Jay-Z’s Advocacy for Alternative Schooling and Education: More Than Just a Rapper

Jay-Z is a rapper, entrepreneur, and all-around badass. He’s got hits like “99 Problems,” “Empire State of Mind,” and “Hard Knock Life.” But did you know that he’s also an advocate for alternative schooling and education? That’s right. Jay-Z has been a vocal supporter of programs that help kids learn outside of traditional classrooms.

One program that Jay-Z supports is the Shawn Carter Foundation, which provides scholarships to students who have faced adversity in their lives. The foundation helps kids from low-income families go to college and pursue their dreams. Jay-Z himself grew up in poverty in Brooklyn, so he knows firsthand how important it is to have access to education.

Another program that Jay-Z supports is the Hip-Hop Summit Youth Council, which works with young people to promote literacy, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship. The council uses hip-hop culture as a tool for teaching kids about these important topics.

Jay-Z has also spoken out against the school-to-prison pipeline, which disproportionately affects black and brown children. He believes that schools should be places where kids can learn and grow, not institutions that funnel them into the criminal justice system.

In addition to his advocacy work, Jay-Z has also invested in education-related businesses. He co-founded Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment at Long Island University in 2020. The school offers undergraduate degrees in music performance; music technology; entrepreneurship and production; sports management; communications; media studies; liberal arts (with majors including psychology); social justice; applied mathematics/statistics/computer science/engineering (STEM); accounting/finance/economics/business analytics/marketing/management/sports law/new media/digital marketing/fashion management/music journalism/art direction/creative writing/screenwriting/playwriting/film scoring/theatre studies/culture criticism/museum curatorial studies/graphic design/web development/video production/virtual reality development/game design/data visualization/project management/public relations/social media and more.

So, if you’re a fan of Jay-Z’s music, take a moment to appreciate his dedication to alternative schooling and education. He’s using his platform to make a difference in the lives of young people, and that’s something we can all get behind.