Sequence of activities:

Introduction (5 minutes)

Before beginning, ask the class to silently ponder the question:
0. What does self-love mean to you?

On a piece of paper for brainstorming, ask students to write down their thoughts.

Invite students to share their ideas. Discuss students’ responses as a class. You can follow up with questions like “Do you agree with this idea/definition?” and “Did anyone write something similar?”

Reading and Discussion (15 minutes)

Project the lyrics to “I” by Kendrick Lamar on the board for the class. It is also helpful for students to have their own printed copies or digital copies. Search for a clean version of the song to play for the class as students read along. The lyrics may need to be reviewed prior to the class. There is a classroom-appropriate version of the lyrics included in the .pdf of this lesson plan.

After listening, invite students to reread the lyrics. Invite students to share which parts stood out to them the most, which parts they like or dislike, and which parts they might have found confusing. Discuss the lyrics as a class. The themes of the song are self-love and resilience, namely in the face of social disparity and depression.

Share the following background with students about Hip-Hop and Rap in 2014:

“I” by Kendrick Lamar was released on September 23, 2014. It was the lead single to Lamar’s third album “To Pimp a Butterfly.” The album gained prominence for its themes of racial inequality, depression, and institutional discrimination.

Lamar’s album was a stark contrast to other artists in the genre at the time. It offered a glimpse of hope that was missing in the mainstream of Hip-Hop. It is of note that other top artists that year--Mac Miller, Lil Peep, and Rich Homie Quan--who also wrote about their struggles with depression, have all since passed from accidental drug overdose.  

The song “I” states “I love myself” 19 times. In retrospect, Lamar’s observance of and resistance to the state of the genre was more pressing that anyone could have imagined.  

Brainstorming (20 minutes)

As a class, answer the first two reflection questions.
Invite students to share their ideas, and come to an agreement as a class. Ask the class “Do you agree with this idea?” “Is there anything someone wants to add to this idea?”

1. What is the theme or “message” of the song?
2. What are some struggles and trials that the speaker is facing?

The next brainstorming questions will be answered individually on the same brainstorming sheet used for question 0, at the beginning of the lesson.

3. What are some struggles and trials that you have faced or are currently facing?
4. How have your own struggles and trials made you the person you are today?
5. In the song we read, Kendrick gives himself motivational messages such as “I wear my heart on my sleeve / let the runway start,” “one day at a time, sun gon' shine,” and “I'ma do it 'til I get it right.” What are some motivational messages you would want to say to yourself?

As students finish answering the questions, ask them to review their answers and circle or underline the parts that stand out to them the most.

Writing Exercise (10+ minutes)

Share the writing prompt:

In verse two, Lamar says “Dreams of reality’s peace.” Take a moment to think about what this means.

What does ‘reality’s peace’ look like?
What does a reality where everybody loves themselves look like?
What does a reality that is fair (economically, socially, politically) look like?
What needs to change in our current reality, to get to that ideal reality?

Answer these questions in a poem.

Ask students to try to write without stopping. Remind them that this is a draft, and that it is best to let their ideas out and worry about tidying the piece up later. Remind students to give the poem a title. Ask students to be honest about their feelings and experiences.

Let them know they will be writing for ten minutes. If at ten minutes the class is still writing, silently extend the time by 3-5 minutes.

Sharing (5 minutes)

If there is time, call upon students who volunteer to share their work.

Set a class guideline of confidence to not repeat any personal or sensitive topics after this lesson or outside of the classroom. Before sharing, ask performers to be loud and confident and ask the class to be attentive and respectful.

Sometimes there may not be many volunteers to share. In this case, ask if there is anyone who would allow you to read their poem out loud on their behalf. This usually invites more students to share.