WASHINGTON — America is seeing a new side of Michelle Obama, this time as rap artist.
The first lady and “Saturday Night Live” actor Jay Pharoah rhyme on a new video to encourage students to “go to college” and “fill your head with knowledge.”
She also sings a brief solo about her Chicago hometown, with body movements and facial expressions like professional rappers.
The video is part of Mrs. Obama’s new “Better Make Room” campaign to provide teens with the resources they need to pursue higher education.
The campaign is part of a broader initiative by the first lady to encourage students to continue their education after high school.
The comedy website College Humor released the brief video Thursday.
By Sara Lehn Sara Lehn teaches at Roslyn High School in Roslyn, New York
I ask students a simple question: what song represents this character the
way your “anthem” represents you? There is no wrong answer to this
question, but a thoughtful response requires careful character study and
exploration of textual evidence.Students need
to consider questions such as:
What does this
character want?
What matters most
to this character?
What emotions does
this character most prominently feel?
What are the most
significant personality traits that the character exhibits?
These questions can instigate a thoughtful and deep exploration of
characterization within the text. Students may also decide that more than
one song choice is necessary, as characters frequently change and develop from
one moment to the next.
For example, my seniors are currently reading Hamlet, and we have discussed the ways that Hamlet’s character develops over the
course of the play. We have considered his anger, disgust, and revulsion at the
beginning of the play and his struggle with self-hatred and the condemnation of
his own cowardice in the middle.
As we move towards Act 5 we’ll be asking questions about whether he is able
to find self-acceptance or peace before his death. Once we have a clear picture
of the character, I can ask students to seek out specific musical choices that
reflect these qualities and the development of emotion throughout the play.
These plays have so many possible interpretations that choices could go
in many directions, but, as with anything, the key is to use specific
textual evidence to support your claims. I am always intrigued to see what
suggestions are made for various points in the character’s development.
Some choices that have struck me in the past include:
“Californication”
by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, which, with disillusioned lyrics like,
“Space may be the final frontier / but it’s made in a Hollywood basement”
makes an interesting comparison to, “‘Seems,’ madam? Nay,
it is. I know not ‘seems’” (Hamlet 1.2.79)
“Call Me When You’re
Sober” by Evanescence, as a pairing for Hamlet’s immense loneliness and
struggle to find someone he can trust. I can see him locked in his room
with this song playing after he confronts Ophelia in Act , 3, Scene 1,
wailing out the chorus of “Don’t cry to me, if you loved me/ You would be
here with me / You want me, come find me / Make up your mind.”
“Leave Out All the
Rest” by Linkin Park, which, with lyrics like “When my time comes / Forget
the wrong that I’ve done / Help me leave behind some / Reasons to be
missed / Keep me in your memory / Leave out all the rest” creates an
interesting parallel to Hamlet’s desire for peace and forgiveness at the
end of the play.
Ultimately, students must use the textual evidence they find in the play to
support their song choices. Students might compare particular quotations
spoken by or about the character to specific lyrics from the song, or explain
how certain elements in the music connect back to a central emotion the
character exhibits.
