#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 want to discuss the recent events that have taken place within our Hip-Hop community as well as the responses to the events in an attempt to create direction #HipHopEd
We want to discuss the recent events that have taken place within our Hip-Hop community as well as the responses to the events in an attempt to create direction #HipHopEd
Have been away for a couple of weeks; as serious a topic as this is tonight, I’m happy to be back with the #HipHopEd family for my weekly professional development.
Saw tons of my former students on social media today mourning X. He spoke to youth. Educators, touch base with your young people and work with them through this process #hiphoped
Have been away for a couple of weeks; as serious a topic as this is tonight, I’m happy to be back with the #HipHopEd family for my weekly professional development.
As adults we don’t get to determine who young people view as voices that amplify their emotions and views of the world. #HipHopEd#XXXTentacion#jimmywopo
X was the first artist that my students gifted me with this year. We had some really strong convos about his life, and his work, and his impact on people who might be struggling. #hiphoped
Trauma and its effects are a large part of the lives of many hip hop youth. We can never let our youth become ambivalent to the effects of violence and trauma, and we must have serious conversations whenever violence is celebrated as “masculine.” #HipHopEd
For many young people they are dealing with the grief that many of us felt with the murders of Big and Pac. It's not about evaluating, but validating their grief #hiphoped
X's music came up multiple times with my students when we talked about hip-hop therapy. I will never be okay with the harm he caused but I also won't overlook the peace his work brought my kids. #HipHopEd
Theres been a response following XXX’s murder that focuses on his many missteps during his life. While it’s important to interrogate XXX’s complexities this demonstrates that society doesnt allow young people to reinvent themselves and evolve past negative experiences #HipHopEd
We have to move past the news cycle determining what acts of violence cause us to act. The violence against women at the hands of men in Hip-Hop and our communities has to STOP #HipHopEd
Once again, this makes me think of Byron Hurt’s documentary “Beyond Beats and Rhymes.” While made over a decade ago, it’s central message is more important today than ever. #HipHopEd
I was a fresh HS grad when 2Pac died. Having grown up on the West Coast on his music, I had a lot of sadness over his death. I had to battle all the hate in Texas at the time, just to get some room to process. #hiphoped
Trauma and its effects are a large part of the lives of many hip hop youth. We can never let our youth become ambivalent to the effects of violence and trauma, and we must have serious conversations whenever violence is celebrated as “masculine.” #HipHopEd
Theres been a response following XXX’s murder that focuses on his many missteps during his life. While it’s important to interrogate XXX’s complexities this demonstrates that society doesnt allow young people to reinvent themselves and evolve past negative experiences #HipHopEd
The way that biased narratives spin themselves in our news culture is infuriating. We have an absolute double standard in how we posthumously portray people. #hiphoped
I was a fresh HS grad headed to UT when 2Pac died. Having grown up on the West Coast on his music, I had a lot of sadness over his death. I had to battle a lot of hate in Texas, people saying it was just another dead rapper, just to get some room to process. #hiphoped
X's death is another scenario where society states you have to be on one side or the other. It's okay to demand that violence towards women stop and that these women get justice while refusing to celebrate the murder of a kid. #HipHopEd
We cannot blame young people for beefing, when their actions are a symptom of a larger societal ill. We need to respond to instances of beef with compassion, love, and support. #HipHopEd
Theres been a response following XXX’s murder that focuses on his many missteps during his life. While it’s important to interrogate XXX’s complexities this demonstrates that society doesnt allow young people to reinvent themselves and evolve past negative experiences #HipHopEd
Exactly, #HipHopEd(ucators) can remind folks that X was an evolving young man who was maturing before all his fans & taking on the responsibility of being a role model, speaking on race, the legal system & learning to manage his emotions. Plus his music has many layers
