Hip-hop has been given a bad rap. That’s partly due to its association in the public’s mind with “gangsta rap,” and those rappers we’ve seen thrown in and out of jail—or worse, murdered. But rap/hip-hop’s ever growing popularity is now being viewed as a form of art and expression. It is becoming a positive outlet similar to poetry.

City College E.O.P.S counselor and instructor of Human Career Development Adam Freas has incorporated hip-hop studies into his Human Career Development class to help relate to the students and their various lifestyles and backgrounds.

“I wanted to find a medium that students from all backgrounds can connect on,” says Freas.

Freas wanted to find a way to connect to the students and found that hip-hop is a good way to be creative. The book used for the class is “The Message,” written by Salicia Pride. It is full of very inspiring stories of people who grew up poor and became successful.

Freas stresses that in the course he teaches the students about not only communication skills but career planning, study skills, time management, discipline and motivation.

Hip-hop is used as a tool to connect with the students by using lyrics and poems. There are still exams and tests given regularly.

“It’s a fun class,” says City College student Curtis Neal. “I didn’t know it was going be a hip-hop class this time.”

“Hip-hop is a culture,” said Ken Times, an E.O.P.S. counselor.” It’s a way to express yourself.” Times talks about duality and how this class helps students to identify and develop their personas by helping students overcome shyness and communicate openly with others.

“This class has helped me overcome everything, my shyness. It’s building more confidence in me. It’s inspired me to keep moving forward,” says Neal.

While researching the method of using expression writing and hip-hop as a tool for that expression, Times tried the concept out on men’s groups and prisons, which proved to be a huge success he says.

Freas says that hip-hop can be used as a tool to develop the students’ creativity. Rap songs are known to make use of many poetic techniques, including simple word rhymes and alliteration.

People from all backgrounds can relate to the lyrics and messages
sent through hip-hop music, says Freas.

Rod Agbunag, who also teaches the HCD 310 class this semester, says, “It’s a misconception that all we talk about is hip-hop. We use hip-hop as a creative outlet.”