An arts-based study on hip hop pedagogy for Black college student success

Abstract

The very foundation of higher education is rooted in Eurocentric pedagogical practices that continue to enforce white supremacy. Although several college institutions celebrate diversity in their percentage of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) students, in addition to inclusive programming, the retention and graduation rates for Black students still lag behind white students (Banks & Dohy, 2019). It is essential for faculty and administrators to consider what changes need to be made to better support Black college students. Hip Hop Pedagogy (HHP) represents one form of culturally responsive pedagogy. HHP challenges traditional approaches to teaching, through embracing the elements of hip hop culture and centering the lived experiences of Black and African American students. The purpose of this arts based research study is to learn more about Black and African American professors who teach HHP for Black student engagement and learning. I conducted interviews with Black and African American faculty participants, whom I refer to as research collaborators in Chapter III. Rather than subjugating hip hop to academic culture, findings suggest bringing academia into the hip hop movement. In addition, African American professors create sub-communities through their hip hop courses by building genuine relationships with African American students