Rhyming
Into Rap and Hip-Hop
Created by Franco Morrone
A web page dedicated to children’s literature, music, and other
resources pertaining to Rhyme, Rap, and Hip-Hop.
As children grow they learn and develop language. Rhyme and Rhythm are at the heart of any language and hence are vitally important to the progress of language within children. Soon, this progress will lead children to music and thus Rap and Hip-Hop.
Rhyme, Rap, and Hip-Hop are not just mediums of expressing oneself. These mediums are what children grow up with and it is what they connect to. Rhyme, Rap, and Hip-Hop are tools which should and can be used by teachers, parents, and enthusiasts to relate to and educate children. Rhyme, Rap and Hip-Hop can be used to teach Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies and almost any other subject area. The following is an annotated list of helpful resources.
Children's Picture Books
Parker,
Vic. Bearobics: A Hip-Hop Counting Story. Puffin, 1999.
A funny counting book, where a shaggy bear turns on his boom box and
things start to happen. First come two kangaroos, then three gorillas,
then the whole forest is dancing to Bearobics. The text is told in
a hip-hip beat that is very catchy and uses alliteration and onomatopoeia.
Uses cartoon style illustrations with bright colors. Ages
3-8.
Shaheed,
Omar. Hip Hop Land. African American Images, 1997.
A full color book that is intended to give children and parents an idea
of what hip-hop is all about. African American culture and history
are celebrated in this book.
Smith,
Will. Just the Two of Us. Scholastic Books, 2001.
Actor and recording star Will Smith turns the lyrics of one of
the popular tracks from his 1998 BIG WILLIE STYLE album into a picture
book. The story of a father watching his son grow from a boy into a man with
joy, fear, and wonder. Illustrations are done with pencil and oil paint.
Kellog,
Steven. A-Hunting We Will Go!. Morrow Junior Books, 1998.
A modern version of this children's song, but jazzed up for bedtime such
as "A-reading we will go! Now to the bath we go! Now off to bed we go!" The
kids don't want to go to bed and their parents have to chase them on an
adventure around their room. Along the way, they find a moose and
a goose who "are on the loose," spot a "weasel at the easel," "tickle a giraffe
and make him laugh," and meet other assorted animals, originally seen as
toys in their room. "Moose gets tubbed," "Goose gets scrubbed," and llamas
are put in pajamas, as everyone prepares for bed. An author's note
comments on the history and variations of the song.
Raffi.
Down by the Bay. Troubadour Learning, 1988.
Raffi put his songs in picture book format. His silly lyrics are added
to wacky and cheerful illustrations. Wescott's scraggly lines and bright,
clear colors humorously portray the busy children, jolly animals, and frantic
mothers that populate the song. The final two-page spread includes all of
the characters, some visible through the house windows, and watermelon
vines galore. Music, with melody lines, is included.
Aylesworth,
Jim. Old Black Fly. Henry Holt, 1992.
Aylesworth's rhymes has old black fly buzzing' around and through an
alphabetical list of groceries on a very/busy bad day. "He frolicked on
the Eggs/for the birthday cake./He licked up the Frosting,/ for goodness
sake./Shoo fly!/Shoo fly!/Shooo." In the end the Old Black Fly meets his
fate -- when the baby drops the cake. Gammell's jumpy illustrations are
full of color and really make the book great.
Aylesworth,
Jim. One Crow: A Counting Rhyme. J.B. Lippincott, 1988.
This book is great for teaching counting, rhyming words, seasons of the
year, and precise, exciting verbs. I love the pictures of the children and
animals set in the country on a farm and the contrast of seasons in the illustrations.
A day on the farm is described as animals are counted in groups. Then
the seasons change and so do the animals.
Aylesworth,
Jim. My Son John. Henry Holt, 1994.
This old nursery rhyme is made new with fourteen new verses added by
Aylesworth in the pattern of the original, and a whole new set of characters.
Traditional
Literature
Vozar,
David. M.C. Turtle and the Hip Hop Hare. Doubleday Books
for Young Readers, 1995.
A rap version of Aesop's "The Tortoise and the Hare." The hare
is "cool" and dresses in baggy shorts and a T-shirt. M.C. turtle (the initials
stand for "mostly crawling") crawls always singing his rap, "I go as I go/It's
all that I know/I know I am slow/But I go as I go." M.C. cannot take
any more of Hip Hop Hare's "dissing," and challenges him to a race. Hip
Hop gets distracted along the way and ends up losing the race. Cartoon
style illustrations bring the text to life. Ages 4-8.
Nikola-Lisa,
W. Shake dem Halloween Bones. Houghton Mifflin, 1997.
A rhythmic tale about different fairy tale characters who attend
a hip-hop Halloween ball. It's Halloween night. The city is quiet.
