which often prioritizes a masculine perspective at the expense of a balanced gender perspective. This can…
Offence: Clean Arcee – Anchors 10 May 2019 This song is a feminist rebuttal to much of the misogynistic Hip-Hop which has come to be seen as the norm; however, that description could apply to Arcee as a…
Offence: Clean Waiata and Hip-Hop: Intertextual/Generational Oral Histories 10 May 201917 May 2019 The links between Maori Waiata and Hip-Hop are deeply rooted in two cultures which value the spoken word and the power of the speaker. I have sadly not had time…
Offence: Moderate Akrobatik – The Ones 10 May 201910 May 2019 This song is an anti-consumerist/establishment classic in which Akrobatik argues that society is under attack from all angle drawing parallels between gun violence and prescription drug addiction; in both cases,…
Offence: Clean Rastafarian Member of Parliment’s Valedictory Speech 10 May 201910 May 2019 Though not strictly Hip-Hop this is a fantastic speech from a man who identifies with a culture which many people would not readily associate with a member of parliament. Just…
Offence: Clean TeachTech – 11 Classic Hip-Hop Songs for Teaching 10 May 201917 May 2019 This site has a range of great Hip-Hop themed resources, this one presents some classic's which can be useful in building a historical trajectory. They also come with an overview…
Offence: Clean TeachTech Presents: J. Cole – The Disease of More 10 May 201913 May 2019 TeachTech looks at an interview with J. Cole in which he discusses his lessons regarding material attainment and how no amount of money, success, power, drugs or sex will ever…
Offence: Clean Breis – Think Big 9 May 201917 May 2019 This is a thought provoking inspirational song with accompanying Lesson Plan. The vocabulary is extensive and could support a discussion of its own, however, the themes and content will push…
Offence: Clean Colloquial English Bingo (Slang Game) 9 May 201917 May 2019 This Lesson Plan has an impressive Excel Sheet of slang/loan words which English (UK) has adopted over the years and which have now found their way into Hip-Hop - among…
Offence: Clean Martin Luther King Black History Literacy Lessons 9 May 201917 May 2019 These Lesson(s) Plans are a treasure trove of information including a detailed curriculum overview which outlines grammar goals, content, vocab, learning objectives and accompanying resources. These include work sheets, sentence/story…
Offence: Clean Othello: The Remix 9 May 201917 May 2019 This Lesson Plan is jam-packed with modern Hip-Hop context for Shakespeare's classic play of revenge, vice, and death. It would be best suited as an introduction to the play before…
Offence: Moderate J. Cole – Once an Addict 9 May 201913 May 2019 This song is a personal and heart-felt exploration of addiction and the mental health issues associated with drug and alcohol dependency, for example, depression and anxiety. It also touches on…
Offence: Clean Of Mice and Men vs Jay-Z 9 May 201917 May 2019 This Lesson Plan is a clever take on literary themes and the ways in which authors use characterization. It has a PowerPoint (Free sign-up to access) which has different quotes…
Offence: Clean Hip-Hop or Shakespeare – Can You Tell the Difference? 9 May 201917 May 2019 This thought provoking Lesson Plan comes with a PowerPoint (Free sign-up to access) which has a collection of Hip-Hop lyrics and Shakespearean lines; students then have to figure out which…
Offence: Clean Flowcabulary 9 May 201917 May 2019 Who said rap couldn't be educational? This website and their associated YouTube channel is an amazing tool for using rap to cover a range of subjects from Math to Science.…
Offence: Clean Lesson Plan on Teen Prostitution and Sexual Exploitation of Women 9 May 201917 May 2019 This is a skillfully constructed tried and true Lesson Plan which facilitates a discussion around the issues pertaining to challenges faced by women in areas which struggle with drugs, violence,…
Offence: Clean Prince EA – Dear Future Generations 9 May 201913 May 2019 This spoken word poem addresses a fictional future audience as the speaker discusses the impending ecological disaster with the gift of hindsight. It discusses how we did not act collectively…
Offence: Clean Joshua Iosefa – Brown Brother 9 May 201919 May 2019 A New Zealand High School student's speech went viral when he used a satirical spoken word format to question the stereotypes associated with being Maori, Polynesian, the 'other', or non-white…
Offence: Clean Closing the Gap between Hip-Hop and Poetry 8 May 201917 May 2019 This in-depth Lesson Plan gives step-by-step instructions showcasing how the tools that Shakespeare used to reshape the English language are still indispensable to rappers and poets today. It focuses on…
Offence: Clean Kanye West and Kid Cudi on Mental Health 8 May 201917 May 2019 This article discusses how Hip Hop has begun to take a larger interest in mental health within the music scene and within society more broadly. Link to Article: https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a25335660/hip-hop-mental-health/ The…
Offence: Clean Wyclef Jean – Does hip-hop reinforce racial stereotypes? 8 May 201916 May 2019 This interview looks at Hip-Hop and whether or not it reinforces negative racial stereotypes. Wyclif argues that Hip Hop, like all art, is a reflection of its environment. Therefore if…
