A$AP Rocky, the Harlem-born rapper also known by his real name Rakim Mayers, returned to his childhood neighborhood to visit a local elementary school and teach fourth grade students about rap music as part of an episode of the TV series Celebrity Substitute. During the session he answered questions from the children and delivered a Rap 101 lesson, explaining the basics of songwriting, how rhythm and counting bars work, and encouraged them to create rhymes based on their names.
Rocky emphasized that rap has shaped his life, shared stories about growing up in Harlem, and surprised the students by transforming a classroom corner into a recording setup where they could try rapping over the beat of his own track “Punk Rocky.” The rapper also helped the kids shoot a simple classroom music video, with some students performing original lines over the beat. This appearance came shortly after Rocky’s album Don’t Be Dumb debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in January 2026, and showcased him engaging with young fans and sharing his passion for the genre in the community where he grew up.