The city is still. But as the lights go down, the music comes up - and the
guests start to arrive at the hip-hop Halloween ball! And oh, what a party
it is. Told in hip-hop rhyming text, Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks,
Tom Thumb, and all of their fairy-tale friends come together for a rapping,
stomping, shaking Halloween romp.
Chapter Books
Okimoto,
Jean Davies. Talent Night. Scholastic, 1995.
About a seventeen-year-old, Rodney, who wants to become a famous Japanese
American rap musician, and tries out for the school talent show. He
is also trying to win the heart of a very popular girl, Ivy. In the
process her learns about his heritage and his future.
Informational
Books
Lommell,
Cookie. The History of Rap Music. Chelsea House Pub.,
2001.
Cookie Lommell's History Of Rap Music will appeal to ages 10 and older
with its fine survey of the rap music genre's origins and evolution. Chapters
cover early promoters, the rising success and popularity of rap, and the
empires which evolved from the musicians' success.
Music
Nilsson, Genie and Troy Nilsson. Hip Hop Hymns. Briar Street, 2002.
A good way to get your kids to listen to hymns is to introduce them to "Hip Hop Hymns for Kids." These totally cool versions of the hymns of the church are sure to make kids listen to the powerful message of these timeless songs of faith...and have fun doing it. Features: Amazing Grace, Joyful, Joyful, Jesus Loves Me, All Hail The Power, Oh, How I Love Jesus, Count Your Blessings, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms and more.
Biographies
Walsh,
Kimberly. Hangin' with Lil' Romeo. Scholastic Books, 2002.
This picture and info-filled scrapbook goes behind the scenes and
into the private world of today's youngest, hottest hip-hop star. Meet Lil¹
Romeo's family, including superstar dad, Master P, check out his crib, see
how he writes, sings, and performs, and sit next to him at school.
Johns,
Michael-Anne. Hangin' With Lil Bow Wow. Scholastic
Books, 2002.
A nicely developed scrapbook. Packed with over 75 photos and hundreds
of facts, this biography takes readers and fans of the 14-year-old hip-hopper
behind the concert scenes, onto the basketball court, into his house, and
onto his video shoots.
McCann, Michelle Roehm and Jerry McCann. Girls Who Rocked
the World 2. Gareth Stevens, 2000.
Girls Who Rocked the World 2 provides more stories of amazing girls from
the past to modern times who had the courage to make history. These girls
made history before they were in their twenties and include such notables
as Harriet Tubman, Golda Meir, and the modern singer Charlotte Church. The
biographies are lively and revealing.
Professional
Resources
Caudel Melisa, and Trey Hebert. Dinosaur Rap. Rock
N Learn, 1997.
This is a very fun, complete, and up-to-date program on dinosaurs. It
combines rap songs with facts about the dinosaurs, and is great for educational
use. A full-color book with illustrations of more than fifty dinosaurs
is also included.
Westbrook, Alonzo. Hip Hoptionary: The dictionary of hip-hop
terminology. Harlem Moon, 2002.
This book is a useful source of definitions for contemporary urban
slang. It also contains plenty of old-fashioned words and phrases that
predate hip-hop culture by decades. Some examples of the latter include "ego-trippin,"
"grapevine," "cancer sticks," and "wallflowers." For readers who are unfamiliar
with hip-hop icons and artists, this book provides quick and convenient
biographical sketches in alphabetical order of singers, rappers, and others.
Light,
Alan. The Vibe History of Hip Hop. Three Rivers Press,
1999.
This book discusses through personal narrative and stories the cultural
revolution of Hip Hop. The full story of its grassroots cultural movement,
from its origins on the streets of the Bronx to its explosion as an international
phenomenon. It includes over two hundred photos and a review of the
hip-hop world.
Internet
Resources
USCD Hip Hop .Org
http://acs.ucsd.edu/~hiphop/
The goals of this organization are: 1) Explore the elements of hip hop
culture. 2) Learn the history. 3) Share hip hop culture with UCSD community
and San Diego community. 4) Use club as an outlet for students to express
creativity. 5) Offer a truly diverse club.
Holy Hip Hop
http://www.holyhiphop.com/
A Christian organization. Their mission is to "take the Gospel to the
streets."
Urban Think Tank Institute
http://www.urbanthinktank.org/content.cfm
Urban
Think Tank Institute is a nonpartisan, community-based home for a body
of thinkers in the Hip Hop generation. It is the first organization that
analyzes and frames political, economic and cultural issues, particularly
those of concern to people of color, from the perspective of the Hip Hop
generation. Urban Think Tank, Inc. uses a multi-media strategy to encourage
an open dialogue on subject matters and to influence public policy changes.
Hip Hop Directory
http://www.hiphop-directory.com/
The original hip-hop directory. Many links to
web pages.