Warriors of Lyari: Karachi's Hip Hop Movement and its Impact on Society and Education

Abstract

Globalization, social media, and transnational trends have facilitated the transcension of Hip Hop culture across borders. In Pakistan, the movement gained momentum in Lyari, a neighbourhood from Karachi, Pakistan which was regarded as a no-go area two decades ago. This qualitative research engages with the work, public interactions, and journey of Lyari Underground (LUG) as pioneers of Hip Hop music in town. Using Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (Paris, 2012; Paris & Alim, 2014; Alim & Paris, 2017) and Critical Hip Hop Pedagogy (Akom, 2009), this work first reviews the work of LUG in the light of youth and community-centred practices, social justice lens challenging hegemony, and reflexivity. Next, this work engages in offering a few educational and social implications of this work. Lastly, some suggestions are offered for educators and educational researchers for further inquiry.