Abstract
In this study, we examine how race and racism impact the schooling of African American males by analyzing the first-person perspective of hip-hop superstar, Nasir “Nas” Jones. We selected Nas due to his unique yet prevalent educational trajectory and perspectives. Critical race theory is employed as a framework as well as notions of Sankofa methodology and literary analysis to investigate his music, documentaries, and an open letter whereby he critiques the public school system while providing academic ideas to engage and inspire Black students. Studies about Black males routinely focus on their subpar academic performance with the intention of “correcting” these behaviors. We utilize the experiences of Nas to reframe the conversation and provide nuanced insight into Black educational experiences instead of perpetuating recycled, bleak narratives. This article concludes with suggestions for educators to better serve African American males in the Pre K-12 academic context.
Prominent Black educational scholars such as WEB Du Bois (1935) and Woodson (1933) requested the analysis of school culture nearly 100 years ago. They asserted that academic culture, poorly funded schools, discrimination, low expectations, and negative images of Black people in the curriculum, were the primary causes of academic disparities, not Black families nor Black culture. Similarly, Ladson-Billings (2006) and Rowley et al. (2014) argued true solutions lie in reframing old narratives, while focusing on how internal and external pressures shape social identities. Malcolm X (1964) urged Black folk to analyze themselves and their experiences, rather than compare themselves to White people. A counter hegemonic approach, Black intellectual thought (Grant et al., 2015), aims to accentuate scholarly contributions from those connected to the African diaspora to respond to educational issues confronting schools and society. This counter hegemonic approach emphasizes neglected contributions stemming from the likes of Anna Julia Cooper, Carter G. Woodson, and Alain Leroy Locke, whose work engaged issues of race, gender, education, and democracy. Black intellectual thought challenges notions “where experience is seen as antithetical to thought” (p. xviii). Therefore, in lieu of concentrating on the supposed academic shortcomings of Black male students or racial comparisons, we heed the advice of the aforesaid scholars by centering Black male voices, perspectives, and successes (Brooms, 2019; Kumah-Abiwu, 2019). This study utilizes critical race theory (CRT) (DeCuir & Dixson, 2004; Delgado & Stefancic, 2012; Ladson-Billings, 1998) as a theoretical framework and notions of Sankofa methodology (Eshun, 2010; Reddick, 2014; Zentella, 2015) to conduct literary analysis of musical lyrics, documentaries, and an open letter. As such, we seek to address calls and serve as an example to not purely ‘research’ but more significantly center Black male voices within research (Howard, 2013a; Johnson, 2019; Milner, 2012).
In this article, we examined the first-person perspective of prominent hip-hop artist and businessman, Nasir ‘Nas’ Jones to provide insight into Black males’ lives and investigate the cultural relationship between schools and Black males. Our research is situated within the urban context as Nas’ upbringing and schooling denotes circumstances “where the economy has left many families behind, where poverty and segregation are concentrated, and where severely under-resourced schools struggle to meet the increasingly intense needs of their students and families” (Darling-Hammond, 2013, p. xi). We do not restrict urban education to its challenges and narratives of inequities. Instead, we view Black children, their homes, and schools as repositories of possibility, resourcefulness, knowledge, and joy (Harper, 2015). In the following section, we offer context to our usage of “ill” in (ill)legible. We then provide a succinct background of Nas before elaborating on this study's theoretical framework and methodology. Next, we explicate the three themes emerging from the data: (1) recognizing and validating Black intellectual ability, (2) addressing educational policies, practices, and culture and, (3) the power of Black-centered history and epistemologies. After exploring these themes, we conclude by suggesting how educators and policy-makers can employ this data to enhance outcomes.
Now That's “Ill” – The Politics of Black Male Legibility
Our usage of “ill” within the title has several connotations that may require clarity. First, Neal (2013) argues that Black male bodies are “easily” and regularly scripted and politically read by mainstream society in ways that attempt to constrict their humanity. Brown (2012) contended Black males are often bound by an a priori knowledge and “institutional narrative” (Ferguson, 2003) as being the worst behaved and underperforming students in school. Also, Black bodies and Black masculinity have long been viewed as both a threat and commodity by white, capitalistic structures. We argue that this normalizing and tethering to deviance, ineptitude, and inferiority operates as a public sickness or ill.
