Our students at Oakland Charter Academy (OCA) started class last week with this worksheet:
What they didn't expect was that the rap artist on their worksheet was going to walk into the classroom!
We arranged for Oakland Hip-Hop legend, Mistah F.A.B to make a surprise visit to our students at Oakland Charter Academy. F.A.B. began writing poetry at a young age to grapple with the difficult circumstances of his childhood. In high school, he turned his poetry into rap lyrics, and eventually into a successful career as a rap artist.
F.A.B. talked to the kids about the power of writing, about the importance of believing in themselves and of going for their dreams. He said, "Anything I want to do in this life, pen and paper is gonna get it for me."
Some students shared their writing out loud and experienced the impact that their words had on their peers and on F.A.B. We were all moved by their honesty and willingness to be heard.
F.A.B. invited the students to give him a list of words that he then incorporated into a freestyle rap (using the words in exactly the order the kids wrote them)!
Smile when you hear your word!
