brooklyn based company creates educational hip hop songs videos additional materials students grades founded company takes approach teaching vocabulary united_states history math science subjects integrating content recorded raps website features videos lesson plans activities assessments company emphasized outreach schools business decisions schools use products classroom praised rapper historian company products generally received press project criticized perceived cultural politically charged material song lyrics history conceived idea high school inspired hip hop artists like tribe called quest harrison wanted combine easy hip hop lyrics educational content harrison graduated degree english moved san_francisco met music graduate harrison shared idea demo recording songs combined total sat words months songs available free streaming soon afterward harrison set website published books distributed sell book borders stores hip hop approach sold copies year publication reprinted times went promotional tour concerts schools early began self publishing products harrison raised family friends began visiting schools education conferences sell products entered contest businesses won social value award participating collaborative business advice program columbia students decided stop self publishing returned raised investors hired sales representatives september line products released called word teaching standardized test vocabulary word proved successful helped double annual revenue release shakespeare featured musical lyrical contributions number hip hop artists including 9th wonder harrison created week rap weekly series songs covered current events including presidential election results annual revenue says access products priority saying wanted reach kids families weren buying books according social responsibility core value company let overshadowed revenue goals trying affordable possible unfortunately schools money aren necessarily schools need trying work government organizations charities schools need non profitable social projects included charitable donations outreach schools september use postponed teachers voiced concern lyrics program lyrics song old dead white men drew complaints referring founding fathers united_states dead white males term criticize perceived emphasis contributions historical european males lyrics compare policy indian removal responded materials meant students engaged promote discussion company replaced song site said educated quick scheme historical context accuracy said independent studies demonstrate rapping social studies educational rapping sex particularly noted saw song let freedom ring june raised million note company produced educational rap videos reception notes catchy songs hook students way textbooks reporter wall_street_journal visited classrooms remarked grade teachers asked questions videos vocabulary problem wasn getting children raise hands reporter writes lesson supplement gets job memory tool comments like youtube academics west endorsed reported use increased sat scores principle said school verify extent didn influence study conducted states president demonstrated improvement reading writing skills middle schools students studied proficiency increased percent expressed support company products new_york_times says example web sites ways teach sat words high school students november reporter called video credit cards financial literacy series direct clear catchy common sense media notes best qualities songs sound like real rap songs embarrassing obviously educational purposes backing beats samples catchy memorable videos contain fun combo stock footage original animation week rap current news clips book hip hop praising similar programs incorporating hip hop american schools argues culturally refers methods gimmick similarly book anthology rap supports shakespeare effective entertaining tool author said failed rap distinct poetic tradition
Flocabulary