Student 1: “Killers” is the realest. They call him the modern day Tupac.

Student 2: Tupac? Who’s Tupac?

Everyone else: #$!#!%#!!!@@%!!#!*& WHAT!?!?! (small riot ensues)

Student 3: I’m dead serious now—do you know who Tupac is?

Student 2: I don’t know who Tupac is.

Everyone else: … (stares of disbelief)

Student 3: Okay, okay, so who’s B.I.G.?

Student 2: B. I. G. Big? What’s big?

Everyone else: !@#@!!$@#@*!#&!@*!&##!!*

*****

Spring is clearly here; I had 4 students in one of my classes today. I let a budding rapper indulge us by sharing one of his new favorite songs (we are days away, after all, from our final exam, so I was okay with giving students a breather). It was during this conversation that one student exposed something that everyone else shamed him for–his unfamiliarity with two hip hop legends.

Who doesn’t know Tupac? Or Biggie? Maybe the student should be ashamed. Seriously.