The (Bigger Than) Hip Hop Project envisions a time when hip-hop, as a widely accepted form of expression, can further society by empowering youth and revolutionizing the way we view education, equality, and empowerment. Many youth in various communities lack the "Why Not" factor--the factor that comes into play with various social issues: Why not get pregnant; why not be violent; why not drop out,
etc. In addition to that, our communities often lack the benefits of community organization, community beautification from within, and intergenerational learning. Simultaneously, many people view hip hop as a detrimental entity in society, instead of something with the ability to heal, empower, and further society. (Bigger Than) Hip Hop Project links youth often deemed underprivileged, underserved, disadvantaged with a culture whose umbrella they were raised under or around and can therefore identify easily with. We do this by providing workshops teaching and fostering growth in four of the elements of hip hop: deejaying, emceeing, breakdancing, and graffiti art. These workshops, facilitated wherever youth are--in schools, at homeless shelters, in youth detention centers--are led by pioneers of hip hop, artists living with hip hop as a career, up and coming hip hop artists, and people with a passion for hip hop as a tool of social empowerment. By teaching the elements of hip hop, we give students a "Why not," give students a reason to feel better about themselves, and teach soft skills, such as patience, perseverance, improvisation, and courage, in a fun environment. Our vision: Hip hop, fueled by love, creativity, unity, and motivation, has the power to change facets of our existence that we would not initially imagine.
