University Hip Hop Politics course teaches students about history and about themselves

A few years ago adjunct Professor Roopa Singh was given the opportunity to create a course of her choice. The result was Hip Hop Politics and the final will be a performance based project.

This year's Hip Hop Politics performance will be held on Friday, Dec. 11 from 7-9 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room with the theme, "The Writers Bench."

The show is a compilation of student produced performances that pay homage to Hip Hop culture, which emerged from a group of South Bronx youth in the 1970s. They sought a platform for honest expression dealing with the political and social climate of the time.

"I have Hip Hop Politics be a performance based final in the name of honoring how Hip Hop came to be, which was through creation, through creativity and through showing and proving in front of a live audience," Singh said.

Through integration of Hip Hop and academia, students have gained knowledge of urban issues as well as of themselves in order to have the courage to perform at such an event.

"Hip Hop Politics has worked together as a group all semester to bring our stories in true Hip Hop fashion. We studied the progression of Hip Hop and urban politics and found the progression of ourselves," freshman Matt Sutherland said.

Student pieces will range from spoken word, dance, acting and singing to allow students to share their truths and personal stories.

"I am blown away and inspired by my fellow classmates' talent and courage," sophomore Ashley Moore said.

The theme "Writers Bench" pays homage to the original "Writers Bench," which provided New York City graffiti writers of the 1970s and 80s with a safe haven to talk about their art at a time that New York City police sought to punish those who wrote on subway cars.

Graffiti writers never used their own names, but rather a stage name when they wrote on cars, thus the Writers' Bench became a platform to safely discuss their art as well as an opportunity to get to know fellow writers.

Singh has successfully created a Writers' Bench environment by bringing Hip Hop and academia together, which she feels is an ideal method to cultivate social mobilization.

"I came to Pace after a decade of working in the streets with people towards positive social change," Singh said. "After bearing witness to the stories of the oppression as both a lawyer and as a Hip Hop head, it made sense to bridge the two."

The combination of these two elements has provided students with the opportunity to learn and grow as both young adults and young scholars.
"Hip Hop is what college is supposed to be about — discovering knowledge and one's self," junior Colin Seeberger said.

This performance allows students the opportunity to showcase their discoveries and allows for the audience to come along on the journey of Hip Hop Politics.

Those interested are encouraged to attend. Admission is free and doors will open at 7 p.m.

Audience members will also have the opportunity to win prizes. Students will be raffling t-shirts and Hip Hop books. The proceeds will be going to the University branch of Keep A Child Alive, which aims to help children suffering from HIV/AIDS in Africa.