School of Hip Hop
hip-hop as a framework for academic learning
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels visited the Bronx School of Hip Hop as part of their tour of New York City schools. Photo courtesy of Michael Appleton / Mayoral Photography Office.
The Bronx School of Hip Hop opened on September 10 at 1600 Webster Avenue in Claremont, welcoming its first ninth-grade class of about 100 people.
NEW YORK CITY | TMN Editorial
The school is part of New York City Public Schools’ District 9 and will grow one grade at a time until it serves grades nine through 12. Jason Reyes, a Bronx native and former middle-school principal, is the founding principal.
The school uses the five elements of hip-hop—emceeing, DJing, graffiti, breaking and knowledge of self—as a framework across the curriculum. English language arts, mathematics, science, history, civics, technology and art remain part of the school day. Hip-hop provides material, references and methods through which those subjects are taught.
“People tend to hear the word ‘hip-hop’ and automatically associate it with music,” Reyes told Epicenter NYC before the opening. “We use it as a lens through which we examine literature, math, science, civics, history, technology and art.”
In English classes, students can study lyrics, storytelling and rhetorical devices alongside novels and other texts. In mathematics, DJing and beat production can be used to examine ratios, sequencing and patterns. The school also plans to offer work in audio production, digital media, graphic design, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, business law and contracts.
The focus includes the jobs surrounding music and media: sound engineers, producers, visual designers, editors, managers, marketers and lawyers. Reyes has described the school’s goal as preparing “hip-hop scholar entrepreneurs,” with portfolios and practical experience alongside academic work.
The building has been designed around the school’s subject matter. Artwork and references to Lauryn Hill, The Notorious B.I.G., JAY-Z and Nas appear throughout its halls. A sign outside reads, “Hip-Hop is Home.”
Opening day included a live DJ, a block party and open-mic performances. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels visited as part of a citywide tour of schools. Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson also attended, alongside Melle Mel and Fat Joe.
On the same day, Gibson announced a $350,000 allocation for mobile media carts equipped with cameras, microscopes, laptops, tablets and other technology. The funding is intended to support the school’s work across media production, creative practice and academic learning.
Hip-hop began in the Bronx in the 1970s and developed into a global cultural industry. The Bronx School of Hip Hop brings that history into a public-school setting, with courses that address music, media, business and the systems behind creative work.
The school is beginning with ninth grade this year. A new incoming class will be added each year until the school reaches full 9–12 capacity.
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