Offence: Clean Materialism, Misogyny, and Masculinity in Hip Hop Culture 8 May 201917 May 2019 This article looks at the misrepresentation of women in the overly male dominated rap/hip hop scene. Even though women artists are increasing, there still seems to be that sexual image…
Offence: Clean TLC- No Scrubs 7 May 2019 This song is about being an independent women; and discusses the many situations women find themselves when they don't want male attention. The song is sending a message that it…
Offence: Clean Beyoncé – Pretty Hurts 7 May 201913 May 2019 This song is about the beauty standards that society expects women to meet. It acknowledges the pain that can be caused by this pursuit of unrealistic standards. It discusses the…
Offence: Moderate Kayne West – Jesus Walks 7 May 201917 May 2019 This song has a focus on the coping mechanisms oppressed and disenfranchised groups often use to survive in modern society. Jesus Walks discusses Black history and echoes African American slave…
Offence: Moderate P!nk- Stupid Girls 7 May 201913 May 2019 This is a satirical song that comments on the stereotypes that are attached to women. P!nk draws attention to how to be a stupid and how that is desired by…
Offence: Clean Christina Aguilera- Can’t Hold Us Down 7 May 201913 May 2019 Christina questions challenging gender stereotypes which occur between men and women. Her song is empowering other women with the catch-cry and song focus 'they can't hold us down'. The song…
Offence: Clean Kanye West & Kid Cudi – Reborn (Kids See Ghosts) 7 May 201913 May 2019 In this song, Kid Cudi openly discusses his lifelong struggle with mental health and depression. He acknowledges the damage he caused by trying to self-medicate his depression and in the…
Offence: Clean New Zealand Hip-Hop 4 May 201917 May 2019 This is an article from NZOnAir which celebrates 10 years of NZ Hip-Hop music. It has a selection of songs from throughout the period which chart NZ Hip-Hop's evolution. https://www.nzonscreen.com/collection/aotearoa-hip-hop
Offence: Clean Dam Native – Behold my Kool Style 4 May 201916 May 2019 An iconic moment in New Zealand Hip-Hop history. This politically charged song is a celebration of Maori culture and independence echos the successes of the Maori renaissance of the late…
Offence: Clean Compliments Rap Battle 4 May 201916 May 2019 The positivity of this battle is juxtaposed against the usual insults which are thrown in a normal rap battle. The sketch employs irony, hyperbole, similes, metaphors, puns, sarcasm, alliteration and…
Offence: Clean Fashawn- Hey Young World (Ft. Aloe Blacc & Devoya Mayo) 4 May 201913 May 2019 This song preaches a message of positivity which is in contrast to many negative Hip-hop stereotypes. The speakers says with hard work, dedication, and education anyone can reach their dreams.…
Offence: Moderate XXXTentacion – Train Food 4 May 201913 May 2019 This song addresses X's existential crisis's which feature in much of his music. He uses allusion and metaphors to describe a meeting with the devil/ grim reaper, the outcome of…
Offence: High Logic – YSIV 4 May 20194 May 2019 Logic uses a number of language techniques in this song including homophones, double entendres, metaphors, similes, allusions, euphemism, and plays many literal meanings off their figurative. He also criticizes young…
Offence: Clean Lil Nas X – Old Town Road (feat. Billy Ray Cyrus) 4 May 2019 This song is interesting for a number of reasons as it is a mix of both County and Rap which has caused a number of heated discussions in both Genre's.…
Offence: Clean Bryson Tiller – Let me explain 4 May 201913 May 2019 This song is about honesty in a relationship. Bryson admits that he has treated a girl badly and that such behavior is disrespectful. This song could be juxtaposed against much…
Offence: Clean Tipene – West Side Hori Remix Feat. Sid Diamond & Sir T 4 May 201916 May 2019 The song title is a play on words referring to West Side Story. It describes life growing up in Auckland New Zealand. It tells how times were tough as there…
Offence: Clean Big Daddy Kane – Rap Summary (Lean on me) 4 May 201913 May 2019 In this song the speaker believes if you are having a hard time with mental health you can go to your friends for help. He says there are problems with…
Offence: Clean Scribe – Dreaming 4 May 201913 May 2019 In this song Scribe describes how he has committed to his dream of becoming a musician from a young age. To succeed he had to give up many of the…
Offence: Moderate Rafael Casal – Misogyny 4 May 201916 May 2019 Rafael Casal's song discusses how misogyny is a big part of the male psyche. As such, he addresses the fact we are conditioned by society to devalue emotional vulnerability and…
Offence: High Bo Burnham – Kill Yourself 4 May 201913 May 2019 Firstly, this song is satirical. The overall message is that pop music has hollow lyrics that in no way help people who are struggling with mental health or suicide. If…
Offence: Clean The Four Elements of Hip Hop Culture 2 May 2019 Here is a link to a brief History of the original "Four Elements" of Hip Hop culture. Link: https://beat.media/the-4-elements-of-hip-hop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVbOrJVLRHk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PCsYktWGiI KRS-One explaining the prehistoric origins of Hip Hop's Elements.
