#HipHopEd Chat is a weekly cyber cypher (chat) where stakeholders within Hip-Hop and Education come together to discuss issues that impact the youth and adults within our local, national and global communities. #HipHopEd Chat is a virtual form of professional development for Educators, workshop for Parents and other Adults and a brainstorming session of Hip-Hop practitioners. Our #HipHopEd chats are every Tuesday from 9-10 EST. on Twitter.
We believe that it is imperative that as #HipHopEd we keep our pulse on our communities and therefore we believe it’s our responsibility to talk about sexual abuse/assault tonight
We believe that the topic to address is one that looms larger that #MuteRKelly but we were moved by the responses from the program so we were led to host this topic tonight #HipHopEd
I watched the docu-series not to learn more about R Kelly but to honor and hear the voices and stories of the survivors. Story telling is an essential way we are moved to action #HipHopEd
#HipHopEd we are critical, as many of us are in the developmental spaces with boys/young men where we can teach and grow them away from toxic/predatory thinking/believing.
We have to begin to see how deep the objectification and devaluing of women/girls especially black women/girls are normalized throughout our culture #HipHopEd
This #SurvivingRKelly docuseries has bust the lid open on sexual abuse and predatory behavior within our culture esp. how so many turned a blind eye #HipHopEd
#HipHopEd we are also in spaces to allow women/young women to process their, and to assert their personhood free of the toxic male gaze and centering, which kills nearly every exchange.
It is too common for girls/women to be dismissed when they report sexual abuse/assault, even being dismissed by other women, being judged or blamed for their own actions rather than holding the abuser accountable #HipHopEd
I agree! I think we also need to include why we are muting him and allow our students to discuss what is tolerated and what is not in our society. I guarantee they'll have more people that they think we should mute. #HipHopEd
If we have to wait for the women/girl that's violated to be our family member or someone we know in order to get angry enough to act, we are part of the problem #HipHopEd
Too many of us in culture are complicit with behaviors that are abusive and predatory...I mean power is power and it corrupts but we let this happen to children #HipHopEd
I think it's also important to highlight the cycle of abuse. He abused and was hurt so he did it to others, to another degree. How many of our kids are being hurt and hurting others, but we're only looking at one side of the picture. 🤔 #HipHopEd
There is a difference between justification and explanation; to be hurt yourself and then hurt others, may explain in part but never justifies the actions #HipHopEd
#HipHopEd a significant part of extinguishing all R. Kelly's, is identifying the broken before they become monsters, prioritizing the voices and beings of women, and holding our brothers accountable in all ways in our personal relationships
Kels brother discussed them both being molested by older females in the family & this is critical young men/males are victims of abuse too and often times by women close to them #HipHopEd Not excusing the behavior but creating space for us ALL to heal/grow
We have to begin to see how deep the objectification and devaluing of women/girls especially black women/girls are normalized throughout our culture #HipHopEd
I was just going to say this...We can’t be blind to the fact that Hip Hop music has enabled a lot of this predatory thinking towards women....#HipHopEd
When we work with youth in school studios, problematic misogynistic thoughts and feelings will emerge. It’s our responsibly to name and process them. If you’re scared to, then you’re not ready to work with youth #HipHopEd
We have the responsibility and the capability to change the trajectory of Hip-Hop and popular culture. This is bring the education and community reform we aspire for by this work #HipHopEd
#HipHopEd precisely. I see no solution that doesn't include women's voices in the music. We require the exposure to promote a psychic and cultural shift.
It’s important to critically examine the corrosive nature of capitalism with regard to Robert Kelly.
He was (is) making tons of cash for someone. #HipHopEd
Powerfully honest video by up & coming HH personality/commentator DJ Ghost on how he was raped by older women #HipHopEd this is important for men to get real it is not okay for us to be victimized either #HipHopEd even tho hyper masculinity would give it props
Yes! Much the same way it is *my* job to fix my fellow white people when they perpetuate racism, men have to be the ones to call out other men when they perpetuate sexism. #HipHopEd
I put Kelz on mute way back when. Certain songs would come on the radio or dancefloor and I would shut it down and start a convo. I do the same thing now every week when folks ask me do I watch the NFL. #HipHopEd
We have to address the other forms of violence and assaults that are afflicted on our girls and women the often happen in conjunction and or before sexual assault #HipHopEd
#HipHopEd I've been saying for some time that our most flagrant monsters are fully realized versions of the unwellness we meditate on. We meditate on abuse of sisters in our music, become desensitized to it, and are too comfortable as bystanders
There’s a critique of settler colonialism as well that has promoted the jezebel stereotype since always.
