For anyone pursuing their dreams in the music industry, you now have a new professor to learn from! Lupe Fiasco dominated the rap game for years, but it seems he’s now ready to take everything he’s learned from the industry and give back to the next generation.
The Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University announced it’s launching the first-ever Bachelor of Music in Hip-Hop program, and Lupe, who’s real name is Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, is officially joining the teaching staff as a distinguished visiting professor.
The Hip-Hop program at Johns Hopkins was designed by award-winning composer and producer Wendel Patrick. The four-year program recognizes the cultural history of Hip-Hop while also promising students an immersive experience to prepare them for the real world through learning business techniques and more, according to the school’s website.
“There’s something special about the academic space and creativity,” Lupe said in an interview with The Hub, Johns Hopkins’ news source. “Having a scholastic framework around a creative practice gives some kind of standards to it while also giving students a safe place to explore.”
The Chicago rapper will be teaching a full course dedicated strictly to rap, but he made it very clear his classes will not be about Hip-Hop as an entire genre. Instead, the rapper said he plans to hone in on his passion for rap music and its history with his college course.
“My classes are purely the techniques and skill sets involved with rap. But that requires you having an understanding of the canon from different eras, different rappers, different styles in addition to your own style as you develop it in the course,” he continued to The Hub. “So [my lessons] will include some of that, but they’ll also include some of the things I’ve learned in the business and just being in the craft.”
In his new role, Lupe will also host public master classes, teach one-on-one classes, consult on the Hip-Hop program’s development, and contribute to the greater Peabody community, according to the Institute.
If you’ve been keeping up with Lupe, then you know Johns Hopkins isn’t the first time the rapper has put on his teaching cap. Previously, the Chicago native made headlines when he joined MIT’s staff as a MLK Visiting Professor. He is also a current Saybrook Associate Fellow at Yale University, according to the website.
The difference now is with Lupe joining the Johns Hopkins family, he becomes the first rapper to be a university professor... ever! Don’t worry, Lupe said he plans to continue his previous endeavors in academia in addition to teaching at Johns Hopkins. On Instagram he said “I’ll continue my teaching at @mit and pursuing my fellowship at @yale while advancing Rap studies and practice into the upper echelons of higher education at large.”
Applications for the Bachelor of Music in Hip-Hop are now open! Classes set to start in fall 2025.