Rap Is Art. So Why Do Some Academics Still Feel as if They Have to Defend It?

Jessica Pabón-Colón, an assistant professor at the State University of New York at New Paltz, does not want the events of last week to fade from memory. As a hip-hop scholar and a woman of color, and as an employee at the university, she feels that Gerald Benjamin’s comments last Tuesday are indicative of the academy’s lasting problems with the genre. When asked about the short-lived rap career of Antonio Delgado, the Democratic congressional candidate for New York’s 19th district, Benjamin said rap was not “real music” and did not represent the values of rural New York. Benjamin, who is

Paperboy

Paperboy is the stage name of Mitchell Charles Johnson (born October 2, 1969), an American rapper. He is best known for his single “Ditty” which charted on the Hot 100. Johnson was born in San Diego, California and later moved to Oakland. He is African-American. His associated acts were: R. Kelly, Eazy-E and Rhythum D. His most acclaimed album was his debut The Nine Yards in 1992, which was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album featured 10 tracks with G-Funk influenced production from Rhythum D, who was known for producing for artists on Ruthless