Secondly, it is “ill” (i.e., cool, admirable, outstanding) that despite barriers Black males resist and achieve in ways we comprehend and are still discerning. Many Black male youth are smart, thoughtful, excited about their futures, and Black communities have supported their ambitions (Harper, 2015; Milton-Williams & Bryan, 2021; Walker, 1996). According to Neal (2013) more attention given to Black male intelligence and adeptness has the potential of disrupting problematic narratives embedded within public imagination. Regardless, Black males who are habitually seen as societal problems, are for us light-bearers and possessors of valuable knowledge and potential. Here, the ‘ill’ in (ill)legible “refers not to a ‘lacking of literacy’ but to the presence of skilled [and disregarded] literacies” (Alim, 2011, p. 121).
In addition, a potential ill that arises when individuals reach a recognizable hint of social success is, heroification (Loewen, 2008). This can be the case granted to individuals of minoritized communities due to their increased probability of scaling institutional biases. Yet, in the Kemetic spirit of ma’at – balance and harmony, we commend the work and achievements of hip-hop artists, yet we do not do so uncritically. Hip-hop boldly reflects our society, housing ideologies and discourse ranging from sentiments of Black joy, love, fun, and social consciousness to that of violence, materialism, and sexism. We agree that critical approaches engaging hip-hop can be a form of liberatory praxis (Akom, 2009). This study does not intend to position Nas as a “pious, perfect creature(s) without conflicts, pain, credibility, or human interest” (Loewen, 2008, p. 11). Moreover, we accept the complexity of Nas as proxy to and representative of Black male social and educational navigation – whereby often-unmentioned, beautiful aspects of Black life can interact with destructive mischiefs (Brooms & Clark, 2020). By focusing on the life and projects of Nas, we seek to emphasize ideas that warrant further examination to readdress the deleterious experiences of Black male students.
Finally, Mavima (2016) explained, “hip-hop is a quintessential exercise in homage-paying” (p. 95). We are encouraged to “re-member” and re-position personal and influential deceased Black figures into our collective, cultural memory through scholarship and practice (Johnson & Nicol, 2020). In that vein, we seek to honor Nas’ commonly referenced childhood friend, who lost his life as a teenager, Willie “Ill Will” Graham. Nas went on to launch his own record label entitled, Ill Will Records.
Nas’ Background
Nas is arguably one of the top five rappers of all time (Billboard, 2015; McLaughlin, 2013). He was born and raised in Queens, New York, in the largest public housing complex in the United States, Queensbridge. Nasir Jones is the son of Olu Dara Jones (father), a jazz musician and Fannie Ann Jones (mother), a postal worker. As a child, Nasir played the trumpet and created his own comic book scripts. Growing up, he took interest in African and Black American culture learning via the Five-Percent Nation and Nuwaubian Nation and started writing poems and musical lyrics (One9 et al., 2014). At the age of nineteen, Nas started recording for his debut album, Illmatic, and the music world began to note of this soon-to-be legend.
He has been a critically acclaimed fixture in hip-hop for over twenty years, selling over 25 million records worldwide, totaling eight platinum albums (Teachrock, n.d.). Nominated over 14 times, he holds a Grammy award and two BET Hip-Hop awards. Nas’ classic album Illmatic was inducted into the Library of Congress in 2021. In addition to musical achievements, Nas has been a part (actor, narrator, producer) of more than 15 films, owner of a record label, and proficient capital-investor which included/s companies such as Ring, Dropbox, Lyft, SeatGeek, Robinhood, and Coinbase. He has even won an Emmy award for outstanding sports documentary.
Esteemed scholar, Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., explains “Nas is a true visionary, and he consistently shows how boundaries can be pushed and expanded to further the cause of education and knowledge” (Morgan, 2013, p. 1). Dr. Gates is referring to Harvard's Nasir Jones Hip Hop Fellowship established in Nas’ honor in 2013. The fellowship is awarded to those who demonstrate academic excellence and creatively show that “education is power.” NBC News claimed that “he is one of the most brilliant investors to ever capitalize off of modern day technology trends” (Titus, 2016).
Nas’ success is far reaching. He explained, “(I) always wanted to be surrounded by the smartest people in the world, and didn't want to limit that to just music” (Titus, 2016, p. 1). Interestingly, Nas dropped out of school in the 8th grade. He did not feel that his intellect was valued in school. However, through hip-hop, his intelligence, skillset, and perspective were consistently affirmed (One9 et al., 2014).