The fact that the narratives of #XXTENTACION and #JimmyWopo are so popular among youth speaks to the conditions of our communities and families that has to be addressed apart from the ART #HipHopEd
The truth is that the violence towards women is not going to stop by just wishing all abusers be murdered. We have to find another tangible way to make this stop now. #HipHopEd
Exactly, #HipHopEd(ucators) can remind folks that X was an evolving young man who was maturing before all his fans & taking on the responsibility of being a role model, speaking on race, the legal system & learning to manage his emotions. Plus his music has many layers
Totally agree. I think we can take this as an opportunity to demonstrate the concept of duality to our students and emphasize that we can feel both emotions at the same time AND they’re both valid feelings #hiphoped
Exactly! Often times, “beef” comes from the fact that our students have not been equipped with the means to navigate conflict constructively. I can’t tell you how many times my students have squashed things immediately once they have a safe space to talk it out #HipHopEd
My fear after XXX's death is that his life's decisions will not be critiqued by our youth, but he will be identified as a martyr, which is problematic in many ways #HipHopEd
The fact that the narratives of #XXTENTACION and #JimmyWopo are so popular among youth speaks to the conditions of our communities and families that has to be addressed apart from the ART #HipHopEd
And it will not unless we hold men accountable for their actions. X’s rise and the way his death has polarized the HH community shows me that we’re still extremely resistant to holding perpteators accountable. It’s the thing I’m struggling with most in all of this. #HipHopEd
We have to move past the news cycle determining what acts of violence cause us to act. The violence against women at the hands of men in Hip-Hop and our communities has to STOP #HipHopEd
Behaviors often escalate so if we are at a point where it takes the loss of life to shake us to respond then we are walking dead and are contributing to agony that many young people call life #HipHopEd
XXX's death also highlights the division between the multiple HipHop generations. Old heads never heard of him. Youth are crying over him. This is a first in HipHop history. I remember when Big Pun, Pac and BIG died... #hiphoped
The fact that the narratives of #XXTENTACION and #JimmyWopo are so popular among youth speaks to the conditions of our communities and families that has to be addressed apart from the ART #HipHopEd
Our music, Hip Hop Music, has always been the people’s most trusted form of media. A quick way to spread awareness about what was going on intra-culturally— XXXtentacion’s music - and music like his - is letting us know what’s on the mind of our people. #HipHopEd
I think what’s happening though, is people are conflating a refusal to ignore his crimes with “celebrating” his death. His passing has sparked a very hateful and dishonest convo that’s hard to watch. #HipHopEd
X's death is another scenario where society states you have to be on one side or the other. It's okay to demand that violence towards women stop and that these women get justice while refusing to celebrate the murder of a kid. #HipHopEd
Reading his list of offenses on a reddit thread last night was disheartening. If true, he was such a troubled person. I think music was his therapy, his way to absolve himself in some way, by paying it forward, by giving the world his honesty. #hiphoped#XXXTENTACION
#jimmywopo was an authentic voice for Pittsburgh's youth growing up around violence, gangs, drugs & hustling...but he wasn't able to escape it himself a powerful lesson in that...curious if youth will blame the city or his lifestyle/persona #HipHopEd
I stand with the women he hurt, absolutely. I hope with my whole heart they finally have peace. But losing a life that had so much potential to change and then use his platform to fight against the things he has partaken in is tragic. #HipHopEd
Exactly, #HipHopEd(ucators) can remind folks that X was an evolving young man who was maturing before all his fans & taking on the responsibility of being a role model, speaking on race, the legal system & learning to manage his emotions. Plus his music has many layers
Hip-Hop is multi generational and if we as adults leave the young people to pick up the pieces we left behind as we “got it right”, don’t be surprised when things consistently “go wrong” #HipHopEd
