Artists like Lupe Fiasco, Rhymefest and 9th Wonder are a few of the vanguards making a lane for hip hop.
Artist and professor Lupe Fiasco recently took to his Twitter to announce his appointment to Johns Hopkins University’s Peabody Institute starting in Fall 2025. He explained the details of his job, stating, “As a Distinguished Visiting Professor, I’ll be teaching Rap as part of the new groundbreaking 4-year Hip Hop Degree Program led by the visionary Professor Wendel Patrick.”
Wendel Patrick, a distinguished associate professor at the Peabody Institute, is currently teaching a course at the Institute entitled, “Hip Hop Music Production: History and Practice”, and according to Lupe is a part of an upcoming Hip Hop degree program that he will be assisting him with.
In addition to his work with Hopkins, Lupe has stated that he will continue working at MIT while working on a fellowship with Yale University. Revered in music as one of rap’s most meticulous and layered rappers, Lupe’s dedication to articulating the hidden science in the genre represents a growing cultural wave of artists eager to take rap to another echelon.
First-generation professors in a sense, musicians like Lupe, Rhymefest, Bun B, Jabari “Naledge” Evans, and producer 9th Wonder are among the most well-known and respected ambassadors arguing rap music’s merits in an age where its image and utility face direct criticism.
Ridiculed for the landmark corruption cases coming to the surface last year as well as its influence on the rise of crime in urban communities, rap has served as a convenient scapegoat for all of America’s problems, bearing the brunt of the weight for the glorification of drugs, violence, hyper-sexuality, and misogyny.
But right in plain sight are a slew of professors who take the time to explore the complex and controversial elements of rap constructively, combining their insights with their own lived experiences.
Ambassadors for Hip-Hop
Lupe Fiasco, for instance, garnered considerable attention in 2022 for his impactful lesson on the intricacies of rap which we all see on YouTube. Labeled, “Rap Theory & Practice: An Introduction”, the video explored the technical aspects involved in rap and rhyming, using different analogies to help students understand the abstract art form.
Chicago brethren Rhymefest also led the way for important conversations in academia in 2023, leading a seven-part lecture series entitled, “Glory! Cultural Currency As Leverage for Social & Political Justice” at the University of Chicago. Each of the seven segments cover the gamut of society, including environmental, political, and social issues from immigration to rap activism.
More than simply an entertainer, Fest was awarded the distinction of the Axelrod Pritzker Fellow from the university. Following last year’s November election, Fest became the second rapper to win an elected position after New Jersey rapper, Dupre “Do It All” Kelly.
Acclaimed producer 9th Wonder is an equally groundbreaking producer who has taught at several universities such as Duke University, Harvard, Long Island and his alma mater, North Carolina Central University. For instance, 9th co-taught a course in 2010 at Duke called, “Sampling Soul” alongside Dr Mark Anthony Neal which focused on the cultural implications of samples in rap and their connection to black soul music.
Since then he’s focused heavily on preserving the culture, arguing for the historical relevancy of the genre both in class and on social media. In addition to the classroom, 9th was selected by the NAACP as the “National Ambassador for Hip Hop Relations and Popular Culture” as well as serves on the Executive Board for Hip Hop at the National Museum for African American History and Culture at The Smithsonian Institute.
9th’s role as a historian, archivist, and activist allows him the chance to showcase a mature side of hip-hop that casual and serious fans hardly see. Fest, Lupe, and 9th along with other emcees from GZA to Bun B all reflect a changing tide in society, one where once hallowed and closed doors are now being opened at light speed.
In spite of all the historic firsts mentioned above, rap culture and media have moved away from celebrating these moments, opting to focus on rap gossip and beef.
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