Theoretical Framework
We employed CRT (DeCuir & Dixson, 2004; Delgado & Stefancic, 2012; Ladson-Billings, 1998) to assist in our examining of Nas’ educational experiences as proxy to many Black male student experiences. CRT derives from criticisms of critical legal studies (CLS) work. CLS in its attempts to analyze legal doctrine and ideology, rejected the idea of gradual class progress, leaned heavily upon notions of hegemony (Gramsci, 1971) – maintenance of oppression through consensual social practices, yet CLS neglected to include race and racism into its analysis (Ladson-Billings, 1998). Scholars such as Derrick Bell (1980, 1987), Freeman (1978), Delgado (1995), Crenshaw (1995), and Matsuda (1995) stressed the need of unveiling and displaying the various forms and impacts of racism needed for social progress. Consequently, CRT outgrew CLS to become a separate entity that ultimately centered race, racism, and power (Yosso, 2005). CRT provides a practical framework to analyze inequities embedded into institutional structures namely schools, while working to counter and eliminate them. The space CRT now takes up within scholarship and educational discourse has grown substantially within the past two decades – President Trump made unfavorable statements regarding CRT. Additionally, the Supreme Court confirmation hearing of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson and several state legislators saught to ban CRT's “teaching.” Nevertheless, its implementation still requires substantial thought and advancement (Cabrera, 2019; Dixson & Rousseau Anderson, 2018).
The tenets outlined in CRT align with the educational experiences of Nas. One vital tenet of CRT posits that race and racism are a fundamental components of United States society and its functions (Delgado & Stefancic, 2012; Ladson-Billings, 1998). Another tenet of CRT emphasizes the challenge to hegemonic ideologies and scrutinizes liberal ideas such as meritocracy, color-blindness, race-neutrality, and notions of equal opportunity efforts (DeCuir & Dixson, 2004; Ladson-Billings, 1998). An additional tenet affirms CRT's commitment to social justice in highlighting how interest convergence camouflaged by “tracking, honors, and/ or gifted programs and advanced placement courses are but the myriad ways that schools have essentially been re-segregated” (DeCuir & Dixson, 2004, p. 28). As such, emphasis is rightfully placed on the liberating and transformative power of education towards Black collective progress. The next tenet acknowledges the experiential knowledge of Black folk as legitimate and necessary. This component of CRT emphasizes various modes of Black ontologies and epistemologies by countering their associations with anti-intellectualism. Finally, there is also a tenet of CRT that exercises an interdisciplinary approach – considering past and present-day contexts crossing scholarly bounds.
Although each tenet of CRT expresses distinct features, often and even in this study, its elements can be interwoven. That said, by employing CRT's emphasis of voice and counter-storytelling, we aimed to capture Nas’ sentiments, observations, experiences, and imaginations. More so, we applied CRT to contest deficit assumptions tied to Black male educational experiences and accentuate Black intellect as “stories of African Americans are muted and erased when they challenge dominant culture authority and power” (Ladson-Billings, 1998, p. 18).
Methodology
This study utilized notions of Sankofa methodology (Eshun, 2010; Reddick, 2014; Zentella, 2015) in order to conduct literary analysis (Alridge, 2006) that “involves reading source material and drawing evidence from that material to be used in supporting a point of view or thesis” (p. 664). Literary analysis can be employed to examine poetry, texts, short stories, and in this case musical lyrics and documentaries. We employed literary analysis to determine emerging patterns, draw comparisons, and elucidate underlying messages in Nas’ life pertaining to his scholastic experiences. Of note, this study employed notions of Sankofa methodology adhering to a responsibility of sustaining Black epistemologies and ontologies. Sankofa methodology “relies on indigenous, native knowledge as the basis for solutions to critical issues within communities” (Zentella, 2015, p. 326). Sankofa is a principle deriving from the Akan people of Ghana, which roughly translates to “go back and get what you forgot” (Reddick, 2014). In other words, take from the past what is good and utilize it to serve your present and future well-being.
Sankofa requires that research is situated in the realities and aspirations of those “researched” (Eshun, 2010). Also, researcher pre-knowledge and intimacy with the context of the study is viewed as serviceable (Eshun, 2010) and therefore was used to select sources. More so, drawing from Bangura’s (2011) description, our process addressed the four concepts underscoring Sankofa methodology: (a) affirmation of life – recognition of ‘everydayness,’ (b) community – embracing each other/ togetherness, (c) person – respecting one's personhood and various roles in the community, and (d) work – providing possible implementations in theory and/ or practice. We found these principles operative within Nas’ work.
During literary analysis, one must first read the literature, establish themes, analyze themes, and ultimately confirm the themes through examples. The Sankofa methodology permeated our process of selection. In order to shed light on US school systems and support various stakeholders, such as Black students and parents, as well as public school teachers and administrators of all races, we examined three data sources in relation to Nas: (1) musical lyrics, (2) documentaries, and (3) an open letter.