Offence: Moderate Banksy – Letter on Advertising 2 May 201917 May 2019 In this visual art piece, Banksy is critiquing the assumption that advertisers have a right to push their message on you whether you like it or not. Banksy is alluding…
Offence: Moderate Bo Burnham – Repeat Stuff 2 May 201913 May 2019 This song uses irony and satire to critique modern pop music, which is more of a product designed to exploit inherent human and societal weaknesses rather than convey a unique…
Offence: Moderate Bo Burnham – Art Is Dead 2 May 2019 This song is postmodern / meta fictional in its self critique and debasement of the artistic process and the artist. Firstly, he draws attention to the way in which he…
Offence: Moderate Bo Burnham – Sad 2 May 201913 May 2019 This song juxtaposes humor and sadness to show they have more in common than might appear on the surface. Each image or joke within the song has a simple and…
Offence: Clean Lowkey – Terrorist? 2 May 20192 May 2019 In his song Lowkey asks what really defines terrorism and whether the official narratives found on the mass media can be trusted. Through rhetorical questioning and mockery he implies that…
Offence: Clean B.o.B – Magic 2 May 201916 May 2019 In this 'big-up' song, Bobby Ray uses an extended metaphor of a magic trick/show to show off his rapping skills and claim he is better than the rest. He uses…
Offence: Moderate Immortal Technique – Poverty of Philosophy 2 May 201916 May 2019 This song argues that in 'the hood' people are focused on poverty and trying to survive so they have little time for the philosophy of socialism and democracy which can…
Offence: Clean Nas – I Can 2 May 20192 May 2019 In this song Nas says that each person must overcome their own adversity if they are to succeed. He has overcome poverty and violence so can speak on such matters…
Offence: Clean Boonaa Mohammaed – My Theory 2 May 2019 This song discusses the need for people to fit in and avoid being different. It discusses identity formation, race, culture, life at school, growing up, mental health, eating disorders, body…
Offence: Clean Saba – Photosynthesis 2 May 20192 May 2019 Saba is a religious rapper. In this song he discusses his hope that people will become aware there is a higher power and that through that power they will be…
Offence: Moderate Akala- Shakespeare 2 May 201916 May 2019 Akala is using this 'big-up' song to self-promote through Shakespeare by comparing himself to historical royalty and historical literature icons. He is asserting his originality and uses a range of…
Offence: Clean Akala – Carried Away 2 May 20192 May 2019 The harsh reality of violence, protection and to gain respect and the impact on the victim’s family. This song uses obvious enjambment and imagery, however metaphor, personification and alliteration are…
Offence: Moderate Akala – Find No Enemy 1 May 20191 May 2019 Song about discrimination based on stereotypes and prejudices and the impact of these negative actions, attitudes and beliefs on those discriminated against. It also challenges listeners ideals and how society…
Offence: Clean Testament – Objectify 1 May 201916 May 2019 This song is a feminist ironic parody on the over-sexualization of women which achieves imagery through onomatopoeia, adjective repetition, narration and irony. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGNE8Ce_PjI
Offence: Moderate Black Thought- 9th vs Thought 1 May 201916 May 2019 This song offers a critiques Hip-Hop narratives by rejecting materialism and drug use, instead focusing on humanist issues such as family and being respected by those close to you. References…
Offence: Moderate Black Thought – Dostoevsky 1 May 201916 May 2019 This song discusses the realities of making it in the rap game and then trying to establish a new life with money and the demands which come with it. Great…
Offence: Clean Brother Ali – Sensitive 1 May 201916 May 2019 This song shows how rappers can be humble, fallible and gracious, thus challenging the Hip-Hop Narrative. This is a comeback song and he discusses what it feels like to grow…
