What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to highlight the significance of the Nasir Jones Hiphop Fellowship and its contributions to hip hop studies over the past decade.

March 18, 2026Open Access

The Nasir Jones Hiphop Fellowship at Harvard University: A decade of building knowledge, 2014–24

Key Points

The aim is to highlight the significance of the Nasir Jones Hiphop Fellowship and its contributions to hip hop studies over the past decade.
Conducted interviews with former Nas fellows about their experiences and research
Gathered insights from Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. on the fellowship's impact
27 fellows have participated in the program since its inception
Fellows reported enriched academic experiences and contributions to hip hop scholarship
The fellowship has played a key role in legitimizing hip hop as a field of study

Abstract

The Nasir Jones Hiphop Fellowship at Harvard University was announced in 2013 and the inaugural fellows arrived at the Hiphop Archive and Research Institute (HARI) the next year. 1 Since then, 27 Nas fellows have passed though the programme, conducting research across a broad array of topics. This article features interviews with several of the former Nas fellows as they reflect on the importance of the fellowship for hip hop studies and on their general experiences at Harvard. Dr Henry Louis Gates Jr, the director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University, where HARI is housed, also offers his perspectives on the fellowship and its impact through its first decade.

The Nasir Jones Hiphop Fellowship at Harvard University: A decade of building knowledge, 2014–24

Key Points

Abstract

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