Findings
Below are data poems from Dr. Keith’s study where he discovered language to answer his three qualitative research questions:
Q1: Who are Hip-Hop Educational Leaders (HHEL) that are spoken word artists, poets, rappers, and mc’s?
A1: “Educat[ional] Emcees” / “Ed Emcees” - this language can function as an evolved professional title or career description for teaching artists and leaders in education, who also use rhythmic spoken words to “move crowds”.
Q2: What conditions do Ed Emcees make possible for student learning and engagement?
A2: “The possibilities for love”- this language reflects the possibilities for Hip-Hop to facilitate the kinds of educational conditions where students can feel loved. As a philosophy of social justice, love represents the core value of diversity, inclusion, and equitable access to educational opportunities for all learners.
Q3: How do rhythmic spoken words function in the everyday lives of Ed Emcees?
A3: “Organic Hip-Hop pedagogy” - this language represents an innate ability for Ed Emcees to engage Hip-Hop culture as source for culturally relevant teaching and educational leadership.
Dr. Keith shared the findings from his research through a public performance of his dissertation at Bus Boys and Poets (14th & V) in Washington DC, funded by Humanities DC on Oct. 28, 2019. The free event, which featured original poetry, rap, and spoken word by members of the 2019 Squad, was sold out in three hours.
Then he successfully defended his dissertation, formally, at George Mason University on Oct. 31 2019, where it won an outstanding award from the College of Education and Human Development. He also won the inaugural outstanding dissertation award the Hip-Hop Special Interest Group (SIG) of the America Educational Research Association (AERA).
