I have been a hip hop artist for many years, and from the moment I found the connection between education and hip hop it has become my life’s path. I began my journey as a teacher with a roadmap from rapper KRS-One, clues from the spoken word scene of the early 1990s, and a lifetime of alternative arts influence. I was raised in the Living Theatre, where the union of art and social change are life and breath.

The class I currently teach at The Door community center in New York City is a fusion of music production and hip hop/poetry. The Door is unique in its youth-centeredness; while I am sure the students could point out some flaws, I think most of them appreciate the open and supportive environment that it provides. Specifically, it is different from other places I have taught in that it provides a range of activities and services, from arts and education to health and crisis management. There is also an open-door policy, which means that there are new young people coming and going all the time. This can prove challenging, but has actually made for the development in my class of an exciting balance between newcomers and a really focused and committed core of students. I am also blessed to have supportive directors/supervisors in Joseph Collins and Lori Walton, an approachable and open-minded executive director in Michael Zisser, and passionate and committed co-workers such as Mickie, Hassan, Nathan, and Kimbali, among many others. It is moving to see adults who are truly youth advocates. I think many of us have been blessed at some point in our lives with someone who inspired and encouraged us to be creative, and we know how important it is to pass that on.

In my class, we focus on learning music software and using the latest technology to record and produce original music. The computer as a musical tool helps democratize the possibilities for personal expression. While some might gripe about the musical power it gives young people without their having to play instruments, computer music software provides a very quick and user-friendly outlet for creativity. And, as society and culture have shifted, new ways of relating to sound and composition have developed that make technology and music a very relevant marriage. We are currently working with basic programs such as Fruity Loops, and more advanced programs such as Reason, Sonar XL, Sound Forge, and Cubase. At the same time, I am still committed to the importance of live instrumentation and a knowledge of western musical principals. For this reason, two days a week my musical partner, Yako Prodis, a multi-instrumentalist, joins the class to provide basic musical instruction.

Our class also partners with DJ Center, from a local group, who instructs the students in the art of the DJ—the foundation of hip hop. This class focuses on building skills such as blending (mixing two beats), scratching (using the turntable as a percussive instrument), and juggling (using two copies of a record to create a live musical loop). Students are taught a variety of these skills, from the basics to the most advanced techniques.

Within "Say Word," our poetry/lyric class, we explore the power of the word and its use in personal expression, protest, education, and storytelling. There is a wide range of skill levels and insight among the students, and some of them bring a highly accomplished ability to the class. With all of them, I am constantly reminded of the raw and insightful thoughts and feelings of a generation that is too often misrepresented. I feel privileged to be in close proximity to their voices. My goal as a teacher is to encourage their work, to challenge their own limitations, and to expand their horizons. To this end, we do a range of writing exercises that aim to promote openness of thought and expression. We work on creating writing that contacts and stimulates all the human senses, and that reaches into the core of personal expression.

Recently, while reading the book Brave Voices, I was confronted with the question: How much do I, as an artist, contribute artistically in the workshop setting? This is a powerful and tricky question. I think that young people respond to skill and actualization of theory. At the same time, those skills vary and are not always immediately obvious. Skills such as artistic prowess are essential; but without the skills of listening, respect, commitment, and selflessness, the class will not grow. I call these traits "skills" because they take work and practice. In my own experience as a teacher, I have learned a great deal about when to speak and when to listen. I learn on a daily basis about the current inner-city situation: there are sides of this city that I can’t know just through my own eyes.

Hip hop is the newspaper of youth, and its poetry contains stories of both hope and tragedy. It is also important for me to connect and understand where hip hop is now, for these young students, as compared to the ways in which I have experienced the music. Hip hop has evolved and transformed to include a range of cultural expression, containing both a commercial mainstream and an alternative subculture. In my own work, I have often written off commercial elements of the culture; but confronted with the students’ perspective, I have found, if not complete enjoyment, then at least an insight into this world.

The impact of mainstream hip hop on the students’ lyrics provides a constant challenge. I am committed to changing patterns of misogyny, violence, and homophobia, but without acting as a censor, judge, police officer, or parent. Here, the art form itself can become a mode of communication. For instance, I will often rhyme from various roles, such as a police officer, a parent, or even a daughter crying out for her father to stop playing the thug role. This lyrical role-playing opens up a broader creative playing field where we can use the power of poetry for dialogue, while not getting trapped in dogma.

Another important role that I inhabit is to use the breadth of my experience to connect the young people in my class to ideas and information that are new to them. I think that this is the primary challenge for teachers who want to use hip hop to connect with a younger generation. In focusing on our teaching methods, we can become trapped by our desire to immediately connect with young people and not give them the benefit of our age and different experiences. So, in addition to our exploration of the lyrics of Rakim, Bahamadia, and Nas, I have brought in films such as Latcho Drom, and poetry from the Sufi and Native American traditions. My students have responded passionately to this new material, which has often sparked new directions in their writing.

To speak to young people in their own language while adding the richness of one’s experiences allows for a trusting and reciprocal relationship to develop between teacher and student. In most traditional schools, the subject matter is disconnected from young people’s experience; but if you can use a hip hop lyric to inspire a conversation on Middle Eastern poetry, you have built a bridge that opens a global and historical dialogue. And connecting the young people to your professional experience both earns their respect and opens doors for their future as artists.

As a means of making the work public, The Door sponsors a weekly open mic on Tuesdays where written and improvised pieces are performed. Working in the arts, I have found that it is very important to have tangible outlets where the work has a life beyond the notebook or personal creative process. While some of the students may never go on to perform professionally, the open mic provides an important outlet for their voices and thoughts. Too often in schools, the voices of young people are devalued. I, personally, have gained inspiration and insight from their words, and I am constantly reminded of the importance of supporting a public venue for them.

As new students are introduced into my class, the dialogue expands, and more and more creative collaborations are happening. We are currently working toward a CD that will represent the culmination of our efforts. In the past, I have done a lot of recording with youth, and I have been frustrated with the lack of exposure the work receives. In an effort to change this, I am starting a website to promote youth hip hop/spoken word. This site will provide profiles on the students currently in the class, will contain bios, music, pictures, and lyrics, and will serve as both a promotional and community-building tool. For information on its progress, visit www.babamusic.com.

Baruch Israel performs under the name Baba Israel and can currently be seen in the documentary Breath Control. He has participated in educational programs in the United States and Australia.