Teachin’ Niggas: The challenges of the multi-ethnic hip hop phenomenon in the classroom

Teachin’ Niggas is the no-holds-barred narrative from a public secondary school teacher in urban America. Contending that niggas are multi-ethnic young people fueled by the hip hop culture, author/educator Wesley D. Carter recounts the complete apathy for traditional education and the challenges this ever-growing population presents to both schools and society. The book explores the characteristics observed in students who define themselves as niggas , delineating their culture from the language they use, the materialistic dreams they aspire to achieve, the music and social media that motivates their behavior, and the pitfalls that the world presents to this generation trying to find its voice. Teachin’ Niggas reveals the frustration of the secondary educator refusing to legitimize the controversial term nigga, while acknowledging the word’s transformation from racist origins to an identifying and cultural phenomenon embraced by millions of all colors, genders, and socio-economic strata.