Flocabulary
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Educational publishing |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Founder | Blake Harrison, Alex Rappaport |
| Headquarters | Brooklyn , United States |
Area served | K-12 schools, primarily underserved communities |
| Products | Hip hop-inspired educational songs, videos, lesson guides, interactive activities, evaluation tools |
Number of employees | 30 (sales team size in 2008) |
| Website | flocabulary |
Flocabulary is an educational enterprise headquartered in Brooklyn, established in 2004 by Blake Harrison and Alex Rappaport. The company creates hip hop-inspired songs, videos, and instructional resources aimed at K-12 learners, blending topics such as vocabulary, U.S. history, mathematics, and science into rap-based lessons. Their online platform provides access to videos, lesson guides, interactive activities, and evaluation tools. The brand name merges the concepts of "flow" and "vocabulary."
Focusing its efforts on schools in underserved communities forms a key part of Flocabulary's market approach. By 2015, their products were utilized by more than 35,000 educational institutions. Prominent endorsements have come from individuals including Snoop Dogg, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and historian Howard Zinn. Although widely recognized for its innovative approach and educational contributions, Flocabulary has encountered criticism related to cultural authenticity and the political implications of certain lyrics.
History
The idea originated with Blake Harrison during his high school years, drawing inspiration from hip hop acts like Outkast. After obtaining an English degree from the University of Pennsylvania, he joined forces with Alex Rappaport, who graduated in music from Tufts University. In 2004, they produced demo tracks featuring SAT vocabulary terms. Initial exposure was gained through Sparknotes streaming their music and launching Flocabulary’s website. Their books were published by Cider Mill Press and distributed through Sterling Publishing to outlets such as Barnes & Noble; the debut book sold 10,000 copies within its first year.
By 2006, Flocabulary shifted to self-publishing and secured $50,000 in funding from family and friends to boost sales operations. Winning a social value award at Columbia Business School helped them sharpen their business strategy. Subsequent fundraising brought in $110,000 from investors, enabling them to expand their sales team to 30 representatives. The 2007 launch of the "Word Up!" vocabulary series fueled revenue growth to $600,000 by 2008.
The 2007 project Shakespeare Is Hip-Hop included collaborations with Grammy-winning producer 9th Wonder. In 2008, they introduced The Week in Rap series covering timely topics such as the presidential election and California’s Proposition 8. By 2009, their annual income reached $900,000.
Flocabulary places social impact above profit margins to support schools with limited resources. The founders stress affordability and cultivate partnerships with government bodies and nonprofit organizations to extend access to underserved youth. Their outreach efforts include charitable contributions and alliances like the 2016 collaboration with the United Nations to promote Sustainable Development Goals.
In 2010, Oklahoma City Public Schools temporarily suspended use of Flocabulary following controversy over lyrics in "Old Dead White Men," which critically referenced Founding Fathers and likened Andrew Jackson’s policies to those of Hitler. The company responded by removing the song after receiving feedback. Commentators such as Tucker Carlson questioned the pedagogical merit of using rap for instruction.
By mid-2016, Flocabulary had created over 725 educational rap videos and secured a $1.5 million convertible note from Rethink Education after years of self-funding. That same year, Atlanta Public Schools partnered with Flocabulary to produce history rap battles inspired by both the company’s material and the musical Hamilton, aiming to enhance student engagement through hip hop-based learning programs.
Reception
The School Library Journal emphasizes Flocabulary's strength in captivating K-12 learners through its "memorable songs," which have been shown to surpass the effectiveness of conventional textbooks. A reporter from the Wall Street Journal noted heightened student engagement within classrooms utilizing Flocabulary's resources. Fast Company recognized it as a valuable tool for supplementing lessons, highlighting the enthusiastic responses it garnered on YouTube. BuzzFeed referred to its Black History Month content as "the most exciting way to teach." Esteemed scholars such as Howard Zinn and Cornel West have endorsed the Hip-Hop U.S. History series. At Menchville High School, SAT scores increased from 420 to 477 during the period Flocabulary was implemented, although the institution did not establish a direct causal link. A research project spanning multiple states and led by Roger Farr, former president of the International Reading Association, demonstrated an improvement exceeding 20% in reading and writing skills among middle school students who engaged with Flocabulary materials. The program has also attracted celebrity endorsements including from Snoop Dogg, and a live performance by Flocabulary artists at the United Nations received commendation from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Jack Rosenthal of The New York Times highlighted Flocabulary as a prominent example of using mnemonic techniques for SAT vocabulary instruction. In 2014, Entrepreneur.com praised its financial literacy video focused on credit cards, describing it as “straightforward, clear, and incredibly catchy.” According to Common Sense Media, Flocabulary’s tracks closely mimic genuine rap music through their catchy rhythms and visually appealing videos that blend animation with contemporary news footage. Nonetheless, some critics like Bronwen Low in Slam School contend that Flocabulary’s method lacks cultural authenticity and can appear contrived. Similarly, while The Anthology of Rap endorses Shakespeare Is Hip Hop for its effectiveness, it critiques Flocabulary for not fully embodying rap’s poetic heritage.