Proclaimed the ‘Hip-Hop Intellectual’ by many, writer, radio host, and university professor Dr. Michael Eric Dyson has decided to leave his job at University of Pennsylvania for a position at Georgetown University, where he will teach a number of subjects related to religion, culture, and society.
Dyson taught theology, English, and African American studies at the University of Pennsylvania for the past five years.
Dyson’s departure marks the second the second time an African American professor has left the university in the past month.
On June 28, professor and urban sociologist Elijah Anderson left University of Pennsylvania to teach at Yale University.
According to Dyson, his departure from the University Pennsylvania was merely him wanting to “move on.”
“Professor Dyson is an intellectual leader in society and academia,” said Georgetown University Provost James J. O’Donnell in a statement. “At Georgetown we look forward to his continued societal impact and anticipate the contributions he will make to enhance our vibrant academic community.”
A man of many hats, Dyson is also well known for his writings on Hip-Hop and urban culture, including Holler If You Hear Me: Searching For Tupac Shakur, Race Rules: Navigating The Color Line, and Come Hell Or High Water: Hurricane Katrina And The Color Of Disaster.
Dyson’s most recent book, Know What I Mean? addresses pertinent issues within Hip-Hop, including gender relations, the pro’s and con’s of Hip-Hop’s commercial success, global exposure, and the politicization of the genre.
Know What I Mean? includes an introduction and outro by Jay-Z and Nas, two artists who were once in conflict with one another and is in stores now.