What is a Hip Hop Scholar?

Culture, Education, Hip Hop, History

July 11, 2024
Miquiel Banks

Introduction

A hip hop scholar is a person who studies hip hop culture and its impact on society and he/she has not been coerced or influenced by “The Invaders.”

They may be academics, journalists, or artists who use their expertise to explore the history, politics, music, art, and language of hip hop.

Hip hop scholars often use their work to promote social justice and to challenge stereotypes about hip hop culture.

Key Differences

The key difference is there are internal and external Scholars.

An internal scholar is one who is a Primary Resource on Hip Hop:

a person that was part of the Founders Era in the Hip Hop Movement (or in a Local Chapter)
a person that is considered a Griot in an area of Hip Hop Culture (Yeeking, Breaking, Popping/Locking, Rapping, Beatboxing, Finger Drumming, Table Drumming, Graffiti Art, DJing and Turntablism, etc.)

An external scholar is one who is a Secondary Resource on Hip Hop.

However, it must be noted, it is the “Cultural Love” that drives the Hip Hop Scholar to personify Mother Hip Hop.

Key Areas

Some of the key areas of study for Hip Hop Scholars include:

The history of Hip Hop Culture
The social and political impact of Hip Hop Culture
The music of Hip Hop Culture
The art of Hip Hop Culture
The language of Hip Hop Culture
The “Culture” of Hip Hop Culture

The Methods of Research

Hip Hop Scholars us a variety of methods to conduct their research and this includes:

Archival Research
Interviews
Participant Observation
Content Analysis
Critical Discourse Analysis
Introspection
Reflection
Inner Dialogue

The Scholarship

Hip Hop Scholars often publish their work in academic journals, books, and magazines.

They may also present their work at conferences and other public events.

Hip Hop Scholarship is a growing field of study that is helping to shed light on the complex and multifaceted nature of hip hop culture.

Hip Hop Scholars are making important contributions to our understanding of hip hop’s history, its impact on society, and its potential to promote social justice.

Examples

Kelvin Walton
DJ Smash
Miquiel Banks (Sage-El, The Hip Hop Evangelist, The Hip Hop Journalist)
Chris Rock (The Producer, not the Comedian/Actor)
Carlos Glover (The Godfather of Crunk)
Avery Lee Blanton (Da Black Man)
Niqua Jones (Que Bo Gold)
DJ Chauncey (if you can find him)
DJ Mann (if you can find him)
Derrick Williams (D Most Def)
Ben Fong-Torres (for his cross-cultural work in Early Rock N Roll)
Lester Bangs (for his cross-cultural work in Rock N Roll)
KRS-ONE
Tricia Rose
Robin Kelley
Bakari Kitwana
Jeff Chang
Nelson George
Michael Eric Dyson
Cornel West
Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
bell hooks
Angela Davis

These scholars have all made significant contributions to our understanding of hip hop culture.

Their work has helped to legitimize hip hop as a legitimate form of art and culture, and it has helped to raise awareness of the social and political issues that are often addressed in hip hop music and lyrics.