The Grammy-winning rapper and lyrical juggernaut Lupe Fiasco is to make history with his appointment as the first ever rapper to take up a professorship at Johns Hopkins University. The star of Food & Liquor and The Cool will be joining the faculty at Peabody Institute’s Bachelor of Music in Hip-Hop-a first-ever degree program from any school in the US-starting Fall 2025. This turns out to be a monumental marriage of artistry and academia, meeting at hip-hop’s core cultural significance.
From his breakout anthem “Kick, Push” to the narrative brilliance of The Cool, Lupe Fiasco, born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, has always been a visionary. Time and time again, Lupe has proved he is more than just a rapper but a storyteller, a thinker, and a cultural critic. His music runs the gamut from topics dealing with social issues, such as systemic oppression, to personal introspection that has earned him a place among hip-hop’s most intellectual and socially conscious artists.
Now, Lupe is taking his ethos to the classroom. As a new Distinguished Visiting Professor, he’ll be teaching the techniques and skills of rap-a cornerstone of the Peabody Institute’s innovative curriculum. Picture this: studying flow, rhythm, and lyrical construction from the man who wrote “The Show Goes On” and “Daydreamin’.
Lupe’s appointment isn’t just a win for him it’s a win for hip-hop in general. His involvement in academia legitimizes hip-hop as a scholarly field, proving that the genre is as worthy of study as any classical art form. With the Peabody program’s mission to explore hip-hop’s artistry, history, and sociopolitical roots, Lupe’s lyrical depth and cultural insight make him the perfect fit.
In a social media post announcing his role, Lupe expressed his gratitude:
“I’m honored to contribute to this legacy doing what I love most, Rap.”
His focus will be on rap techniques, offering students a chance to learn directly from a legend while exploring the genre’s evolution and influence.
This is not the first time Lupe has dabbled in academia. He’s previously taught at MIT as an MLK Visiting Professor, where his course “Rap Theory and Practice” delved into the mechanics of rap as both art and science. He also founded the Society of Spoken Art to mentor new lyricists in language and verbose creative expression. For years, Lupe has been molding hip-hop onto intellectualism, through to his move to Johns Hopkins being a natural progression.
The Bachelor of Music in Hip-Hop promises to revolutionize music education as it is designed by renowned composer and producer Wendel Patrick. Apart from private lessons in rapping, turntablism, and production, students will be taken through courses that place hip-hop within its cultural and historical context. Public performances and masterclasses will complete the curriculum so that graduates leave ready to flourish as both artists and professionals.
Under Lupe’s tutelage, this program will usher in a new generation of MCs and scholars alike, for whom hip-hop is as much a genre as a transformational cultural force. His presence at Johns Hopkins serves as an invitation to any would-be rappers out there-the craft matters, and the classroom is where you do the most innovative combat.
For anyone who has followed Lupe’s rise from the underground in Chicago to the Grammy stages, this move is just another example of how he has always pushed the envelope. Whether through his music, mentorship, or now as a professor, Lupe keeps proving that hip-hop has no limits.
With Lupe Fiasco stepping into this historic role, one thing is for sure: he’s not just teaching the game-he’s elevating it. And if you’re a hip-hop fan, being a part of the culture has never been cooler.