We selected six songs, three documentaries, and one open letter. We chose these sources because they contained information about Nas’ schooling experiences. We also added details of his musical and professional career to illuminate his intellect and creativity in out-of-school settings. Through a literary analysis aligned with critical race theory, we set out to answer the following three questions:
What is the first-person perspective of Nas on schooling? How does his perspective provide insight into the lives of Black boys and men? How does Nas’ experiences illuminate the sociocultural relationship between schools and Black male students?
Themes were generated by coding and chunking data from his songs, documentaries, and open letter with the aim of speaking back with those “researched” (Eshun, 2010; Reddick, 2014). Specifically, our initial data processing began by recalling our memories (as hip-hop heads) and reflecting on Nas’ songs where he explored the topic of schooling and education. Next, we searched for the lyrics of those and more of his songs using Genius.com. Then, we utilized NVivo 10 (a qualitative data analysis software) to upload the song transcriptions, eventually producing a thematic analysis of the data. That said, our thematic analysis distinctly incorporated deductive and inductive techniques informed by data as well as theory. Meaning, our coding took into account criteria espoused by Sankofa principles associated with Black ontologies and epistemologies plus counter-story elements of CRT. We each watched, examined, and discussed the documentaries and the open-letter to further explicate and support generated themes. As a verification measure, we utilized peer debriefing throughout the process to ensure rigor of analysis and a cohesiveness of our ideas and stance. Using multiple sources, we triangulated the data, verified the validity of the data, and clarified the meaning of the data (Denzin & Lincoln, 2011) to produce the three findings identified in the following section.
Findings
Nas functions as an “informal ethnographer” and public intellectual whose work engages cultural criticism and public pedagogy (Hill, 2010). Kelley (1996) maintains that hip-hop lyrics embody “a sort of street ethnography of racist institutions and social practices…told more often than not in first person” (p. 190). Nas directly addressed the educative process in his works. The following sections are themes that arose from examining Nas’ educational experiences and perspectives likely salient to other Black male students in urban settings.
Recognizing and Validating Black Intellectual Ability
Nas was musically talented as a young child playing musical instruments at the age of three. His father, Olu Dara, was a touring musical artist who collected instruments from all over the world (Tishler & Rosenthal, 2012; VH1 Driven, 2012). As a result of this musical presence, Nas gravitated towards music at an early age. Dara (VH1 Driven, 2012) explains: Nas was very adept to playing musical instruments. Anything he touched, he could play. He started playing trumpet around 2. At the age of 3 or 4 he would play outside on the stoops and drew crowds every day in the afternoon.
Nas was a musical prodigy who never received formal lessons. However, his father stopped him from playing instruments because Nas’ lip became droopy from playing the trumpet too often. This upset Nas and he decided he did not want to play instruments anymore (VH1 Driven, 2012). However, his talent and penchant to innovate did not cease. During his childhood, Nas demonstrated a propensity towards academic acumen. At home, he loved to write poetry, compose short stories, and illustrate comic books (Tishler & Rosenthal, 2012). Nas’ early life demonstrated glimpses of his forthcoming brilliance as his intellectual endeavors were not limited to out-of-school settings (VH1 Driven, 2012).
Nas was selected for gifted and talented education in the 1st and 2nd grade due to his high intellectual capacity. Scholars have long explored the barriers of Black student recruitment and retention in gifted and talented education which relies heavily upon the judgment of teachers (Ford et al., 2021; Lackey & Lowery, 2020). The need of deconstructing persisting concerns of culture, difference, and academic assessment is highlighted by the legacy of Black intellectual thought as well (Grant et al., 2015). Nonetheless, one of Nas’ former elementary teachers, Ms. Braconi, explained how Nas was extremely bright and possessed an uncanny ability to express and convey emotions (One9 et al., 2014). Not only did this one teacher recognize his high intellectual capacity, so did several of his peers and family members.
