Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Rawls
Hi Jason, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am from the Southside of Columbus. I grew up a fan of Hip Hop and just got immersed in the culture after seeing the movie Beat Street. I began as a beatboxer, b boy and eventually an emcee and beat maker. then I became a dj. I have been doing it ever since. I am also a teacher. I began teaching 5th grade in 2002. Once I did this, I fell in love. I knew that my two passions were Hip Hop and education. I began working to combine those passions. In 2017, I completed my EdD at Ohio University and began my pursuit of bringing Hip Hop Based Education to a university. I finally got the opportunity to do this in 2020 at Ohio University when I was hired to write and create the HOPE program, the first Hip Hop Based Education program in a college of education in the USA. In 2023, I began at The Ohio State University as an Assistant Professor of Hip Hop with a goal of creating a Hip Hop studies minor at the university.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Too many struggles to name. But to keep it simple, one of the main struggles is my struggle to get some to view Hip Hop as a culture. My work in education depends on this. In order to make this happen, I often speak about the 4 main elements of Hip Hop (DJing, Graffiti, B-Boying (breakdancing), Emceeing) and talk about how they all combine to make a culture. As an advocate of Hip Hop Based Education, I work to promote an understanding of how to get educators to embrace Hip Hop culture as a pedagogical tool for the classroom. I do this with several Professional Development courses that I have created along with my writing partner, John Robinson. Our book Youth Culture Power explains our theory of Youth Culture Pedagogy (YCP). YCP focuses on helping teachers create a positive learning environment by building relationships and lessons around students’ own culture. Instead of forcing students to give up the things they frequent, we feel teachers should discuss them and when possible, and use them in lessons.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am primarily known for my music production work with artists like Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Domo Genesis (Odd Future), Capital Steez (Pro Era), Beastie Boys, Del tha Funky Homosapien, Aloe Blacc and more. I am an educator with over two decades of teaching experience. I am a leader of the #HipHopEd movement, and an Assistant Professor of Hip Hop at THE Ohio State University. I am part of the team that is creating a trailblazing Hip Hop curriculum program in the School of Music. Before this, at Ohio University, I helped develop the first Hip-Hop Based Education program in a College of Education. The program called H.O.P.E. is a series of four courses rooted in Hip-Hop Based Education using both Culturally Relevant and Relational Pedagogy and I was the coordinator of the Brothers R.I.S.E. program at Ohio University. I am also co-author of a book entitled, Youth Culture Power: A #HipHopEd Guide to Building Teacher-Student Relationships and Increasing Student Engagement. I am also featured in an exhibit on Hip Hop at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I am not sure If I have had any luck. good or bad. I just keep working and pushing. I am working to make my own luck by staying consistent in my pursuit of Hip Hop Based Education.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.polarentllc.com
- Instagram: jrawls82
