June 19, 2015
Rapper Bun B Teaches Religion and Hip-Hop Course at Rice University
Rapper Bun B is the latest hip-hop genius to expand his resume beyond music and into the classroom.
With more than 20 years of industry experience in the music business, the Texas native is now setting out to make an impact in the academic world with the teaching of a course at Rice University titled “Religious Studies 331: Religion and Hip-Hop Culture.”
“The whole point of me as a Hip-Hop artist and a representative of the Hip-Hop community teaching this course, was to inspire people that Hip-Hop doesn’t have to be confined within the conditions that we know it to be confined,” the rapper tells MTV. “I feel like being able to teach at a college university is a perfect example of showing how Hip-Hop can influence the minds of the next generation.”
Since the start of the semester earlier this year, Bun B’s class has doubled in size to 250 students. The rapper, who is noted as a “Distinguised Lecturer” teaches the course alongside professor Anthony Pinn.
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The course, which was already in existence at Rice University, was created in association with The Houston Enriches Rice Education Project (The H.E.R.E Project). With the goal to educate students beyond just an average Hip-Hop 101 course, the online class will critically examine the intersection of religion and music.
“In this class, it gives them an opportunity to ask questions and go towards a deeper level of introspection with this not just being a Hip-Hop course but a religion in Hip-Hop course and being based out of the Humanities and Religious Studies Department,” explained the UGK rapper. “So it’s really asking real questions about people. It’s not just playing music and showing videos and stuff like that. We’re having a real dialogue and we’re showing how Hip-Hop as a culture addresses the real questions in people’s lives and how that relates to one’s spiritual or religious quest in life.”
To learn more about the six week online course visit news.rice.edu.