25 Funniest Academic Raps on YouTube

             

August 9th, 2011

accreditedonlinecolleges.com/blog

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Getting students to understand, remember or even just care about a given concept can be a challenge for today’s teachers. But there are fun ways to reach students and make even the most boring of concepts fun. One such way is through academic songs — more specifically, raps — many of which have been making the rounds on the web. Here are a few gems we’ve collected that will help you or your students learn everything, from literature to basic math, with a few laughs thrown in for good measure.

1. Mr. Duey: Fractions

   Can’t ever remember how to deal with improper fractions? Percentages? This nerdy rap will teach you "everything you need to know about fractions." The slightly dorky, but well-intentioned, Mr. Duey will make you wish you had a middle school teacher who loved to rap as much as he did math.
   

2. Physics Rap Guy

   This high school student put together a rap for a 2007 AP physics class. Parts of it are clever, parts are downright hilarious and parts are cringe-inducingly awkward. Overall, however, it’s a fun tribute to the fundamentals of physics (and those who can’t get enough of it).
   

3. My Water’s On Fire Tonight

   Ever heard of the frakking phenomenon? You won’t ever forget after hearing about it through this catchy rap. Created by NYU students, the video is an amazing way to learn about a process that could be seriously harming your drinking water.
   
   
   

4. Large Hadron Rap

   Who says nerds can’t rap? Scientists and researchers at the CERN lab put together this little ditty about what they’re doing with the Large Hadron Collider. Not only will you learn a thing or two about what the heck it actually is, you’ll laugh yourself silly at the sheer dorkiness of the rhymes.
   
   
   

5. AGHS Lab Safety Rap

   Lab safety is a serious matter, but these high school students present it in a manner that’s decidedly funny without losing any essential information. Even better, after watching you’ll never forget how to conduct chemistry experiments safely again.
   
   
   

6. Debit Credit Theory (Accounting Rap)

   Accounting holds reputation for being a bit of a dull subject to learn, especially from students who aren’t planning a career in number crunching. Yet this amazing video for a high school accounting class makes learning how to keep your accounts balanced pretty entertaining. And the chorus is ridiculously catchy!
   
   
   

7. Einstein vs. Stephen Hawking

   Offensive? Quite possibly. OK, definitely. Hilarious? Absolutely! Watch as these two giants of science battle it out to determine who’s the top dog when it comes to theories about the universe and time. While mostly focused on entertainment value, you might just learn a thing or two as well.
   

8. Rap for Rocks

   Can’t remember the difference between igneous and metamorphic rocks? Rock out to this rap for a funny take on Geology 101 — better known as "rocks for jocks," as this song playfully reminds.
   
   
   

9. Declaration of Independence Rap

   Mc LaLa brings the education in this adorable and comic take on the Founding Fathers’ reasons for declaring American independence. Not only are there rhymes, but creative paper cutouts as well!
   
   
   

10. Coumadin Rap Song

    The drug coumadin probably isn’t the first thing most rappers would choose as a subject, but that didn’t stop these pharmacy students. Along with their professor, they wrote, sang, acted and filmed this educational rap all about the blood-thinning drug. Hilariously dorky, you won’t be able to forget the bobbleheads.
    
    
    

11. Keynes vs Hayek Economics Rap

    Who knew learning about different economic ideas could be so entertaining? Turning economists Hayek and Keynes into gangstas, this video is an amazing watch for anyone studying economics – or just looking for laugh.
    
    
    

12. Rap Guide to Evolution

    More impressive than really hilarious, this rapping scientist explains the process of evolution through some seriously clever rhymes. If you like this song, there’s more where that came from, as a whole album was compiled of raps about the subject.
    
    
    

13. Bill of Rights Rap

    Shoeless Jeff and Scott Free bring the funk to the Bill of Rights with this rap. Dressed up in terrible costumes, the duo and their band illustrate the first ten amendments to our Constitution with style, helping you more easily learn and remember your rights.
    
    
    

14. Stack the Memory

    Love computers? This rap tribute to a totally sweet, pimped-out machine is a perfect way to indulge your nerdery. Not only is it funny, but also super catchy!
    
    
    

15. Lose Yourself (In the Digits)

    A parody of the Eminem hit, this rap was created to celebrate Pi Day, observed each year on March 14th. Listeners will get a chance to learn about the drama that exists when you try to memorize a record number of pi’s digits.
    
    
    

16. The Othello Rap

    Who needs boring old Shakespeare when you can listen to it in rap form instead? These trained actors give a hilarious rendition of Othello during a live performance that will ensure you never forget the Elizabethan drama — though you might have a bit of a strange perception! If you enjoy this rap, check out their others covering even more Shakespearean plays.
    
    
    

17. Pit and Pendulum, Edgar Allan Poe Rap

    Not so much funny as downright amazing, this rap brings the Poe thriller to life in a way that students aren’t likely to ever forget. Dark and tense while still being catchy, this rap is perfect for any literature lover — or someone you’re trying to convert.
    
    
    

18. The Dewey Decimal Rap

    This rap is guaranteed to get into your head and stay there, which may not be so bad if you’re a lover of libraries and all things Dewey Decimal. While putting a humorous spin on the real-life Dewey, the song does actually contain some educational information about the man and his system that can be useful to students.
    
    
    

19. Presidents Rap

    A rap about the presidents could just be a dull list of names, but these performers add in some fun facts about each that make it an interesting listen. Include some ridiculous costumes and you’ve got a recipe for some educational entertainment.
    
    
    

20. Canterbury Tales Rap

    Composed entirely in Old English, this rap is an amazing summarization of Chaucer’s classic. If you struggled through that, you’re not likely to find this rap any more comprehensible — though it is pretty entertaining to watch.
    
    
    

21. Stem Cell Rap

    Tufts University professor Jonathan Garlick takes teaching about stem cells to the next level with this rap. While he might not be the best rapper in history, the video is amazingly entertaining and you have to respect his passion for the subject.
    
    
    

22. Feminist Rapper: A Lady Made That

    Don’t take the ladies of the world for granted — they made a lot of stuff we use every day! You’ll learn specifics in this humorous rap, the first part of a feminist education series.
    
    
    

23. Chemical Calisthenics

    Who says real rappers can’t get a little nerdy? In this song, hip hop duo Blacklicious spit rhymes littered with chemistry and science, terms making it quite possibly the nerdiest serious rap ever produced.
    
    
    

24. Bone Song

    We’re not sure it’s possible for a more cringe-inducing educational rap to exist out there. Not really intended to be funny, it will nonetheless have you in stitches as you watch the awkward 80′s/90′s singing and dancing.
    
    
    

25. Climate Scientist Rap

    Decidedly NSFW, or school for that matter, as it contains a fare amount of cursing, this video boasts super high production values and quality rhymes both entertaining and educational. One of the most amazing academic raps out there, it comes from an Australian TV show known for its political satire.