Childhood friends and family explained that Nas was intellectually gifted and flourished in all of his subjects (VH1 Driven, 2012). Nas’ cousin, Denise Tunnel, explains that Nas always carried a pencil and paper, constantly writing rhymes and lyrics. Nas’ father corroborates Tunnel's statement. He expounds, “…He [Nas] was always looking to do something creative. That was his whole thing. So, he started writing and illustrating short stories, writing comic books, and making up his own comic books” (VH1 Driven, 2012). Nas’ brother, Jabari, claimed that, “Nas would draw comic books just like DC or Marvel creating his own characters, storyline, kind of people, villains, own everything” (VH1 Driven, 2012). His childhood friend, Richard Williams, explained that Nas would write stories, change “the attitude” and “the persona” of the character…” to reflect what he saw outside” – designing comic books by remixing popular comics and personalizing the characters and landscape to reflect his own neighborhood. Nas was teeming with intellectual inquisitiveness, yet his mental abilities and imagination would have been more fully recognized and cultivated (rather than a single teacher's acknowledgment) provided a proper holistic educational approach. After being in a gifted and talented class in 1st and 2nd grade, Nas does not provide the reason why but states the school wanted to place him in the “slow learning class” in 3rd grade and his mom “raised hell” and decided to remove him from that class. Nas recalls after that incident he began to stop paying attention and would daydream in class, eventually dropping out of school after the 8th grade (One9 et al., 2014). Olu Jones stated that placing his son Nas in the New York public school system, where he wasn't taught by his own people was akin to “enrolling him into hell” (One9 et al., 2014). This finding demonstrates the utility of CRT as a framework as it can help reveal how surreptitious school settings can be in reinscribing problematic racialized tropes related to Black male student achievement.
Addressing Educational Policies, Practices, and Culture
Nas’ experience aligns with the ubiquitous societal narrative that claims Black male students are academically inept. As a result of these beliefs, Black boys and teens are routinely demoted to low achieving classes. This erroneous credence of Black male academic deficiency is used to justify the achievement gap. Nas addresses this problem in American schools through his music and interviews. His intellectual ability was not recognized nor validated within school after the 2nd grade. In fact, the opposite occurred. He was labeled a slow learner and put in a remedial class (Nas, 2004a) even though, at home, Nas was writing short stories, comics, and rap lyrics by age eight. Using CRT's voice as a guide, we examined Nas’ description of his schooling experience in the documentary entitled, Time is Illmatic. This documentary explores Nas’ childhood and the conditions that contributed to the creation of his first album, Illmatic, which is unanimously considered one of the greatest rap albums of all time. Through interviews, this documentary captures the essence and angst as well as the historical, social, and political perspective of Black youth in America. Nas (One9 et al., 2014) states: I still had dreams, like, I wondered what it would be like if I was in art and design or some other school that would push some of the talents I thought I had. But when you grow up in that environment where the taxpayers are not making a lot of money, then they don't have funding for schools. And when schools don't have any money, you get a no money education and you wind up getting people who aren't motivated and start looking for other ways, faster ways.
Nas’ mother successfully challenged and prevented the school's decision to assign Nas to a special education course. In one breath, a group of people viewed Nas as brilliant, while another group viewed him as academically insufficient. Ironically, his creative, artistic, and leadership capabilities aligned with definitions of giftedness (Clark, 2008). Schools, teachers, and educational researchers absolve any responsibility when confronting Black male students’ lower academic achievement by asserting that Black males do not value school. This stance is straightforward, and less problematic, than forcing schools, teachers, and academic researchers to question their teaching, their bias, America's racist history, Eurocentric curriculums, inequitable school resources, and plausible complicity towards the problem.
Nas’ songs also provide a nuanced view of his unfavorable perception of schooling. In the song, “Reason”, Nas (2004b) articulated: So, I would go to school and try to get good grades Teacher wrote mommy and kicked me outta school for havin’ braids So she cussed them, said ‘My son ain't no motherf*ckin’ hoodlum’ They judged us, thinking that we dumb ‘cause where we come from.
By analyzing his voice, Nas captures a particular racialized, class-based, and gendered experience frequently experienced by Black men in urban areas (Caton, 2012; Moore et al., 2016). His teachers’ attempt to punish Nas for his hairstyle is not an aberration. Macon (2014) explains that “hair” punishment routinely occurs with Black students in schools as it is often a proxy for race.
