The event focused on the topics of masculinity, role models, racism, addiction, and gender roles in relationships.
The event began with a lecture by author and lecturer Prof. Dr. Heidi Süß on the topic “Masculinity and Migration in Rap & Society,” using the Netflix documentary “Babo” about the rapper Haftbefehl as an example.
Afterward, the young people explored the topics in greater depth through various workshops. The Youth and Democracy Education Team had invited a range of partner organizations to facilitate these sessions.
Together with Prof. Dr. Heidi Süß, the participants analyzed German rap music videos from the 1990s to the present and explored how the portrayal of racism in German rap has changed.
In a workshop led by AWO Salto Suchthilfe Salzgitter, the young people used song lyrics to explore the topic of drugs and addiction.
Together with Friederike Schröder from the Counseling Center Against Sexual Violence in Salzgitter, they discussed how to recognize toxic relationships and what characteristics define them.
With Tobias Spiegelberg from Detox Identity, the students discussed the ideas of masculinity conveyed in society and, in particular, in German rap, and how these role models can be questioned.
Connecting to the Students’ Real Lives
“The rapper Haftbefehl and the documentary about him are very popular among many young people. At the same time, the topics portrayed in them are often not critically examined to a sufficient degree. Haftbefehl speaks openly about his drug problems, embodies a very specific image of masculinity, and maintains a relationship with his wife based on traditional gender roles. We wanted to meet young people where they are in their daily lives and use this content as a starting point to engage them in conversation about important social issues,” explains Alexandra Leszczynski from the Youth and Democracy Education team.
Martina Malak, city youth welfare officer and head of the Municipal Child and Youth Support Division, emphasizes the importance of the project: “Successful prevention work starts where young people are. For many young people, German rap is part of everyday life and therefore offers a good starting point for discussing topics such as role models, addiction, racism, or relationships. Our goal is to support young people in critically examining content, developing their own perspectives, and making self-determined decisions. Projects like this one create exactly the right space for that.”
