Student Answer Booklet

ELA Grade 7: Hip Hop

Reading Comprehension Task

Read the following excerpts related to Hip Hop. Use the provided graphic
organizer to take notes on each excerpt and organize your thoughts for the
written response.
The Prompt: Read the excerpts from 3 different authors below. Please write
a short response (approximately 250 words) in which you
A. Choose one of the three authors presented (McWhorter, Gary
the G-Man, or Brown)
B. Summarize the position they take regarding hip hops effect on
youth development
C. Explain why you either agree or disagree with the authors
position. Provide at least two well-thought out reasons. Back up your
reasons with specific evidence from the texts and from your personal
experience.

Excerpts:
Hip hop music is often blamed for being a negative influence on the behavior
of young adults particularly in urban areas. Here is a sample of the kinds of
concerns that people have:
Excerpt 1: A journalist describes being in a KFC in Harlem and seeing 8
young men, rowdy, throwing food, and taunting the manager of the
restaurant.)
What struck me most, though, was how fully the boys music
hard-edged rap, preaching bone-deep dislike of authority
provided them with a continuing soundtrack to their antisocial
behavior. So completely was rap ingrained in their consciousness
that every so often, one or another of them would break into
cocky, expletive-laden rap lyrics, accompanied by the angular,
bellicose gestures typical of rap performance. A couple of his
buddies would then join him. Rap was a running decoration in
their conversation
Many writers and thinkers see a kind of informed political
engagement, even a revolutionary potential, in rap and hip-hop.
They couldnt be more wrong. By reinforcing the stereotypes that
long hindered blacks, and by teaching young blacks that a
thuggish adversarial stance is the properly authentic response
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Created by Dennie Wolf and NYC Teacher Design

SCALE, Dennie Wolf, New York City DOE, 2011

Student Answer Booklet

ELA Grade 7: Hip Hop

to a presumptively racist society, rap retards black success. -John McWhorter, City Journal, 2003: How Hip-Hop Holds Blacks
Back

Excerpt 2: A DJ and talent manager, Gary the G-man Toms shares his
views about how hip-hop affects young peoples education:
I can understand wanting (to use the example of hip-hop musicians) to
illustrate that anyone can have success in this country, at any age, but
the problem is that you run the risk of having every kid in America
pissing off (rejecting) education in effort to pursue entertainment gigs.
Not that these careers are necessarily bad or anything, but for each
success story there are 100 failures. That is not a good ratio. Moreover,
having these dangerous and degrading images thrust into kid's faces,
twenty-four hours a day, make them want to become that image. In
the process, they lose all perspective of who they are, what they really
need and want, and what they believe in. Some kids are educated
enough to separate the two worlds, thus allowing themselves to pursue
a positive path. Unfortunately, far too many minority kids are not
making the distinction, and they are falling into traps and filling our
jails to capacity.
Excerpt 3: A young journalist, Dominique Brown, spoke out about the
effects of hip-hop on young women. Here is an excerpt from the transcript of
what she had to say:
Rappers tend to tell their fans that its okay to call all young ladies,
sexually explicit names. Realistically its not okay and its not true. It
makes young women who have a low self-esteem and women who may
not have a mom or dad feel worse. Then theyre going to think its
okay for a boy or man to disrespect her, given the fact that all the
cool rappers call girls those names. It makes young ladies have a lack
of self-respect, and a loss of self worth. Not only does it affect our
young ladies, it also affects our young men. -- Commentary by
Dominique Brown on Youth Radio (adapted from original)

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Created by Dennie Wolf and NYC Teacher Design

SCALE, Dennie Wolf, New York City DOE, 2011

Student Answer Booklet

ELA Grade 7: Hip Hop

Graphic Organizer: Different Viewpoints about the Effects of Hip Hop

on Youth Culture
Author/Positio
n

Claim(s): Summarize the 1- 2

major points

What evidence is offered?

1)

2)

3)

Please write your responses in the provided answer booklet. Only responses
in the booklets will be scored.
Prompt: Please write a short response (approximately 250 words) in which
you
A. Choose one of the three authors presented (McWhorter, Gary
the G-Man, or Brown)
B. Summarize the position they take regarding hip hops effect on
youth development
C. Explain why you either agree or disagree with the authors
position. Provide at least two well-thought out reasons. Back up your
Page 3 of 5
Created by Dennie Wolf and NYC Teacher Design

SCALE, Dennie Wolf, New York City DOE, 2011

Student Answer Booklet

ELA Grade 7: Hip Hop

reasons with specific evidence from the texts and from your personal
experience.
As you write:
Be sure to address all parts of the prompt
Use specific evidence from the texts your have read
Think for yourself as you evaluate the authors claims
Use the conventions of standard written English
***STOP. DO NOT LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING PAGES UNTIL INSTRUCTED
BY YOUR TEACHER. ***

Writing Task
The Prompt:
Write a short (500 word essay) in which you take a clear position
on the effects of hip hop music on young peoples development.
In the next two sessions you will write an essay about the influences of hip
hop on young people. To do this:
1) Review the notes that you have taken in the past few class periods
2) Take some time to organize your thoughts and write down the major
points you want to make along with the evidence you want to use
3) Write a 500 word essay in which you:
Take a position on the effects of hip hop on young people
Use evidence drawn from the different readings to support their
position
Consider and respond to what others with different points of view have
to say
Conclude by summarizing their position in a way that invites their
readers to think in new ways about the issues
No matter what position you take, it is important to:

State clearly where you stand

Back up your position with claims and evidence
Consider why people might disagree with you (make counterclaims)
and defend your position against their objections
Use the conventions of standard written English, and vocabulary
relevant to the topic

Your teacher and other readers will score your essay based on how well you:
Page 4 of 5
Created by Dennie Wolf and NYC Teacher Design

SCALE, Dennie Wolf, New York City DOE, 2011

Student Answer Booklet

ELA Grade 7: Hip Hop

State your position clearly and fully.

Make specific claim(s) or point(s) that support your position.
Develop your claim(s) using your own ideas and evidence (such as
data, quotes, and observations).
Cite, analyze, and connect the evidence to your argument.
Address claims or viewpoints that differ from your position or
argument.
Write a conclusion that summarizes your argument and helps your
readers to think (for instance, what future implications or
consequences might be affects of hip hop?)
Organize your essay clearly using words, phrases, transitions, and
clauses to show how the parts of your argument are related.
Use a formal style and objective tone.
Use the conventions of standard written English and
vocabulary relevant to the topic.

Preparing to Write: Think about the following questions:

What is your position?

What is the best evidence from the texts to support your position?
What might people who disagree with you claim or question about
your claims?

You will have two sessions to complete your final essay.

Please write your responses in the provided answer booklet. Only responses
in the booklets will be scored.

Page 5 of 5
Created by Dennie Wolf and NYC Teacher Design

SCALE, Dennie Wolf, New York City DOE, 2011