Nas also renders that the school thought he was inept because of where he resided, Queensbridge Housing Projects. His lyrics reflect his teacher's failure to understand the nature of the relationship between Nas and his home environment. Nas describes himself as a “young nervous wreck,” forced to confront the threat of police violence and the prevalence of drugs in public housing, while also trying to “go to school and get good grades” (One9 et al., 2014). Similar to Black hairstyles, language and dress are also are racialized and used to justify educational administration discipline measures (Macon, 2014). Nas (2004a) discusses his expulsion from school on the song, “Bridging the Gap” stating: Old school, new school, no (know) school rules All these years I been voicin’ my blues I’m an artist from the start, Hip-Hop guided my heart Graffiti on the wall, coulda ended in Spoffard, juvenile delinquent But Pops gave me the right type’a tools to think with Books to read, like X and stuff Cause the schools said the kids had dyslexia In art class I was a compulsive sketcher of Teachers in my homeroom, I drew pics to mess them up Cause none’a them would like my style Read more books than the curriculum profile Said, “Mr. Jones please come get your child Cause he's writin’ mad poems and his verses are wild”
While addressing the possible pitfalls of jail or prison on a personal, micro level, Nas also critiques macro level social structures such as the school to prison pipeline. Although Nas paints a grim picture by pointing out possible problems and pitfalls, he also provides solutions. Nas explains that his father gave him the proper instruments to think with and guide him – referring to Malcom X's autobiography and other books providing an Afrocentric perspective of Black strength, dignity, and collective resistance. Nas conveys that this intellectual base, differing from Eurocentric norms, resulted in him reading more than the delegated curriculum. Yet, his intellectual endeavors were not academically endorsed and he felt pushed out of school.
Freire (2000) explained that when schools do not reflect or address the lived realities of their students, they are failing them. Loewen (2008) suggested that books and public school curriculum often espouse Eurocentric ideals and narratives that simultaneously devalue and denigrate minoritized communities. According to Shujaa (1994), Black students need to be exposed to Afrocentric academic perspectives in literature and curriculum, which adds a racial critique that Freire and Loewen lack. In his song, “Ni**er,” Nas (2008) addresses the lack of Afrocentricity in the curriculum: They say we N-I double G-E-R, we are Much more, still we choose to ignore The obvious, man this history don't acknowledge us We were scholars long before colleges
Nas explains that American history commonly dismisses Black perspectives and Black history. Schools offer flat narratives and problematic curriculum pertaining to Black people that revolves around slavery, Martin Luther King, and a superficial Civil Rights curriculum (Alridge, 2006; Johnson & Nicol, 2020). For Nas, depending on schools to educate Black students on their own history would be unwise. His father (One9 et al., 2014) discloses his perspective regarding Nas’ schooling experience, stating: So, I found an assistant principal and a math teacher and they told me. They say your kids don't belong here. This will destroy them; they don't care…They were old enough then; they were men to me because (I was) at their age 13/14 years old. I said I’ll tell you what you do. Go work. Make some money; this is America. Quit school if you want to save your own life. Develop your craft or whatever you wanna do, and I’ll back you. They smiled. I got calls from my mother, my sisters, everybody. How dare you?! How could you do it?! I wouldn't have felt right, the rest of my life, if I let them stay in that school and keep being beat down and the teachers not really having any love for the kids and stuff like that.
Nas’ father continued to describe schooling as a dreadful experience. As advised by Ladson-Billings (1998), CRT's aspect of Black voice is “required for a deep understanding of the educational system” (p. 14). His attitude sought to counter what Love (2016) refers to as the spirit murdering taking place in schools – “the denial of inclusion, protection, safety, nurturance, and acceptance because of fixed, yet fluid and moldable, structures of racism” (p. 2). He not only believed that schools didn't prepare Black boys for professional success but educational institutions were complicit in their miseducation. We discovered that Nas cherished learning, continuously encouraged the next generation of students to take school seriously, and provided financial assistance to educational endeavors (Connley, 2014; Nas, 2002), so his stance is seemingly contradictory. Nonetheless, we ascertained that he valued education, but his critique focused on how policies, practices, and school culture must be altered to engage, support, and cultivate the minds of Black youth.
The Power of Black-Centered History and Epistemologies
History is a compass that people use to find themselves on the map of human geography. History tells a people where they have been, what they have been, where they are and what they are. Most importantly, history tells a people where they still must go, what they still must be. The relationship of history to a people is the same as the mother to her child.
—John Henrike Clarke (Bourne, 1996)
Renowned scholar, Clarke proclaimed that history serves as a guidepost which is a stance that Nas also embodies. Nas’ educational journey and song lyrics provide a blueprint to engage Black youth and cultivate an environment conducive to learning. Through analyzing songs and documentaries, Nas’ propensity for learning was evident despite educational barriers. Accordingly, Nas found Black-centered philosophies more relevant, rewarding, and inspirational. Nas (2002) epitomizes this penchant in his song titled “I Can,” expressing: Baby, ‘fore (before) we came to this country we were kings and queens Never porch monkeys, there was empires and Africa called Kush Timbuktu where every race came to get books To learn from Black teachers who taught Greeks and Romans Asian, Arabs and gave them gold When gold was converted to money it all changed Money then became empowerment for Europeans The Persian military invaded They heard about the gold, the teachings and everything sacred Africa was almost robbed naked, slavery was money So they began makin’ slave ships Egypt was the place that Alexander the Great went He was shocked at the mountains with Black faces Shot up their nose to impose what basically Still goes on today you see If the truth is told the youth can grow They’ll learn to survive until they gain control Nobody says you have to be gangstas, hoes Read more, learn more, change the globe.
