ABSTRACT
If schools are a microcosm of American society, then schools have an obligation to enculturate students as participants in a democracy. A democracy depends on the ability of people to work together toward a humane and purposeful life for all citizens. The first indication of a democratic classroom involves the role of the teacher and the student. Second, music making is central to the learning process and is characterized by thinking critically and creatively about musical choices. Third, there is a general sense of well-being among the students. Fourth, the teacher and students continually engage in community building. Finally, music teachers recognizes that teaching is inherently a political act and strives to contemporize their teaching by relating instruction to the social climate in which students live. “Hip hop music, no matter how widely accepted in the mainstream,” states Bakari Kitwana “isn’t entertainment alone; it’s a voice of the voiceless.”.