Hip hop (and Blkness) is demonized & dehumanized as an effort to capitalize/appropriate. #HipHopEd
As #HipHopEd(ucators) we have a responsibility to teach our boys the right way to treat women and to teach our girls not to accept anything less than the right treatment!
We have to begin to see how deep the objectification and devaluing of women/girls especially black women/girls are normalized throughout our culture #HipHopEd
There are girls who older men consider “mature for their age” and they excuse their inappropriate actions by robbing them of their childhood. #HipHopEd
That means we have to value women and girls, and especially women and girls of Color, for their inherent value and not because of their relation to a man. That means unlearning misogyny and toxic masculinity. #hiphoped
If we have to wait for the women/girl that's violated to be our family member or someone we know in order to get angry enough to act, we are part of the problem #HipHopEd
Talk about "good touches" and "bad touches", respecting the world "NO" from a child, and allow students to expect that when something happens in regard to their body, an adult will do something is a hell of a start. Yet, most if not all aren't happening in schools today #HipHopEd
Make no mistake, as beautiful as hip-hop culture can be, it often marginalizes women. A fear of mine is that our young students will grow up normalizing this type of rhetoric and behavior if we as educators do not guide them and call attention to its problematic nature. #HipHopEd
There is an inherent right that has to stopped being passed down by men to our boys and other men when it comes to our interactions with women #HipHopEd
As #HipHopEd(ucators) we have a responsibility to teach our boys the right way to treat women and to teach our girls not to accept anything less than the right treatment!
We have to begin to see how deep the objectification and devaluing of women/girls especially black women/girls are normalized throughout our culture #HipHopEd
This is why it’s important to teach the concept of consent. With my kindergarteners we speak on asking permission to hug, touch, etc. and understanding that it’s okay when a person responds with a no #HipHopEd
Yes! Much the same way it is *my* job to fix my fellow white people when they perpetuate racism, men have to be the ones to call out other men when they perpetuate sexism. #HipHopEd
#HipHopEd considering the truest and most profound power of Hip-Hop, I'm assuming all of us here realize that the sister-centered, emotionally healthy, person growing branch of the music is waiting on us to make it and share it. Who got the next 16?
My middle school girls and I had a chat about the documentary which was insane because when I think of it she was the same age as somebody these victims. Some are younger #HipHopEd
I have a class of all girls this year and I'm constantly trying to put them onto artists that uplift women. If anyone has suggestions I would love to hear em! #HipHopEd
Agreed. Most students are not aware of the language that speaks to behavior around misogny and toxic masculinity. We must help them identify it or the court system will. #HipHopEd
When we work with youth in school studios, problematic misogynistic thoughts and feelings will emerge. It’s our responsibly to name and process them. If you’re scared to, then you’re not ready to work with youth #HipHopEd
#HipHopEd What RKells is into is not about love or sex but rather about power and control...just like rape. Let's be clear about what motivates this perversity!
Too many leading young figures in HH are still struggling with abusive relations with women...just cause you buzzing, got gwap or fame doesn't give you the permission 2 abuse women even if a minority are willing prey https://t.co/Tg3VQ34yHE#HipHopEd
#HipHopEd What RKells is into is not about love or sex but rather about power and control...just like rape. Let's be clear about what motivates this perversity!
I remember having to make a report for the first time as a mandated reporter. It was devastating because I had known the parents. You just never know smh #HipHopEd
It wasn't too long ago that Rick Ross rapped bragging about doping shorties w/o them knowing and raping them...the character of our cultural leaders will always matter and impact future generations #HipHopEd
In a world where sexual predators are in the Supreme Court and the Oval Office, the top-down modeling of problematic behavior has never been stronger #HipHopEd
There is a need for a soundtrack(s) to support the new norms in our lessons. Before we can create music to increase literacy levels we need to create music to shift life ideals #HipHopEd#TheNowMovement
I remember during our “free dance” time a kindergarten boy came up crying because he asked a girl to dance and she said no. I kindly told him that it was her right to say no if she wanted to and he should say okay and move forward. #HipHopEd
We even get into this with friendships. No one should ever pressure you into making a decision and if they are, you shouldn’t be around them. #HipHopEd
My male students love XXXtentacion and they defend him in regards to the abuse of his ex because they say he realized the errors of his ways, that he was starting to change before he died... #HipHopEd
We must consistently love, value & recognize our young girls for the princesses that they are regardless of where they are & what we feel about what they may be doing. #resiliencybuilding#hiphoped
And we have to be honest with ourselves and each other with how we are complicit with the things we don't #mute Our personal choices (even in the music we listen to) is always political #HipHopEd
We have to begin to see how deep the objectification and devaluing of women/girls especially black women/girls are normalized throughout our culture #HipHopEd
Remember @jadapsmith called out Eazy E on heavily misogynistic lyrics? If you had an opportunity to dress an artist, how would you engage the convo? Are we doing enough to teach our students how to address these issues? #HipHopEdhttps://t.co/nfefGaBi2W
As men we have to be willing to loss relationships change what we have deemed as entertainment and anything else we need to give up to change our culture #HipHopEd
I have a class of all girls this year and I'm constantly trying to put them onto artists that uplift women. If anyone has suggestions I would love to hear em! #HipHopEd
#HipHopEd Unfortunately, a number of our women artists come to the work out of exploitative backgrounds...e.g. CardiB off the pole! How do we help our young women and girls see alternative routes?
