The lesson will start with students splitting up into groups and analyzing the song as a whole for 10 minutes. They will annotate for things that they found essential to the main message of the song while also discussing in groups the following questions:

  • What sticks to you about what Kendrick is saying in the song? Any lines specifically?
  • What do you find confusing about what Kendrick is saying? Any lines specifically?

After a brief discussion, they will be shown the song’s music video and independently analyze what the video is showing in relation to the lyrics being rapped by Kendrick, being aware of the connections that are being made. The class will then discuss things that stuck out to them in the video and other notes they made during their observations. This will then lead to the students being split into groups based on the following men that are shown in the video:

  • OJ Simpson
  • Ye
  • Jussie Smollett
  • Will Smith
  • Kobe Bryant
  • Nipsey Hussle

The students in each group will answer the following set of questions based on the person to whom they were assigned:

  • Who is your person? (Include their name, where they were from, and what they were most known for)
  • Why do you think Kendrick Lamar included this person’s face in the video?
  • What are some similarities in this person’s perspective of life versus Kendrick Lamar’s perspective of life? (Use the lyrics and the evidence to support your claims)
  • What are some differences in this person’s perspective of life versus Kendrick Lamar’s perspective of life? (Use the lyrics and the evidence to support your claims)

This will lead to each group sharing out their responses to the questions and allowing each group to learn about each individual from the song’s video.

The lesson will utilize the following tenets from David Stovall’s article “WE CAN RELATE: Hip-Hop Culture, Critical Pedagogy, and the Secondary Classroom”:

  • “Students whose educational, economic, social, political, and cultural futures are most tenuous are helped to become intellectual leaders in the classroom” (Stovall 588).

The lesson pushes students to consider the various concepts presented in the song and think about the ways that it’s vastly in connection to what’s occurring within today’s society. Additionally, these critical understandings will guide students to consider the significance of this message in various forms, such as music and art.

  1. “Students’ real-life experiences are legitimized as they become part of the official curriculum” (Stovall 588).

Many students may have a better understanding of the concepts in comparison to other students. With this, the lesson will allow students to share their understanding of the various concepts with their peers and further cultivate a classroom of learners.

  1. “Teachers and students participate in a broad conception of literacy that incorporates both literature and oratory” (Stovall 588).

The lesson is a blend of many different ways of engagement, from watching a music video to collaborating with peers. This will push students to understand the concepts presented in various manners, and this will continue to make students think about the different perspectives presented to them to a greater extent.

  1. “Teachers are cognizant of themselves as political beings” (Stovall 588). 

The lesson is tied to many concepts related to politics. Thus, it’s crucial for anyone teaching this lesson to be knowledgeable about the various circumstances that each person in the video has faced, while also understanding the greater importance of the role that they serve within the song.

The lesson, as a whole, is heavily related to the ideas of critical pedagogy. As Gloria Ladson-Billings explained in her article “Just What is Critical Race Theory and What’s It Doing in a Nice Field Like Education?”, critical race theory allows students to “analyze the myths, presuppositions, and received wisdoms that make up the common culture about race and invariably render blacks and other minorities one-down” (Ladson-Billings 11). As mentioned, the lesson functions as a way to critically think about the messages and ideologies that are being expressed within the song while looking through the lenses of the experiences and perspectives of different Black men. This deep analysis drives students to further the way they think about many issues that are prevalent within American society, such as racism and gun violence. Furthermore, James A. Banks explains in his article “Approaches to Multicultural Reform” how a multicultural curriculum aims to “reflect, validate, and celebrate the cultures of students of color” (Banks 260). This lesson will create an environment for students to express their ideas and perspectives on particular topics, which will create a classroom space of inclusivity and welcomeness. This will also give students the chance to celebrate one another for their own thoughts on topics in an engaging and interactive manner.