The Knowledge Cypher: Hip-Hop, Pedagogy, and Inclusive Excellence
About this Event
The Knowledge Cypher Summit: Hip-Hop, Pedagogy, and Inclusive Excellence is an interdisciplinary summit that mobilizes hip-hop as a community-engaged framework for knowledge production, bringing together students, educators, cultural practitioners, and community members to advance belonging, transform pedagogy, and reimagine institutional life.
On Thursday, November 19, meet us at the Broad Art Museum for our launch party. The evening will come alive with conversation, a collaborative community art installation, live DJ sets, dancing, interactive networking, and opportunities to view the exhibit — transforming the Broad Art Museum into a vibrant gathering space where ideas are exchanged, collaborations begin, and community takes center stage. A keynote will be provided by University of South Carolina scholar, hip-hop artist, and producer Dr. Jabari Evans.
On Friday, November 20, 4-7 pm at the MSU FCU Headquarters, registered participants will explore how hip-hop can inspire new approaches to curriculum development, hip-hop feminism, and partnership-building while creating meaningful connections between Michigan State University and the communities it serves. Tailored to pre-service educators, K-12 teachers, faculty, and all who have an appreciation for hip-hop culture. This day is all about hip-hop pedagogy. Sessions will be led by local artists and community scholars. Registered participants will be provided with a full agenda one week before the event. Food will be provided, and SCEHEs may be earned.
Continue celebrating with us on Saturday, November 21, at 7 pm by meeting at WKAR Studios for The Showcase: Beats, Voices & Visions. This night will culminate in an immersive, high-energy production that merges performance, scholarship, storytelling, and community celebration. Designed as both a cultural event and a living demonstration of hip-hop pedagogy, the showcase highlights hip-hop as a site of knowledge production, creative resistance, healing, and collective expression.
Presented in partnership with , the showcase draws inspiration from the live-audience experience celebrating authentic storytelling, artistic excellence, and deep community connection.
Day 1, November 19
🕑: 06:30 PM - 08:30 PM
Opening the Cypher: Community, Culture & Connection
Info: Join us for an unforgettable evening where art, scholarship, music, and community converge to launch The Knowledge Cypher Summit: Hip-Hop, Pedagogy, and Inclusive Excellence. This dynamic pre-summit celebration invites community members to explore the transformative power of hip-hop as a catalyst for creativity, learning, and social change. The evening will feature a special welcome from the Broad Art Museum, followed by a keynote from University of South Carolina scholar and hip-hop artist Dr. Jabari Evans.
Guests will enjoy opportunities to experience museum exhibitions, contribute to a collaborative community art installation, and connect with artists, scholars, students, and community partners.
Day 2, November 20
🕑: 04:00 PM - 07:00 PM
Hip-Hop as Method: Teaching, Research, and Institutional Transformation
Info: Check-in, Welcome and Flow of the Day (4:00-4:10 PM)
Collaborative Learning in Motion/ Sampling the Syllabus: Remixing Curriculum Through Hip-Hop (4:15-5:00 PM)
10-min Break
Hip-Hop Feminism, (5:05-5:50 PM)
Community Roundtable: Remixing the Institution: Scaling Hip-Hop Pedagogy and Community Partnerships at MSU (6:00-6:45 PM)
Day 3, November 21
🕑: 07:00 PM
The Showcase
Info: The Showcase: Beats, Voices & Visions serves as the culminating public experience of The Knowledge Cypher summit—an immersive, high-energy production that merges performance, scholarship, storytelling, and community celebration. Designed as both a cultural event and a living demonstration of hip-hop pedagogy, the showcase highlights hip-hop as a site of knowledge production, creative resistance, healing, and collective expression.
Presented in partnership with WKAR’s Streetlight Sessions, the showcase draws inspiration from the live-audience experience, celebrating authentic storytelling, artistic excellence, and deep community connection. Blending concert-quality production with the participatory traditions of the hip-hop cypher, the evening brings together artists, DJs, scholars, and cultural leaders in a dynamic exchange of creativity and knowledge.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00