I hear that and that resonates with me. It doesn't excuse his hyper violent and abusive track record either...I did respect where he was headed generally but I failed to see the growth directly addressing his relations with women...all us men are guilty on some level #HipHopEd
My male students love XXXtentacion and they defend him in regards to the abuse of his ex because they say he realized the errors of his ways, that he was starting to change before he died... #HipHopEd
I resonate so much with the importance of this statement. Sexual assault/abuse/violence is made possible by this objectification and devaluation. In fact, I would assert that objectification and devaluing women is assault and violence in and of itself #HipHopEd
Listen and act accordingly. Sometimes for men this means listening and not doing anything. Other people with experience can connect and support better. #hiphoped
#HipHopEd in my time as a Clinician, I've learned that we as men need as much exposure to fully realized representation of women as we can get. We must actively obligate ourselves to engage women in all 3 dimensions.
Common - I Used to Love H.E.R. https://t.co/A1OaqrFsSw via @YouTube#HipHopEd Hip-Hop being described as women who is degraded sexually; at the point of selling her soul. We need to revisit this message and evaluate it against what is happening today!
I always try to teach my girls that they are queens and should be treated as such and should never accept anything less than the utmost respect and love from anyone. I really try hard to push the respect for self aspect! #HipHopEd
#HipHopEd What RKells is into is not about love or sex but rather about power and control...just like rape. Let's be clear about what motivates this perversity!
Those female artist are fine, but we must also find, support and uplift new female talent in Hiphop. Our Ss need to see women from their generation to relate to and engage with #HipHopEd
We should all be having the talk in our classrooms as well! Not that every topic we discuss here isn't important, but for some reason I feel like this talk is so crucially important to have with everyone everywhere right now. #HipHopEd
It starts from when they’re in the womb, from little snide remarks like “oh you having a girl? Girls are hard especially around the teens” you ain’t even meet the baby yet 😩
Many young girls idolize Cardi B. Love her, but that's not music for any little girl. We've gotta get back to having grown folks music on grown folks station. Not all music can be played in the car with your kids, it's just one way kids are growing up too fast. #HipHopEd
#HipHopEd critical, we need to, as men, refuse the urge to continue to explain why we do the toxic things we do, feigning powerlessness. We are at the juncture where we need to listen, and prepare to be directed.
My male students love XXXtentacion and they defend him in regards to the abuse of his ex because they say he realized the errors of his ways, that he was starting to change before he died... #HipHopEd
Word! We have to help our youth break the cycle so many are thirsty for & engrossed by relationships that only mirror dysfunction they have been victims of...seen it the other day...attempted to interrupt but these cycles are hard to break #HipHopEd
I agree! There's talent out there and we've gotta allow them to be talented without the need for them to feel like they have to take their clothes off #HipHopEd
Many young girls idolize Cardi B. Love her, but that's not music for any little girl. We've gotta get back to having grown folks music on grown folks station. Not all music can be played in the car with your kids, it's just one way kids are growing up too fast. #HipHopEd
I agree whole heartedly but understand that this issue crosses generations so the artistic voices must cross generations as well. Some of the best voices for this shift probably will come from our classes #HipHopEd
What are thoughts around Cardi rapping about stripping? Does she glorify it and perpetuate a cycle or box other women into only a few outcomes? Is she part of a cycle of internalized oppression and now as a rapper hasn’t removed herself from it? #hiphoped
Addressing the language students are using is a must, when references to females are used in a derogatory way, educators must be willing to address it, use as teachable moments #HipHopEd
We must all ... families, communities, teachers, politicians, artists, justice & injustice systems etc must collectively rep a force that frightens anyone wanting to disrespect our Black girls. #hiphoped
Toxic masculinity crosses all cultures, genres, etc. For hip hop, it’s as simple as not supporting misogynists. There are literally thousands of hip hop artists who don’t treat women like trash. Find & amplify those instead. #hiphoped
Every time. Every time I join one of these chats it takes only one hour to go from having everything planned out for my class to having a million new lesson ideas I can hardly keep up with. I appreciate the inspiration, fam! #HipHopEd
You are touching on such a major point because Hip-Hop is old enough to where you have adult Hip-Hop and sadly adult themed Hip-Hop made by people not acting as healthy adults #HipHopEd
Support the Black girls who are your students. But also — make sure all the boys in your classes, irrespective of race, understand that they must value Black girls. #HipHopEd
