Lupe Fiasco to teach rap at Johns Hopkins’ Peabody Institute
NAPA, CALIFORNIA - MAY 27: Lupe Fiasco performs on Day 2 of BottleRock Napa Valley Music Festival at Napa Valley Expo on May 27, 2023 in Napa, California. (Photo by Steve Jennings/WireImage)
What we know
Grammy Award-winning rapper Lupe Fiasco is taking his talents to Johns Hopkins University’s Peabody Institute, joining the faculty as a distinguished visiting professor in the fall of 2025.
He will teach rap as part of the institute’s groundbreaking new Bachelor of Music in Hip-Hop, the first performance degree of its kind in the United States.
In an announcement shared on Instagram, Fiasco, 42, expressed his enthusiasm for the role.
"I’m honored to contribute to this legacy doing what I love most, Rap," he wrote, adding that he will continue teaching at MIT and pursuing his fellowship at Yale while working at Peabody.
The innovative four-year hip-hop degree program, designed by award-winning composer and producer Wendel Patrick, blends rigorous performance training with Peabody’s Breakthrough Curriculum, which develops business and career skills. Students will also explore hip-hop’s cultural history, its sociopolitical roots, and its evolution as a global genre, according to the school's website.
Fiasco, known for his chart-topping albums and intricate lyricism, emphasized the focus of his courses in an interview with Johns Hopkins’ "The Hub."
"I don’t teach hip-hop," he told the school's publication. "My classes are purely the techniques and skill sets involved with rap. That requires an understanding of the canon from different eras, different rappers, and different styles in addition to your own."
The program follows a conservatory model, where students engage in one-on-one instruction tailored to their major. Aspiring rappers will learn directly from seasoned emcees like Fiasco, while turntable majors will study with professional deejays.
Fiasco’s role will extend beyond teaching.
He's expected to host public masterclasses, consult on the program’s development, and contribute to the broader Peabody community.
Applications for the Bachelor of Music in Hip-Hop are now open, with classes set to begin in fall 2025.
Check out Lupe's Instagram post below: