Harvard’s first rap thesis links Chaucer, Obama
This is one in a series of profiles showcasing some of Harvard’s stellar graduates. As a boy growing up in Atlanta, Obasi Shaw ’17 listened exclusively to Christian rap, a little-known genre that features songs of faith and salvation with positive messages and clean lyrics. Then, about two years ago, Shaw listened to Kendrick Lamar and Chance the Rapper, mainstream rappers who have achieved popular and critical success with poignant songs about the contemporary struggles of blacks in America. And over time, Shaw has grown to admire both men’s artistry and their willingness to delve into “questions of race, religion, and black identity” — admiration that found its way into Shaw’s senior thesis. Senior English concentrators at Harvard often submit screenplays, memoirs, novels, a collection of poems or short stories for their creative writing thesis. Shaw wrote a rap album. It is the first rap album ever submitted as a senior thesis in the...