Hip hop culture's OGs: a narrative inquiry into the intersection of hip hop culture, black males and their schooling experiences

Abstract

Using a critical race lens, this narrative study employs a focus group design to explore the intersections between black males, hip hop culture and schooling experiences. To provide a sociocultural grounding, this study first reviews the research literature around hip hop culture's sociocultural development and its impact as a culture force that contributes to both dominant narratives and counter narratives around black male students in the hip hop generation. This overarching purpose of the research study is to explore the ways that black males' engagement with hip hop culture might inform liberatory educational outcomes. Using the composite counterstorytelling methodology, this research study synthesizes the participants' experiences and perspectives around the intersections black masculinity, schooling and hip hop culture. Finally, as it relates to schooling and school leadership, this research outlines the possible implications and recommendations that emerge from the findings. One of the primary implications of this research is that it can inform culturally responsive and antiracist pedagogies that lead to increased self and community agency for boys of color.