"They School"

When we discussed "They School" by Dead Prez in class today, it seemed to get a few people riled up. Basically, the duo talks about how the education system favors white people, and people in certain urban areas aren't taught what they need to know to survive, but instead are taught what "the man" wants them to know.

Although Dead Prez use some pretty vulgar language (par for the course for these guys), I think the song brings out some very interesting points, especially when compared to other rap songs that deal with the education system. They don't just complain about the system: they specify why it doesn't "relate" to them, and what life skills could be taught to make school more relevant (such as combating the drug problems in ghettos). Never do they say to simply dismiss education. In fact, throughout the song, they talk about the value of education, but only if education is done properly.

In so many other rap songs that deal with the education system, the message is simply that school is unimportant, and you can succeed in other ways. Kanye West, for example, brags about how he left school to chase his dreams, and it worked out for him. In the song "School Spirit" he even mentions how the person who graduated at the top of his class was a waiter at the Cheesecake Factory, while Kanye is making millions in the rap game. That's not the kind of message that should be sent through music. Encouraging people to give up on school in favor of chasing dreams that VERY rarely come to fruition is not the proper way to overcome a flawed education system. Not only that, but Kanye actually implies that success in school often leads to failure in the future (he's been critical of Valedictorians in many other songs, too). I actually have heard of many people who dropped out of school to focus on music, hoping for a record deal that never came. It's really a sad outcome, yet so many rappers talk about it like it's easy.

Other rappers do the same thing, but glorify an even more unrealistic alternative: drugs. Many Jay-Z songs talk about how he was a high school drop out and never needed school because he made enough money selling drugs until he became successful in music. Same goes for Immortal Technique. And although Jay will once in a while talk about how he doesn't condone selling drugs ("Like I told you 'sell drugs'... no, Hov did that, so hopefully you won't have to go through that") the fact is most people listening to Jay don't look at his example as a cautionary tale, but a rags-to-riches story that can be emulated.

I feel "They School" and "Juvenile Delinquentz" (by Terminator X) do the best job of actually critiquing the education system among rap songs. Instead of giving up on school, these songs mention that the system needs to be fixed. Education needs to be relatable to all students. And while I agree that "They School" makes it seem like Dead Prez is using white oppression as a scapegoat for the failures of many urban youths and might come off as a conspiracy theory, the reality is sometimes the deck is stacked against certain people. Personally, I believe the song "Juvenile Delinquentz" makes the same points, but in a more palatable manner. I like how at the end, after talking about how the school system isn't relatable to urban youths and mentioning topics that should be included in curricula, Terminator finishes by saying "we say 'f**k school', but we'll still get through." Students shouldn't be told to chase impossible dreams like Kanye, sell drugs like Immortal Technique, or have the same perspective of inevitable outcomes that Dead Prez have. In essence, Terminator admits that there are a lot of problems with the system, and it certainly needs to be fixed. But for the time being, it's possible to roll with the punches and make the most out of it.