By Daniel Chee/The Skyline View

Professor Nathan Jones

As I walked into Mr. Jones’ new office I was immediately comforted by the ambiance and energy in the room. Framed pictures of Malcolm X, and a poster of Nas and Damien Marley’s album cover on the walls. The art work depicts not only his personality, but also his profound way of teaching students here at Skyline. Paying homage to the hip-hop culture all while teaching students how to read and write is such an impactful way to learn, retain information, and value your education.

Because hip hop is seen more negatively in our society, it is important to start shedding light on its culture, educationally. Having taken Jones’ Lit 225 class, last year, I was exposed to a new teaching style that has left a significant impression on me. Hip-hop is in our daily lives and attending that class made me respect it in a whole new way that I had only imagine existed.

Our class picked up books like The Anthology of Rap and From Totem Poles to Hip-Hop, which helped us analyze rap lyrics and also learn about the history of hip-hop and its artistic form of expression. We studied a large amount of rappers, from local artists like, Too $hort to the east coast’s Wu Tang Clan. We listened to music and focused on its social commentary to help us relate to it and be able to reciprocate it.

Jones’ explains, “What I try to do is mesh these two worlds together. For example, Eric Micheal Dison’s Holler If You Hear Me is just as valid as Shakespeare’s literature because it’s reflecting; journey, triumph, travels, and experiences and it’s all about the human experience. I think teachers forget to bring that into class. There are universal issues found in hip hop and its lyrics, but we don’t explore that because sometimes people don’t look at it as an art form.”

It is important to validate hip hop because it’s very influential in our lives. It’s in every aspect of the media and all generations of people should be able to connect with it, positively. Hip hop is an artistic expression of individuality, political messages, economic issues, and community awareness.

“The curriculum is current because being a person of color we are often marginalized in the western canon of literature or education, and it is important that our lifestyle is recognized and seen not as something different, but that it’s a part of the American fabric as well,” said Mr. Jones.

Former student of Mr. Jones’ Eng class, J.p. Diaz explains, “ I consider it to be a progressive, positive approach to expanding the mind of young students, while at the same time helping them form their own opinions and beliefs based on their discoveries they’ve made under this refreshing approach to gathering and comprehending information provided in the classroom.”

When asked, “What if hop hop music was used as a literature source in your English class?” CCSF student Willie Turner replied, “That would be freaking sick dude because it’s something I can relate to and its deeper than guns and drugs. It would make it way more meaningful.”

Intertwining the classroom with hip hop is important because it gives students the chance to expand and use their daily knowledge in a classroom atmosphere. Lit 225 enabled me to connect with the curriculum, but also with my fellow students, building friendships and being able to connect with them through our hardships without being judged, in an understanding environment. Mr, Jones’ teaching method will always be much appreciated and now I will always be able to connect hip hop and my education.

Mr. Jones’ ends the interview with saying, “To be able to integrate hip hop in my curriculum is like a dream come true…we are actually in the classroom legitimizing hip hop culture and putting it in a canon where it has to be respected.”