Nas employs music to historicize and contextualize Black history. In this song, he does not begin with common instructional patterns of Black history beginning at slavery. Instead, he starts with African history and civilizations from “Kush to Timbuktu.” He implores Black youth to educate themselves from an Afrocentric perspective. His omission of “schooling” is intentional. Considering his negative experiences, Nas, reminiscent of Dewey (1923) makes a clear distinction between schooling and education, positing the benefits of self-education as justification.
During his life, he has always educated himself, Jabari (One9 et al., 2014), Nas’ brother, explains: My father had a library in the crib (house)… he had a wall unit. All kinds of books… Everything from the Book of the Dead, Egyptian books about King Tut, Psychology of the Modern Man, Malcolm X, Sun Tzu, History of Chinese Philosophy, They Came Before Columbus by Ivan Van Sertima, Aesop‘s Fables, Afrocentricity, From Superman to Man by JA Rogers, Bible, Proverbs, Trials and Tribulation of Ghetto Life.
Nas’ father (One9 et al., 2014) reinforced Jabari's assertions, stating, “I found that (the books) helped them a lot.” Jabari continued, “My pop had been all over the world in the Navy and traveling through his music. So, he had a lotta stories to tell us about outside the block and America.” These books challenged the ever-present Eurocentric epistemologies and historiographies present in Nas’ schooling.
Nas calls for an African/ Black centered perspective in order for Black youth to build confidence, acquire history, validate lived experiences, and as King (2019) asserted enjoy a history through the lens of Black folk rather than solely about Black folk. His ultimate goal is to help Black youth understand and navigate the world in which they live. In an open letter celebrating the accomplishments of Black musical artists, Nas speaks to the intersection of Black music, culture, and education. Nas (2018) penned: …I was raised to understand that every month was Black History Month. That every day, my ancestors, contemporaries and everyday dreamers like myself can, shall, and continue to make history.
He continued: Our music has been a relentless advocate for our story, which plays a crucial role in the American narrative: Red, White and blues, baby. I would realize—through the education I received from my parents and my own travels—that Robert Johnson, Louis Armstrong, Sarah Vaughan and Slick Rick were one in the same. Native storytellers who shined a light on our purpose, preserved our legacy and, without question, rocked the house.
Once again, Nas returns to the concept of Black history and the cultural contributions of the Black community. His political leanings echo that of Jeff Donaldson, a prominent Black Arts Movement artist, who believed one's craft should serve the Black struggle for liberation, and Black artists could not afford the luxury of art for art's sake (Neal, 1968). Data stemming from song lyrics, documentaries, and an open letter illuminate Nas’ scholastic aptitude however, as CRT suggests, it principally speaks to the chasm existing between Black male students’ scripted academic capabilities and educational institutions’ (in)abilities to properly serve all students.
Recommendations
Collectively, the three themes generated in this study substantiate and extend previous studies regarding Black male scholastic perspectives and experiences on schooling (Carter, 2008; Howard, 2013b; Noguera, 2008; Paige & Witty, 2009). In conformity with this study's use of CRT as a framework and considering the perspectives and insights of Nas, we offer four recommendations to address the problematic relationship between schooling and Black male students.
Recruit and Support Black Male Teachers
We encourage school administration to actively pursue and support Black male teachers. While racial-matching doesn't ensure academic success (Brown, 2012; Gay, 2018) numerous studies have highlighted the value of Black male teachers (Brockenbrough, 2015; Lindsay & Hart, 2017; Milner, 2006). Tafari (2018) highlighted how Nas through his music emphasizes the importance and adopts the social and educational concept of otherfathering – “Black men challeng[ing] dominant perspectives by mentoring and providing guidance” (p.798) in a harsh American society. Ultimately, we believe students of all races, but in particular, Black students and Black male students benefit by having Black male teachers, as it increases the possible formation of Black educational spaces (Warren & Coles, 2020) – where schooling assists in healing from and resisting antiblackness. We reject the prevalent idea of the Black male teacher carrying the “disciplinarian burden,” while his intellectual contributions are seen as ancillary (Brown, 2012; Pabon, 2016). The two-percent of Black males in the teaching force should rise in urgency and numbers.