The media also fans the flames they made Catch Me Outside girl a celebrity/commodity not just because she is ratchet but older dudes were/are attracted to her underage/underclothed self #HipHopEd
The media perpetuates patriarchy and normalizes abuse against women. Educators have to teach young people how to be media literate so they are able to critical of these problematic messages #hiphoped
I’ll take Cardi over Erykah honestly. I didn’t forget about that comment she made saying girls need to dress themselves a certain way to be mindful of the boys. Nope y’all can keep that #HipHopEd
So hard. People repeat what they see, and most of us haven’t seen healthy relationships. We’ve normalized unhealthy & harmful behaviors. And as adults, that means we have to unlearn our own ish so we can spot it for students. #hiphoped
Word! We have to help our youth break the cycle so many are thirsty for & engrossed by relationships that only mirror dysfunction they have been victims of...seen it the other day...attempted to interrupt but these cycles are hard to break #HipHopEd
I wonder how much of this has to do with age and development. I cringe at some of my assumptions and statements when I was younger and didn’t realize the harm until I aged. What can be done for school aged kids? Is it something that needs to happen when they’re older? #hiphoped
We rocking....addressing and living in all the challenges our unique community presents! There is so much work to do both externally and internally...so we steady grinding! #HipHopEd
We can’t believe that we are suited to being about the changes we want just because we’re adults. We have to create spaces for those of us who need to heal and be supported while engaging our youth! #HipHopEd
Awareness is key. We passively consume so many damaging messages, internalize and perpetuate them. Damages our self perception and affects the way we treat others. #HipHopEd
In #GetUp10 Cardi says "I ain't tellin' y'all to do it, I'm just tellin' my story"
It is part of her story, but I don't believe she is advocating that route to success #HipHopEd
In reply to
@talk_to_Samson, @AlyssaBigbee, @gjladson
Just as important as the artists you choose to listen to is the setting and context that you’re listening to the artists. We have to delve into what our Ss are listening to in order to effectively engage them on norms. #HipHopEd
#HipHopEd more development than age. Emotionally healthy language and beliefs about women and girls can develop when/if they are a regular part of the overall environment/scape. Has to be intentional. I was guilty of the same bro.
That was my next tweet! Media literacy should be a mandate in every curriculum & if not educators shd mandate it as a mainstay 4 their own pedagogy #hiphoped
The media perpetuates patriarchy and normalizes abuse against women. Educators have to teach young people how to be media literate so they are able to critical of these problematic messages #hiphoped
I honestly have interactions daily about these issues. My male students love slinging slurs for homosexual at each other or using Japanese terms they learn from anime/manga/hentai to degrade female peers. I shut it down every time and it always yields fruit. #HipHopEd
#HipHopEd culture & humanity have 2 outweigh fame, celebrity, $ & airplay. HH culture should be a celebration of ppl & see women as equal partners & citizens rather than props & subhumans 2 further lyrical clout & visual marketing. Let’s refocus HH culture & honor our own
#HipHopEd We can't expect the artists to take responsibility for raising our children... our task is to help them make sense of what they experience in the world!
Listen to "Get Up 10" by @iamcardib to get a context of a lot of her content. I've used this in workshops with students and adults and it was powerful for both audiences #HipHopEd
In reply to
@talk_to_Samson, @AlyssaBigbee, @gjladson, @iamcardib
"She chose to let people treat her like that" is a popular refrain from teen boys. It's often no level of communal concern, support, or uplift for another. Students must be taught some basic ideas about humanity before misogny is deconstructed. #HipHopEd
Hip hop culture has a way of categorizing women, labeling them as “good” or “bad”, telling them what they “should” or “shouldn’t” do and we need to stop doing these things if we want to create a safe space for our girls. #HipHopEd
I keep thinking about how many people enabled R Kelly because they wanted access to clout/power/money. To stand up for justice, people have to be willing to risk something. #HipHopEd#CapitalismSucks
As men we have to be willing to loss relationships change what we have deemed as entertainment and anything else we need to give up to change our culture #HipHopEd
Yes...Thotiana....This doesn’t surprise me though, I grew up listening to heavily misogynistic music like it was nothing...Cam’ron, DMX, Big Pun, Jay-Z etc. #HipHopEd
#hiphoped Toxic masculinity and femininity is marketed, packaged, sold, and exported globally as HipHop. We did this. We rocked to it. We need to heal from this sickness 1619-2019
#HipHopEd I still have these conversations with grown men. It remains too common an air we breathe, slips out too easily, if we don't address it. I check my own thinking/believing regularly.
