Hip Hop and Oral History: Turning Students into "Griots for a New Age"

 "Our best hip hop artists show us how to do this; if we give our students the tools, support and the opportunity, we many not only improve engagement and academic performance, we will transform schools into true centers of community life." 

Summary/Analyze

      Hip-hop music has a relationship with Oral history. Since new technology has put oral history and storytelling at risk of loosing its significance, educators have figured that hip-hop could be it's only salvation to perpetuate it. Through it, older students have gained the following: inspiration,interest in their oral history, and the desire to imitate hip hop artists who use oral history in their music. Jay-z's,"December 4," and "Fort Minor," by Kenji are songs that express oral history. Youngsters living in those types of circumstances described in various songs, would feel inspired in the words and feelings of the artist. Allowing students to become involved with a work of art such as hip hop will stimulate interest in their historical backgrounds, thus increasing academic performance. In addition, it would also make schools into a better community life, and the students turn out to be "griots of a new age."

    Mark Naison utilized the following persuasive and propaganda techniques:big names, research, and card stacking. His purpose was to demonstrate to people how hip-hop can aid not only a student's oral history but their academic performance, and the school itself. He aspired people to understand just how much hip-hop takes part in to lives of the youth and promote the idea of students becoming "griots of a new age."

Naison, Mark. "Hip Hop and Oral History:Turning Students into "Griots for a New Age."." OAH Magazine of History 22.3 1 July 2008. 46-48.EBSCOhost. Web. 23 Mar 2011.<http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=2d5e3c1a-e34e-4e68-9bfa-07c77aa0f275%40sessionmgr4&vid=9&hid=10>.