Addressing Teacher Bias
We believe the overrepresentation in special education and school discipline as well as the underrepresentation in gifted and talented, AP, and Honors courses of Black males is largely due to teacher bias. Oftentimes, students are initially placed in special education by teacher recommendations. As demonstrated throughout this paper, teacher's labels can be incorrect, mistaking Black cultural and social behaviors for learning and behavioral disabilities (Ponder, 2016; Porter, 1997; Tutwiler, 2015). Nas’ educational trajectory was substantially altered by the suggestion that he be placed in a special education class. We encourage school districts to emphasize trainings and development specifically geared towards humanizing and culturally relevant curricula as well as pedagogies. These trainings, curricula, and pedagogies will enable educators to rethink how cultural capital can be valued and utilized in urban educational settings (Goldenberg, 2014).
Supporting Parental Participation and Advocacy
False metanarratives of Black parental apathy continue to permeate educational discourse. Yet, as this study and other research (Bolgatz, et al., 2020; McGee & Spencer, 2015) illustrate, Black parents are keenly aware of educational inequities, to the point where Nas’ father supported him leaving school to seek employment. Black parents’ agency and determination to navigate and counter racist educational practices and policies warrants not mere recognition, but support. It is crucial for schools to acknowledge Black parents and guardians as valuable contributors to the educative process and undertake methods to access their often ignored social and human capital.
Curricular Incorporation
Black-centered art, science, sport, literature, mathematic, and historical contributions need to be privileged and integrated into the curriculum. Black folk have a unique and nuanced history within the United States, yet K–12 instruction frequently provides superficial accounts repeatedly marked by subjugation. Certainly, forms of oppression have and continue to be rampant, yet so has Black resilience, agency, and contributions towards society. Nas’ upbringing was bolstered by Black-centered epistemologies that sustained him despite the challenges faced with the school system…so imagine if they were incorporated within curriculum and pedagogy. Without these perspectives, Black students receive an inadequate and incomplete education – denying the cultivation of Black historical consciousness (King, 2019) needed in a world constantly attempting to erase ones’ presence and significance.
Limitations
This study does not ensure nor promote transferability to all Black male students. However, the experience of Black males being relegated to low performing tracks is not limited to Nasir Jones or Black youth from the Queensbridge Housing Projects. Our findings mirror data that states Black boys who are intellectually gifted are disproportionately placed in lower tracks and underserved (Grissom & Redding, 2015).
Conclusion
This study leaned heavily on the use of counter-stories and voice to grant a more nuanced and balanced account of Black male student lived experiences pertaining to intelligence. By examining how race impacts the schooling of Black males through the perspective of Nas, our findings illustrate several key points. This study suggests that hip-hop is a prominent convergence of expressions and experiences – even addressing educational issues. What standard curriculum stifles, hip-hop sophisticatedly and provocatively affords – courageous voices revealing the underbelly of American “meritocracy.” Bell (1995) proposed that a characteristic of CRT is “the unapologetic use of creativity” (p. 899) which is embedded into the fabric of hip-hop. As seen with Nas, hip-hop artists may enact parrhesia – a verbal activity expressing one's commitment to truth-telling amid vulnerable and dangerous circumstances (Foucault, 1983). Critical thinking is not monopolized by researchers, scholars, and pundits. We see that hip-hop artists also exercise valuable sociocultural and educational critique. Hip-hop, properly situated, acts as a site to help dispel entrenched and deficit-oriented narratives.
Another key strength of this study is how it exhibits a rationale for exercising Black intellectual thought (Grant et al., 2015) – frameworks and practices offering educational perspectives traditionally neglected. Similar to notions advanced by Black intellectual thought, Nas and his family realized that cultural information was more than educational knowledge, but it could also help build a new psychology and worldview involving political consciousness (Grant et al., 2015). Positing “Black,” “male,” and “intellectual” together remains incompatible for some, yet we shed epistemic colonization (Gordon, 2006) – White theorizing and legitimization of Black experiences, to acknowledge and properly serve Black male potential and educational needs. Indeed, Nas and his works were worthy of investigation, but more importantly our research suggests that his acumen is representative of the Black community rather than its exception. It is our aim that this study helps to ignite and reinforce the scholarly identities and potential of all Black male students.
Footnotes
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Funding
The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