Peace, big bro! Very happy that y’all are creating space for this convo-glad that I caught it. Was just saying that the music is the conversation starter and should thus remain in play as we address the content it brings up so that the masses evolve w/us thru the medium #HipHopEd
Understood and as I was listening to him, it made me angry at brothers like @PUSHA_T dropping an album as an up to date drug diary when he is the President of the Label #HipHopEd
It's a time for critical conversations. For adults who see the danger to also see the artist. And for Ss who see the artist to also see the danger. #HipHopEd#XXXTentacion
Sadly, a lot of the older heads running media in HipHop benefit from promoting all the beef & drama as opposed to focusing on the artistry...Hopefully we will all be more responsible online & IRL #HipHopEd
This is the state of many of our youth, which is why so many identified with him. Toxic masculinity is celebrated in many ways, across cultures in this country, and that must come to an end. As teachers, we can create safe spaces to tear this down. #HipHopEd
Peace, big bro! Very happy that y’all are creating space for this convo-glad that I caught it. Was just saying that the music is the conversation starter and should thus remain in play as we address the content it brings up so that the masses evolve w/us thru the medium #HipHopEd
As artists, we evolve over time, we have a maturation process— we are seeing it now with Jay and Nas (regardless of whether you like their music or not), we saw it with BIG + PAC, 3 Stacks... bruh was 20. W/a life filled w/tumultuous events. His content may have evolved #HipHopEd
I had a long talk with my son about the life and death of rapper XXX. I think it affected him because He hadn’t experienced a rapper from his gen pass away. Not discounting youth culture gave me that opportunity to help him unPack this particular chaotic event. #hiphoped#ycp
It's a time for critical conversations. For adults who see the danger to also see the artist. And for Ss who see the artist to also see the danger. #HipHopEd#XXXTentacion
💯💯 we cannot abdicate our place to mentor our youth, especially with pertinence to issues such as those covered tonight. If we do, we have no right to criticize the outcome. #hiphoped
We need to work with our students to be aware of griefs complexity. We can be sad about the tragedy that exists on a variety of levels without excusing & erasing egregious actions. #HipHopEd
We know that some of our sisters that rock with #HipHopEd have justifiable issues with the response to the murder of #XXXTentacion by other artists. Know that we stand with you in the midst of facilitating a broader discussion
At #HHEC18, this is what we discussed. We need to figure how to utilize their culture, the artist of their time to teach life lessons—but also give them a space to dissect what they are seeing, hearing and feeling.
I’ve always felt that you move in the ways you were taught, conditioned to, or that align with your disposition until you learn something new— you know how long it takes to learn a lesson? I know toxic masculinity is real and real problematic, I also know that I thought #HipHopEd
(Cont’d) a few pretty unhealthy things that I did were “normal” and acceptable behaviors until someone I loved loved me enough to challenge me (read: encourage me) to grow and examine those behaviors, which took time that XXXTENTACION no longer has. #HipHopEd
Perhaps those people view him, a person who committed horrifying acts of ongoing abuse, through the lens of their own traumas. We should spare them some of the same compassion we’re demanding for him. #HipHopEd
It is so so so important to stand with any women who have experienced this type of harm, and even the ones who haven't. Male teachers need to model this for their students. X's death is a talking point to bring this up explicitly in the classroom. #HipHopEd
We know that some of our sisters that rock with #HipHopEd have justifiable issues with the response to the murder of #XXXTentacion by other artists. Know that we stand with you in the midst of facilitating a broader discussion
These issues are so layered, think about the fact that the neighborhoods are void of OGs to maintain some sense of order even within illegal activity. The ecosystem has been purposely altered #HipHopEd
#HipHopEd I think this is a perfect opportunity to critique our conflation of HH culture, HH industry, commerce, capitalism, and exploitation. We love the music but have we lost our true love of the culture?