Offence: Moderate Black Thought – Thank You 1 May 201916 May 2019 This song looks at the good and the bad in the artists life. It covers family drug addiction, as well as socio-economic issues related to the 1980's such as black…
Offence: Moderate Black Thought – TwoFifteen 1 May 201916 May 2019 This song employs religious metaphor's to describe how the church and artist's grandfather supported him growing up. He discusses how materialistic purchases punctuate his life and have such a profound,…
Offence: Clean Testament – Poetic Devices 1 May 201916 May 2019 In this song the artist uses this video as a clinic to highlight how rap is a form of poetry by deconstructing the various poetic devices found in rap. He…
Offence: Clean Tupac – Changes 1 May 201916 May 2019 In his song Changes the artist highlights some of the societal issues faced by African Americans in today's society. Issues include; racism, bias by the justice system and police, over-representation…
Offence: Moderate Jay Z – The Story of OJ 1 May 201916 May 2019 In his highly perceptive song Jay Z critiques American inequality and race politics. Makes reference to the treatment of African Americans during the days of slavery and new forms of…
Offence: High Cypress Hill – Pigs 1 May 201916 May 2019 This song is a reference to the way Latino and African American youth are treated by law enforcement in America. Could be used for learning about human rights and issues…
Offence: Moderate Empowering Women – Rejecting Misogyny 20 Apr 201917 May 2019 This is a selection of 13 songs with lyrics which reject the misogynist obsession with power over women. These lyrics promote a feminist perspective, speak to all genders, and challenge…
Offence: Clean Songs Addressing Mental Health 20 Apr 2019 Article which contains a list of songs promoting an awareness of mental health, including depression and anxiety. Each song has a short explanation attached. Link: https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/take-care-songs-for-your-mental-health-news.49722.html Artists and Songs which…
Offence: Moderate Lauryn Hill – Doo-Wop (That Thing) 20 Apr 201916 May 2019 Lauryn begins by quoting the Quran and advising both men and women to walk a straight path. Her music video is notably free of hyper-sexualised female models and dancers; instead…
Offence: High Busta Rhymes – Arab Money 19 Apr 201916 May 2019 In his song Busta is representing his Islamic religion in this song, though his use of Islamic language and prayer employs a large degree of artistic licence. It could also…
Offence: Clean Lupe Fiasco – Muhammad Walks 19 Apr 201919 Apr 2019 Lupe is a Muslim who grew up in Chicago. In this song he employs an extended metaphor which parallels the similarities between different religions and how they all strive for…
Offence: Clean Muslim Religion and Hip Hop 19 Apr 201919 Apr 2019 This web page has an interesting collection of Hip-Hop artists who identify with the Five Percent Nation or have been influenced by the Islamic faith. Such artist include the Wu-Tang…
Offence: Moderate Tupac – Hold Ya Head Up 19 Apr 201916 May 2019 This song was one of Tupac's major hits which sought to question his role in a patriarchal society and Hip-hop's misogynistic culture. This song represents a feminist position, and Tupac…
Offence: Moderate Queen Latifah – U.N.I.T.Y. 19 Apr 201916 May 2019 U.N.I.T.Y is one of the first major rap songs to critique the Hip-Hop industry's culture of misogyny and violence against women. She challenges overt-masculinity and sates, it is easy to…
Offence: Clean What is Hip-Hop? 7 Apr 201917 May 2019 This Lesson Plan discusses Hip-Hop's history, culture, four elements, (Rap, Break-dancing, Graffiti, Mixing) language, the formation of personal and community identities, and the interplay between mainstream vs underground discourses within…
Offence: High Big L – Ebonics 29 Mar 201919 May 2019 This songs content is highly meta-fictional in the way that it draws attention to the language of Hip-Hop. It then adds a social dimension by describing this language as 'Criminal…
Humanity4HipHop 