Supporting
Hip-Hop At Your Program
P.H.A.T.
Raps
Hip-Hop Program Resources
Hip-Hop Resources on the Web
“We
are advocating that hip-hop is not just a music, it is an attitude, it is
an awareness, it is a way to view the world. So rap music is something we
do, but HIP-HOP, is something we live.”
KRS-One,
Hip-Hop Knowledge (from the album The Sneak Attack)
Since the early ‘80s, hip-hop music has served as a powerful voice and form of expression for young black audiences and has evolved into a culture with its own language, style of dress, and mindset. But despite its popularity and appeal, few nutrition and physical activity programs have used its ability to speak to the needs and values of black youth.
Much of the success of the P.H.A.T. campaign can be attributed to the fact that both the youth that participated, as well as the talent who worked with the youth, shared knowledge, appreciation and love of the hip-hop culture. Incorporating hip-hop culture is a great way to motivate youth to share messages and increase participation in your programming; but to do it well, you have to be knowledgeable about the culture and open to it.
Here’s how you can:
Use Hip-Hop
Music to Inspire Physical Activity
•Play
the P.H.A.T. CD during programming, games, and activity.
•Contact a local DJ in your community or someone who mixes on the radio
to make a mix for your program, allow youth to bring in their favorite music,
or just play the local hip-hop radio station. (Be sure to set guidelines ahead
of time for what music is inappropriate. See the hip-hop resource section
to check on new hip-hop music, the artists and their lyrics.)
Get Your
Groove on
Hip-hop dance is a great form of activity.
•Watch the hip-hop dance portion of the P.H.A.T. video.
•Challenge your youth to come up with their own routines.
•Have a weekly freestyle dance session.
•Invite a local dancer to hold a hip-hop or break dance class for your
youth. (When looking for a choreographer, first ask your youth what style
of dance they want to do. Ask for references and attend a session to observe.)
Roc the
Mic
Rap music is a form of expression your youth can use to channel their thoughts
and feelings on health and related topics.
•After viewing and discussing the video, work with your youth to create
their own raps about the video. Have a best rap contest. Possible judging
criteria include originality, delivery, and crowd hype. (Use the P.H.A.T.
video discussions to inspire a topic of interest.)
•Invite a local rap artist to come in and teach your youth techniques
for developing lyrics, how to flow, how to speak into a mic, how to develop
a stage presence, and ways to hype the crowd.
Get in
the Mix
•Start
a DJ club at your program.
•Contact a local DJ in your community, through a radio station or record
pool, to get advice on what equipment to buy and to coordinate classes.
Plan
a Dance or Hip-Hop Showcase
•Have
youth perform raps, dance, and exhibit their graffiti /artwork at your own
showcase.
•Have an interactive display on nutrition and physical activity and make sure to serve healthy
foods.
Speak
on It.
•Invite someone involved in hip-hop culture to come and speak with your
youth about what they do, how they stay healthy, and how staying healthy
has helped them.
Have youth share a healthy meal or snack with a distinguished local
hip-hop guest like:
DJ
Rap artist
Graffiti artist
Music producer
Artist manager
Record label executive
Dancer
Clothing designer
Graphic artist
Make
it Visual.
Art is a cheap and accessible form of expression. Provide a canvas (a wall,
paper, t-shirts) for your youth to express their feelings on nutrition and
activity. They can come up with logos, pictures, murals, or collages using
paint, markers, or even magazines.
Berkeley
Youth Alternatives Teen Center
1255 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA
510.647.0713
www.byaonline.org
DJ
program
Boy’s
& Girl’s Club San Francisco
Excelsior Clubhouse
163 London St., San Francisco, CA
415.334.2582
Recording studio/DJ program
Challenger’s
Boy’s and Girl’s Club
5029 South Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA
323.971.6161
Radio broadcasting/Video production
Destiny
Arts Center
5688 San Pablo Ave., Oakland, CA
510.597.1619
www.destinyarts.org
Hip-Hop Dance
The
DJ Project Girl’s
Inc of West Contra Costa County Mandela
Arts Center Sunset
Becon Center Tenderloin
After School Program Youth
Radio Allhiphop.com
Sohh.com Rapstation.com
These sites provide up-to-date info on the hip-hop scene including lyrics
of the week, daily hip-hop news, interviews and real talk, music reviews,
rumors, community boards and chat rooms. Culture
Shock Dance Troup, Inc. Davey
D's Hip-Hop Site. One of the largest, most comprehensive hip-hop sites, including
reviews, articles, photos, new releases, hip hop history, and research. Visit
www.daveyd.com Hip-Hop
Directory. A guide to hip-hop resources worldwide, including links to online
magazines, record labels, artists' pages, audio sites, and discussion forums.
Visit www.hiphop-directory.com
Original
Hip-Hop Lyrics Archive. Essential for both hip-hop headz and concerned parents
who wish to see for themselves what their kids' favorite rap artists are saying.
Visit www.ohhla.com Dancer's
Delite. For those who are into the art of B-Boying and Break Dancing.
440 Potrero Ave., San Francisco, CA
415.487.6714
260 Broadway, Richmond, CA
510.232.5440
Hip-Hop Dance
1357A 5th St., Oakland, CA
510.451.5466 x 316
www.youthec.org
Hip-hop Lyricism Sessions
3925 Noriega St., San Francisco, CA
415.759.3690
www.snbc.org
The Urban Music Program
225 Eddy St., San Francisco, CA
415.776.8407
Hip-Hop Dance
1809 University Ave., Berkeley, CA
510.841.5123
www.youthradio.org
Radio broadcasting/DJ program
Visit www.cultureshockdance.org
Email: angiebunch@cultureshockdance.org
Info line: 619-223-2463.
Visit www.msu.edu/user/okumurak
