Nasir Jones is often mentioned in any conversation about the
greatest emcees of all time and his mark on the culture is permanently stamped
in history. The Queens, New York native is now helping to ensure that the study
of Hip Hop and its cultural value endures as well.
Nas teamed with the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute’s Henry
Louis Gates and Hip Hop Archive and Research Institute’s Marcyliena Morgan
to create the Nasir Jones Hip Hop Fellowship. The Harvard University program
provides opportunities for students to research and develop Hip Hop centered
projects like performance pieces, curriculum planning, and exhibition preparation.
From its earliest days Hip Hop has served as not just an outlet
of artistic expression but also as a vehicle to transport knowledge to its listeners.
While Nas never completed high school the exceptional lyricist recently spoke
with Rolling Stone about how Hip Hop was an early form of education for him.
“One thing that drew me to Hip Hop was the things Kurtis
Blow was saying, the things Melle Mel was saying,” shared Nas who also
revealed he had dreams of attending North Carolina State University. “I
would ask my folks, ‘What do Run-D.M.C. or Rakim mean by this?’”
The creator of classic rap albums like Illmatic and It Was Written
also talked about how Hip Hop and other forms of music shed a light on the thoughts
and feelings of young people.
“Hip Hop is important like computer science,” he
added. “The world is changing. If you want to understand the youth, listen
to the music. This is what’s happening right underneath your nose.”
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