Now we’re getting into the realm of music execs and what they are trying to accomplish. Make money and promote a lifestyle that they also profit from. What Kozol calls “purchasable mediocrity.” Cool stuff but no mobility #hiphoped
So as we near the end of the chat, what is one thing we each will do differently moving forward to address the issues of sexual assault/abuse in our culture and communities #HipHopEd
I think it's content that kids are taking in because it is normed "acceptable" because it is so widespread. When I have kindergartners who are shaking to Cardi B, we've got a major problem, because they don't even realize what they're doing and that it's inappropriate. #HipHopEd
Jordan Peele mentioned this idea that he doesn’t want to be told what the truth is, he prefers to discover it. This is key in approaching things like media literacy. #hiphoped
#hiphoped Toxic masculinity and femininity is marketed, packaged, sold, and exported globally as HipHop. We did this. We rocked to it. We need to heal from this sickness 1619-2019
City Girls Period album being given critical praise by HH heads raised the hairs on my neck too...their name implies an urban relatability but their content is problematic yet they are ascending as leaders of our youth #HipHopEd
Hopefully by shutting it down, it will click later in life. For now, I get a lot of, “better not say that around the teacher, he’ll get mad.” #hiphoped
We should spend less time telling girls how to be, how to act or what they should and shouldn’t be doing and instead teach them to form their own opinions. To embrace their own power. #HipHopEd
#hiphoped Toxic masculinity and femininity is marketed, packaged, sold, and exported globally as HipHop. We did this. We rocked to it. We need to heal from this sickness 1619-2019
Ameen. We've got to look critically at the systems that perpetuate and sustain themselves by endorsing and promoting violence and oppression. And then we've got to self reflect on how those systems have impacted ourselves. The work is personal, communal and collective #HipHopEd
Speaking for myself, I gotta do a better job explicitly calling attention to problematic lyrics in my class. We spend so much time focusing on the good in the culture that we can miss holding the bad accountable as well. Something I need to work on... #HipHopEd
So as we near the end of the chat, what is one thing we each will do differently moving forward to address the issues of sexual assault/abuse in our culture and communities #HipHopEd
Yes! We need to allow kids to love HipHop while allowing them to also understand 1) what the lyrics are saying 2)the context behind the lyric. If you can't have that conversation with a child about a song, it's the wrong song to play in front of a child. #HipHopEd
Good point. I almost think regardless of her intent, the pressure to put out singles and hits degrades her message. Warps it into something labels can profit from. #hiphoped
Before I can help my students, I gotta make sure I’m doing me. When a person oversteps, I need to be bold enough to check them or get help. I have to model self-respect. #HipHopEd
So as we near the end of the chat, what is one thing we each will do differently moving forward to address the issues of sexual assault/abuse in our culture and communities #HipHopEd
This also speaks to the need to change the school structure and have time devoted to that type of learning. Currently it is fit it in if you can, address it in the moment, or toss the curriculum. #hiphoped
Teaching girls to be vocal is crucial. Part teaching them how to use their voices is to listen when they speak. Respect what they’re saying instead of shutting them down with “you should” or “you ought to.” #HipHopEd
As #HipHopEd we will commit to collaborating to curate playlist and activities to help Educators engage with their Ss and Parents with their children around building up healthy relationships between boys and girls
We must work with our Ss to understand & be able 2 recognize that good looks, intellect, stylish swagger & talent MUST NOT be revered if the overall intention if the person is not honorable #hiphoped
You can definitely appreciate the music for a variety of aspects, but similar to the conversation around #MuteRKelly, degrading and oppressive aspects must be rejected. If not by all, then by those who align with those parts. #hiphoped
I think the point is that we see Cardi, kids want to be like her, they see her story and how she got famous, and they think about that route for themselves. She's a great artist, but kids have to be mature enough to understand the story. Many are too young to do that. #HipHopEd
In reply to
@talk_to_Samson, @mathsmarti, @AlyssaBigbee, @gjladson
I also Stan for Cardi because ghetto girls are forever dehumanized and seen as deserving of any form of abuse and insults. A hood girl made it and remains humble, i can appreciate that in a world that tells us we need to change and adjust #HipHopEd
