As Hip Hop further entrenches itself in the academy, its use in the classroom is becoming more prevalent. SBL’s Academic and Social Coordinator, Tesfai Mengesha has been a part of the process of developing a Hip Hop Curriculum, in the role of a writer. The Hip Hop Curriculum has been developed through a partnership with the Toronto District School Board, Educational Attainment West, and the Toronto Hip Hop community.

On November 4, 2013 members of the project presented elements of the curriculum to an eager group of York University teacher candidates. The curriculum provides students with the opportunity to bring their lived experiences into the classroom to make the lessons meaningful through their analysis of various media forms. The lessons explore and critically examined schools, communities, economic structures, homophobia, race, class and gender norms.