It's Bigger Than Hip-Hop

Audience: High-school age, young adults

Time Needed: 45—60 minutes

Materials: Packet containing: selected lyrics and prepared worksheets, boom box, selected CDs; Flip chart, easel, and markers.

Resources for hip-hop music:
Listen to any hip-hop or pop local radio station for just one day and you will hear the popular songs repeated.

• MTV on-air: TRL every weekday, 3:30—5:00 p.m., Videos played 6:00—7:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m. daily.
• http://www.mtv.com/: Features news and full-length videos.
• BET on-air: Videos played 11:30—3:00 p.m. and 4:00—7:00 p.m. daily.
• http://www.bet.com/: Top videos listed.
• http://www.ohhla.com/: Lists lyrics of many hip-hop and rap artists

Web site searches for a particular artist will often provide an option to display lyrics.

http://www.billboard.com/: List of top 10 songs

http://www.teenmusic.com/

Activity Description:

Lyric Study Activity

1.   Play a sample of a popular hip-hop song (see resources).

2.   Ask participants what they are listening for (e.g., rhythm, beat, bass). Specify that today we will be discussing and paying close attention to the lyrics.

3.   Ask participants to identify what people say about hip-hop. What do their grandparents, parents, and teachers say about the music? On a flip chart, list negative responses (e.g., too loud, profane, sexually explicit, violent).

4.   Post paper on wall to be used later.

5.   Distribute lyrics to a selected song and play the song. (e.g., "Brenda's Got a Baby" by Tupac, "Video" by India Arie, "The First Night" by Monica, "Most Girls" by Pink).

6.   List questions on flip chart:

     a.What is this song about?

     b.Why would the artist write a song like this?

     c.What messages are found in the lyrics of this song?

7.   Ask the participants to answer the questions verbally. Bring out the message of the song so participants can gain an understanding of looking deeper into the lyrics (most teens know the songs by heart, but do not look for the message).

8.   Divide the participants into groups and distribute lyrics to selected songs. Each group should have a different song.

9.   In groups, ask the participants to read the lyrics and answer the three questions listed above on provided worksheets (allow 10 to 15 minutes).

10.   Go group to group, playing their song, and ask a team captain list the answers to the questions.

Music Study Activity

This activity will take all that was learned above and lead to personal reflection.

1.   Ask participants to think about the music that they listen to every day.

2.   Ask participants to think about a younger person who looks up to them (e.g., sibling, cousin, neighbor).

3.   Ask participants to list songs from their personal music collection that they would want to share with that younger person.

4.   On a worksheet provided, have participants list:

     a.three songs they would like to pass down

     b.the messages these songs contain

5.   Go around the room and have the participants list one song and the message the song contains.

6.   On a flip chart, list the positive things found in the songs presented by the participants (e.g., be a strong woman, look out for your friends, be responsible).

7.   Refer to list made earlier regarding negative comments made about hip-hop. Compare and contrast.

8.   Discuss the fact that there are good messages in music, we just need to find them.

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