AlumKnights Magazine
From The Mic To The Podium
May 2019
Chenjerai Kumanyika, a former hip hop artist turned professor, now uses education to teach and inspire.
By Tyler Brown
Mosaic of Philadelphia Credit: Tyler Brown
“My mama always said, life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get” - Forrest Gump. I contemplated using a variety of iconic maxims and quotes to describe the timeline and outcome of this story. Ultimately, I chose the words of Forrest Gump. For an entire week, his simple, yet profound statement rang true. Hoping to secure an in-person interview with Rutgers Assistant Professor, Chenjerai Kumanyika, I spent days engaging in unsuccessful email correspondence. If you didn’t know, Professor Kumanyika, is an anomaly. Before pursuing a career in academia, Professor Kumanyika, also known as Hypno, was a renowned hip hop artist in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. As a member of The Spooks, a Philadelphia based rap group, he toured the United States and Europe performing at various venues and events. After selling more than a million copies of the classic album, S.I.O.S.O.S. Volume One, the group went Gold 30
in the United Kingdom. As a devout hip hop fan, I was interested in talking music. As a curious college student, I wanted to discuss the correlation between hip hop and education. However, with spring break approaching, imminent deadlines near, and no interview in sight, numerous scheduling conflicts arose and I almost pulled the plug on the story. On a Thursday night, I received an email from Professor Kumanyika’s assistant informing me about his availability on Friday. Initially, the timing seemed perfect. I prematurely assumed he’d be on campus, but he was far from it. If I wanted to interview him, I was told I had to travel to Philadelphia, which is two hours away. Plus, I would only have one hour to speak with him at Uncle Bobbie’s Bookstore. Unprepared, I jotted down a few questions and notes, responded back, and agreed to make the trip. I explained the unfolding situation to my mother and
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