GZA just picked himself up a new gig at New York's Park East High School, and it's not president of the chess club. In an unexpected move (though not quite as outrageous as Gucci at career day), the Wu-Tang emcee has been helping out with the school's science program, in which they have chosen to implement a curriculum that uses hip hop to teach students.
"The people who most embrace hip-hop culture are the same populations who are most disinterested in school and disinterested in science," said Dr. Chris Emdin of Columbia University's Teachers College. Emdin created the pilot program that uses hip hop as an educational tool in ten of New York City's public schools.
As a means to further engage minority students, Edmin teamed with GZA for the project. The Liquid Swords rapper dropped out of school in the tenth grade, but has expressed a lifelong interest in science that he wants to share with students, saying, "The goal is just to awaken the children, make them more aware and embrace science and everything connected to it."
Students are also reacting well to the program, as fourteen year old Ryan Rivera explains, "You are looking at the rhymes and there is something hidden in there, that you find and it helps you learn."
Watch interviews with Emdin and GZA, as well as footage of the program in action below.