Over the past few years, artists like Bun B, Jim Jones and J. Rawls have helped bridge Hip Hop and education with their respective teaching gigs. Now, it looks like the advances Hip Hop has made in the educational realm have taken a blow, as a candidate for a position on the Atlanta school board came under fire for his affiliation with Houston duo UGK.
AllHipHop recently reported that Byron Amos lost his support from an influential teachers union as a candidate for the school board due to his connection to the Underground Kingz. After learning that Amos served as Vice President for Pimp C’s UGK Records and appeared in a number of the group’s music videos, the Atlanta Federation of Teachers pulled their support for him in his bid for a position on the Atlanta school board.
“For him to actually want to run for the board and say that he cares about children, when what he’s doing is using this music to do the worst for our children,” Shawnna Hayes Tavarez, president of Southwest Northwest Atlanta Parents and Partners for Schools. “It’s like robbing them and killing them. It’s like cheating for them.”
Despite Tavarez’s complaint, Amos has been active in the educational community for a number of years. The President of the Atlanta Federation of Teachers Verdaillia Turner spoke to Amos’s credibility and his extensive experience in the education.
“Mr. Amos stood out as the only candidate with children in Atlanta Public Schools. He’s been very actively engaged,” she explained.
Amos has yet to respond to the attacks on his past work with UGK or loss of his support from the union. DX will keep you updated as more information on the situation comes to light.
You really want such ignorant folk teaching our chiluns?
I think the ignorant ones are those who don’t understand Hip Hop, but constantly criticize it because it has purposely been portrayed as a negative thing in society.
I do not want anyone who says “chiluns” teaching my children!
“It’s like robbing them and killing them”….really?
who this bitch think she is? hoe shut the fuck up. the man was vice president of a record label that was pretty big for a little bit. yeah being a former entrepenuer is such a bad thing right? it aint like he wrote UGKs songs, n even if he did who gives a fuck.
What was he doing in those videos?
Why not?
MAKING A LIVING SUPPORTING HIS FRIENDS AND FAMILY COME ON DUDE GET RIGHT
(shaking my head)
Gatdamn our people are just the epitome of stupidity.
If this man is the best qualified and display ongoing and active concern and assistance for the kids, then….
I won’t even finish the sentence. This bitch and the rest of the union is just dumb.
Yet they didn’t mention Bun B’s current teaching position at RICE University. I think its amazing how there is a double standard with music and movies. Arnold played the Terminator and is now Govenor. Denzel played an American Gangster but yet was allowed to speak to students at U. Penn (which was amazing btw). However UGK is looked down upon for their music?
Im not saying all the music is positive/negative but if you are going to criticize, why not even the playing field and mention various aspects that influence and “cheat for them” which includes music, movies, daily life, etc.
“It’s like robbing them and killing them. It’s like cheating for them”…..Really, and you’re supposed to be a teacher? Maybe you should stop lying to students and actually teach them REAL history such as the genocide of the Native Americans, African Americans, prejudice against Jews, etc. Not that b.s. such as pilgrims eating side by side with the Natives for Thanksgiving. #AmericanEdumacation
REAL TALK!!!!!!!
Couldn’t say it any fuckin better
THE MAN WAS TRYING TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE KIDS AND THEY BASH HIM FOR IT BECAUSE HE WAS AFFILIATED WITH A RAP GROUP BUT IF IT WAS A ROCK GROUP OR SOME ACTOR I BET IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT THIS HAPPENS WAY TO MUCH
Hypocrits raising Hypocrits, no surprise.
WHAT?Oh cmon man this is complete bullshit
Bitch stop acting as if your a fucking saint, smh teachers think they ware GOD all of a sudden.
typo are
So goddamn ignorant…this is UGK, not Brick Squad.
The same teachers union in Atlanta that got caught CHEATING their students and passing them onto the next grade (when they were clearly failing) have the nerve to do this shit?! So ignorant. I swear adults are worse than kids. When we all grow up and become this age (late 30s – early 40s), just remember that everybody is constantly growing and evolving. Your past doesn’t make your future. Come on y’all…fucking ridiculous
“For him to actually want to run for the board and say that he cares about children, when what he’s doing is using this music to do the worst for our children,” Shawnna Hayes Tavarez, president of Southwest Northwest Atlanta Parents and Partners for Schools. “It’s like robbing them and killing them. It’s like cheating for them.”…. the rap community does a better job raising kids then any teacher i have ever seen, hear of, or been around…. for those who think other wise, i challenge you to find someone who has more to teach you then someone who has seen it, rather then read it out a book, which is what teacher know a days do… lazy fucks! i bet most people on that board are Christians or of some religion, how there the most ignorant people to walk the face of the earth.
I feel that, but c’mon, UGk wasn’t about educating these fools, they were enabling them with the ig’nant trill shit they spit, I don’t care what anyone one thinks, Bun B is NO ROLE MODEL. Just because a rapper teaching a class at a university, don’t mean he’s qualified. It just shows how stupid america really is. Jus Sayin Fam.
PEACE
And it’s not christians, it’s liars and theives using the label “Christian” to push they’re agenda and demonize us. Catholics and TRUE christians are not the same dog. Chill with that.
Goddamn u ain’t from the hood..we def believe in god over here bro..
SO ROCK ARTIST AND ACTORS HAVE THE RIGHT TO BECOME POLITICIANS AND TEACHERS BUT NOT RAPPERS OR BUSINESS MEN IN THE INDUSTRY ITS NOT LIKE THERE GO IN CLASSROOMS AND TALK ABOUT PIMPIN HOES OR SELLING DOPE YOU MIGHT NEED TO GO SIT IN ON ONE BUNS CLASS AND GET SOME KNOWLEDGE BEFORE YOU SPEAK AND BYRON AMOS WAS PUTTING HIS TIME AND MONEY INTO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO HELP THE EDUCTION OF KIDS IN ATLANTA BUT GOT SPAT ON BY SOME IGNORANT TEACHERS IT DRIVES ME CRAZY HOW PEOPLE CAN BE SO STUPID
Not saying rappers can’t become “bigger”, but not for nothing, Alot of these rappers trying to pull stunts like this don’t give a fuck. But ya’ll wold hate if KRS or Chuck D was running for mayor or city counsel, Claimin they too old, Your logoc makes no sense and I can see you only listen to whats hot on the surface… remember what your boy Ross said, It’s deeper than rap.
Meanwhile…Bun B goes back to teaching at college…
If u think all UGK rap about is being trill u really dont listen 2 UGK.
Pretty funny that Shawnna Hayes Tavarez was arrested a month before this artcile came out. http://mugshots.com/US-Counties/Georgia/DeKalb-County-GA/Shawnna-Hayes-Tavares.5200754.html