Hip-hop poetry and the classics for the classroom : connecting our classic curriculum to hip-hop poetry through standards-based language arts instruction

Hip-Hop's literary and artistic merits are evident when compared to classic poetry and it's easy to link the great poets of the past to the contemporary Hip Hop poets of today: compare Robert Frost to Public Enemy, Shakespeare to Eminem, and Shelley to the Notorious B.I.G. This interactive workbook-style format is fun for teachers and students, as it illuminates the art of the written word with in-depth analysis of poetic literary devices, writing activities, and other innovative methods. Fans of Hip-Hop can gain a deeper understanding of the bridges that link the great poets of the past to contemporary poets of today through a comparison of the writings of "classic" authors such as Robert Frost, Shakespeare, Rudyard Kipling, Edgar Allen Poe and Langston Hughes with those of Hip-Hop artists such as Tupac Shakur, Public Enemy, Mos Def, Eminem, KRS One, and Notorious B.I.G. This text includes in-depth analysis of all poetic literary devices, writing activities, critical thinking prompts and a host of user-friendly material to deepen one's own skills and understanding. Designed to be the pre-eminent source for novices and skilled professionals alike, Hip-Hop Poetry & The Classics illuminates the art of the written word in a unique and accessible manner which appeals to fans across the globe Fans of Hip-Hop can gain a deeper understanding of the bridges that link the great poets of the past to contemporary poets of today through a comparison of the writings of classic authors such as Robert Frost, Shakespeare, Rudyard Kipling, Edgar Allen Poe and Langston Hughes with those of Hip-Hop artists such as Tupac Shakur, Public Enemy, Mos Def, Eminem, KRS One, and Notorious B.I.G. This text includes in-depth analysis of all poetic literary devices, writing activities, critical thinking prompts and a host of user-friendly material to deepen one s own skills and understanding. Designed to be the pre-eminent source for novices and skilled professionals alike, Hip-Hop Poetry The Classics illuminates the art of the written word in a unique and accessible manner which appeals to fans across the globe. "Our goal is to make the academic study of poetry accessible, relevant, comprehensible and enjoyable to students in our contemporary, multicultural classrooms." "Our methodology is to analyze the poetry of Hip-Hop and compare its motifs, themes, and general poetic devices (such as alliteration, rhyme scheme, figurative language, etc. ...) to the "classic" poems traditionally studied (by writers such as Frost, Dickinson, Keats, etc. ...) in order to teach the core elements of the poetic craft in an appealing, relevant, thorough and accessible manner." --Book Jacket

"Our goal is to make the academic study of poetry accessible, relevant, comprehensible and enjoyable to students in our contemporary, multicultural classrooms." Our methodology is to analyze the poetry of Hip-Hop and compare its motifs, themes, and general poetic devices (such as alliteration, rhyme scheme, figurative language, etc. ...) to the "classic" poems traditionally studied (by writers such as Frost, Dickinson, Keats, etc. ...) in order to teach the core elements of the poetic craft in an appealing, relevant, thorough and accessible manner.

Provides information and activities to help teachers connect the classroom poetry and language arts curriculum to hip-hop