He was influenced by a number of artists like Common, Akbar (who was born and raised in the Bronx) and GQ the Teacher (who moved to Chicago by way of Belize and New York). Growing up on the Southside in the Englewood neighbourhood, Singleton was deeply influenced by conscious emcees of the 90s – including Rakim and KRS-One. The music, the lyrics and the culture of hip hop were a way for the Chicago-born man to think and talk about the violent, unpredictable life of his hometown.Īnd now, graduating with a Master of Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) this spring, Singleton is using love of hip hop to give back: to build a language arts, history and leadership development curriculum around the artform. I think you can't have art without activism,” says Marcus Singleton (photo by Marianne Lau).
“I always say that artistry and activism go hand in hand. ‘It’s bigger than hip hop’: OISE student Marcus Singleton channels the spirit of hip hop into his classroom
