The Role of Gangs and Hip-Hop
Lesson 3: Gangs and Revolution
Objectives:
- To critically analyze the role of gangs in politics and social change.
Materials:
- Projector
- Lap-top
- Internet access
Procedure
Videos & Discussions
Video 1: "Bastards of the party", Part 1: (documentary)Play video (9:25 min).
Video 2: "Bastards of the Party", Part 2: (documentary)Play video (10:01 min).
Discussion Questions:
- What is a gang?
- Are the police a gang?
- What role did racism play in the formation of the first gangs in L.A? (The police, Government, White gangs)
Video 3:"Bastards of the Party", Part 3: (documentary)
Play video (10:02 min).
Discussion Questions:
- Do you consider the "Black panthers" a gang? (some members were former gang members)
- What did the black panthers do for there community?
- Do you think gangs can be productive or positive?
- Do you think that "the powers that be" (Government, police, justice system) conspired to keep any black leadership or leader from rising? (e.g. 2pac, Bob Marley , Malcolm x, Martin Luther King .)
- If so why or why not? (What about Barrack Obama?)
- Is there enough or any positive black leadership hear in Canada or in your community?
Video 4:"Bastards of the Party", Part 6: (documentary)
Play video (10:01 min).
Discussion Questions:
- What was the reason for the formation of the Bloods and Crips?
- Why do you think they became gangs instead of revolutionary groups like the black panthers?
- Do you think the media is responsible for the spread of fear of gangs like Bloods and Crips or any other so called gang in Toronto?
Question & Answer (Informal Evaluation)
Time for learners to ask questions, give comments and feedback about anything they found interesting from the workshop.
Lesson 4: Gangs in the Media
Objectives:
- To observe the ways that the media sensationalizes gangs.
Materials:
- Projector
- Lap-top
- Internet access
- Handouts of lyrics for songs: Ice-T - "Colors", The Game - "One Blood", and Ice Cube - "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It"
Procedure
Videos & Discussions
Video 1: "Guns 'n Gangs": (CBC news documentary)Play video (5:06 min).
Debrief and discuss the video with the group.
Play video (2:39 min).
Debrief and discuss the video with the group.
Play video (9:56 min).
Debrief and discuss the video with the group.
Play video (9:58 min).
Debrief and discuss the video with the group.
Play video (9:58 min).
Debrief and discuss the video with the group.
Handout: Ice-T - "Colors" (lyrics)
Play video (3:42 min).
Debrief and discuss the video with the group.
Handout: The Game - "One Blood" (lyrics)
Play video (4.46 min).
Debrief and discuss the video with the group.
Handout: Ice Cube - "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It" (lyrics)
Play video (9:58 min).
Debrief and discuss the video with the group.
Question & Answer (Informal Evaluation)
Time for participants to ask questions, give comments and feedback about anything they found interesting from the workshop.
Lesson 5: The Role of Gangs in Hip-Hop History
Objectives:
- To explore the role that gangs have played in the history and formation of Hip-Hop.
Materials:
- Projector
- Lap-top
- Internet access
Procedure
Videos & Discussions
Video 1: "The beginning of the Zulu Nation": (documentary)Play video (4:19 min).
Debrief and discuss the video with the group.
Play video (3:12 min).
Debrief and discuss the video with the group.
Gang Mentality (Large Group Activity)
Goal: To help group get the idea of how easy it is to get caught up in certain risky lifestyles.
Directions:
- Ask everyone in the group to give you a shoe or something that will symbolize something important to them.
- Tell everyone that to get this item back they need to give you something else or do something for you that you want i.e. money, muscle.
- Slowly go through the group and see what they will do.
- Do not let anyone give you the same thing someone else did.
- Let this activity start discussion how easy it was to get people caught up, how not giving in can be hard but important.
- If you don't take something from everyone some people will offer to join in this can also start a good discussion around the popularity that supposedly exists within this "Lifestyle" and peoples need to belong to things even if its negative.
Question & Answer (Informal Evaluation)
Time for participants to ask questions, give comments and feedback about anything they found interesting from the workshop.
