After touring the world and crafting some of the best known Rap records of all time, DMC has been staying busy. Recently, he has taken some time to encourage an advanced interest in rap within education. Fueled by his love of rap, he traveled to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame upon an invite to speak with teachers about the benefits of rap in the classroom.
Teachers attending the Summer Teacher Institute were able to attend D’s session, where he spoke on rap’s social commentary, among other topics.
“Real hip-hop is information, education, communication and motivation, whether you’re rich, poor, black, white, Puerto Rican,” he told AP. “Hip-hop is the total expression of the existence of what it’s like to be alive on the face of the earth.”
Teachers that attended his session added that rap may help students relate to school subjects in a more personal manner. Some added that it would enhance emotional connections and is of interest to students.
Joe Musich, a 62 year old teacher from Minneapolis South High School attended DMC’s session and spoke on why using rap may help his students.
“Sometimes using music and other forms of art for personal expression might be a better way to go,” Musich added. “When feelings are attached, the learning is going to go deeper.”
DMC added that this knowledge came from personal experience.
“My teacher would give us five minutes before every English class in ninth grade to be creative. You could draw, you could write, you could read, you could do homework. All I would do then is write raps. My notebooks would pile up. It prepared me for an opportunity.”
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