Understood and as I was listening to him, it made me angry at brothers like @PUSHA_T dropping an album as an up to date drug diary when he is the President of the Label #HipHopEd
The conversation tonight makes me think about how our schools respond to our youth with zero tolerance policies. Rather than being therapeutic and seeking to give our students constructive learning experiences, schools often seek maximum penalties and entrench behaviors #HipHopEd
As a woman, I’m not celebrating the crimes that he has been accused of, admitted to, charged with, etc., I am saying that his death, which I assume was unrelated, is sad. Especially for those of us who believe in transformative/restorative justice. #HipHopEd
If I were someone who had gone through abuse, I most definitely would not feel any remorse or compassion for his death. But as a whole of society, being happy about a man's murder is really dangerous. #HipHopEd
We have to determine the storyteller from the autobiographer, we have to examine their lives (when possible) to see where there is context for the lyrics. We have to discern the spirit(s) in play #HipHopEd
As a woman, I’m not celebrating the crimes that he has been accused of, admitted to, charged with, etc., I am saying that his death, which I assume was unrelated, is sad. Especially for those of us who believe in transformative/restorative justice. #HipHopEd
As a woman, I’m not celebrating the crimes that he has been accused of, admitted to, charged with, etc., I am saying that his death, which I assume was unrelated, is sad. Especially for those of us who believe in transformative/restorative justice. #HipHopEd
I don't have a full answer to this, but I will often go looking into an artist's full body of work. What else do they have to say? What's the big picture, and is there a message of hope there somewhere? #hiphoped
This whole tragedy is steeped in Anti-Blackness, capitalism & toxic masculinity all of which are sites for critical analysis & discourse for our students. #hiphoped
@DjReadyRed , formerly of the Geto Boys, spends much of his time these days telling young people how easy out is to get caught up in the music business and find yourself doing negative things. He could contribute a lot to this #HipHopEd conversation.
Also the OGs have been removed from the communities by prison and or death. This gets magnified by the narrative of young people being independent and in no need of any type of guidance #HipHopEd
Also the OGs have been removed from the communities by prison and or death. This gets magnified by the narrative of young people being independent and in no need of any type of guidance #HipHopEd
I also NEVER want to engage in a convo abt any aspect of blk existence/culture w/o acknowledging generational trauma, impact of enslavement/colonialism, capitalism, prison industrial complex, religion as a weapon & more + that is ALL UP in XXXs life, from wht I’ve read #HipHopEd
Man, this year flew by. One of my favorite pieces I wrote a while back. "Why I wore my Kap jersey to school". Keepin' it all the way hip hop #HipHopEdhttps://t.co/tfDEljuoX3
The sad truth is that someone(s) in our communities who maybe lesser known has been murdered today. The sad truth is that a young lady or a woman has been the victim of violence today. So what are committed to do today to change tomorrow? #HipHopEd
Potential idea for educators in the new year: Construct a short playlist of songs where artists reflect on trauma they have been through and the effects it’s had on them. Foster critical discussion with your students about the complexity of the human experience and...1/#HipHopEd
There is a connection between the desensitization of death facilitated by media & the frivolity around sustaining Black life within communities #HipHopEd
#HipHopEd I think it’s important to mention that there were a lot of ppl in XXX’s circle that were aware of his doings. X may have been an artist that was evolving. Or he may have never evolved and remained the same. But the ppl surrounding him shld shoulder some ownership too
I wonder how many educators know @ #XXXTentacion, his life, death & circumstances...2 many don’t have a clue so how can we expect them 2 address the related issues w their Ss? #hiphoped
If you want a perspective from a woman who is an artist and an activist please follow my Sis and name sake @TheTishJones (Thank you for your contributions tonight) #hiphoped
I’m not sure “happy” is the word I would use and I think it’s a stretch to say the “whole of society” is celebrating. Did some people quietly sigh in relief yesterday? Or feel indifferent? Yes. And we really ought to examine how we got here. #HipHopEd
If I were someone who had gone through abuse, I most definitely would not feel any remorse or compassion for his death. But as a whole of society, being happy about a man's murder is really dangerous. #HipHopEd
I think what needs to be understood/examined is the split within the young generation, on the one side you have youth who are relatively "privilege" & I'm being very distinct with these words, on the other side you have youth who directly who come from crisis #hiphoped
And more importantly, if we are to change this cycle of violence and chaos within the community, we have to address the roles of the “supporting characters” as well as the main characters. #HipHopEd
@TheRealHipHopEd what makes my heart so heavy with this is the taunts and jabs and jokes surrounding this very young man's demise. Black death is not a spectacle. It is real. It is tragic. And it is too frequent #HipHopEd
As a possible output (depends on the class dynamic) ask students to discuss an experience where they have an incomplete story that needs to be told. Did they ever get their full story out? How can they have more voice and self-advocacy in the future? 2/2 #HipHopEd
Give thanks, family! So much love and respect to you and the entire #HipHopEd team for this and every dialogue. ✊🏾💜 Thank you for the space to be in conversation with so many committed and brilliant minds.
If you want a perspective from a woman who is an artist and an activist please follow my Sis and name sake @TheTishJones (Thank you for your contributions tonight) #hiphoped
Cont Both these groups relate but from different angles, the "privilege" see the talent & the "good" while the "crisis kids" see the come up from adversity, both these groups idolize because in essence they see the "Rose from the concrete" #hiphoped
There is a community that is tired of how in death people get romanticized and never criticized for their actions especially when they are against women. We have to attempt to imagine the cycle of abuse while fighting on behalf of the men that abuse them #HipHopEd
I’m not sure “happy” is the word I would use and I think it’s a stretch to say the “whole of society” is celebrating. Did some people quietly sigh in relief yesterday? Or feel indifferent? Yes. And we really ought to examine how we got here. #HipHopEd
If I were someone who had gone through abuse, I most definitely would not feel any remorse or compassion for his death. But as a whole of society, being happy about a man's murder is really dangerous. #HipHopEd
I noticed first hand in my feed yesterday many individuals who were happy about his death. I don't mean to accuse everyone of it, but I saw an overwhelming amount. I don't mean to demand compassion for him, it's just disheartening to see any celebration of violence. #HipHopEd
Meanwhile, us adults only condemn these artists and their music, and there's the disconnect so-called OGs have no interest other than to criticize and judge so we have a immediate disconnect and that's the main issue, IMO #hiphoped
Being desensitized to images of murdered, Black bodies is a serious issue in this country. We have to have tough conversations with our students to let them know that their reimagination of self in the future creates agency.
And if it isn’t, then why do we go to work? #HipHopEd
Words have limitless power and we have to learn how to deal with them in various settings and context. The way young people speak of death is a reflection of how they feel about life #HipHopEd
The difficulty, of course, with this philosophy is that history loses its value as an incentive and example; it paints perfect men and noble nations, but it does not tell the truth.”
Web Dubois #hiphoped
#hiphoped also about acknowledging that issues exist and that we can disagree with things that are wrong without killing messengers. I hear a lot of talk of OGs but we must also be clear about what defines a True OG as the NGE say the Older GODs
I'm in that camp for sure. It's important for educators who don't know to stay aware and to give youth the space to talk about it & critically discuss how this event affects the larger community #HipHopEd
#hiphoped needs 2 be MANDATORY 4 ALL stakeholders working 2 successfully engage & educate youth. We gotta work 2 influence America’s ed policy y’all. #hiphopdev
It’s a subconscious judgment many people make on a daily basis. Does it make big enough waves to create disruption in our lives, or can we relegate it to “unfortunate, but not my problem” territory and go on living our lives? Many do the latter. #HipHopEd
Agree!! But I also see how some view his ascent on the charts despite his abusive behaviour as a “celebration of violence”. And what I’m seeing is more people examining the violence he endured more critically than the violence he committed. #HipHopEd
#HipHopEd This thing of ours is still young yet old it still makes mistakes and is still growing but true growth can not happen without honest self reflection
I absolutely agree that it is disheartening. I’m saying we should examine the effects of that. We have people so discouraged by his violent behaviour that they felt nothing when he died and that needs to be examined! How did we let it get this far? #HipHopEd
My fear after XXX's death is that his life's decisions will not be critiqued by our youth, but he will be identified as a martyr, which is problematic in many ways #HipHopEd
