Grammy-nominated music educator Jasmine Fripp is the Director of Choral Activities and
General Music at KIPP Nashville Collegiate High School. She is also the founder of The
Passionate Black Educator. Fripp has dedicated her career to providing Black and Brown
students with a quality music education. With seven years of teaching experience in public and
charter schools, she has built award-winning choral programs that consistently receive
excellent and superior ratings at festivals. In addition, her students have performed alongside
several gospel recording artists and served as opening acts for Grammy award-winning artists
Vanessa Bell Armstrong and The Clark Sisters. Fripp’s former students’ accomplishments
include acceptance into several elite collegiate music programs, performing alongside famous
recording artists, obtaining roles within professional music companies, and creating musically-
based social media content garnering millions of followers.
Mrs. Fripp’s passion for providing Black and Brown students with a quality holistic education
through music and empowering educators are her sole reasons for creating The Passionate
Black Educator. The Passionate Black Educator aims to advocate for students of the global
majority by providing opportunities to learn and advance through music, fine arts, and
education. PBE also empowers music educators of all cultural backgrounds to create student-
centered classroom environments that promote anti-racism, culturally-responsive pedagogy,
and healing-centered teaching. Lastly, Fripp’s ability to fuse hip-hop, choral music, and creative
teaching strategies has led to her being heavily sought after as a clinician by universities, school
districts, and professional organizations worldwide.
Fripp is a credited songwriter, background vocalist, and recording artist. She is also an active
member of The W. Crimm Singers, known as The Wakanda Chorale in Nashville, Tennessee. As
a member of this prestigious group, Fripp has performed with recording artists Stars Go Dim
and Grammy award-winning songwriting duo Louis York. In addition, she has several projects
projected for release in 2022.
Fripp holds a Bachelor of Music Education with a concentration in Choral Music from Winthrop
University. Additionally, under the legacy of Dr. Jeffery Ames, she is pursuing her Master’s
degree at Belmont University. Lastly, she is a proud member of Sigma Alpha Iota International
Music Fraternity and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated.
Sessions Offered at Midwinter Convention:
Express Yourself- Uplifting Social Justice and Activism in Choir and General Music Classes: For decades, when the voices of the global majority have been silenced, their music has spoken. As music educators, how do we empower students to use music and the knowledge of its history as a way to speak out against injustices? How do we prove to students of all races, colors, and beliefs activism through music is possible and makes a difference? Join Jasmine Fripp, The Passionate Black Educator, as we explore ways to promote and uplift social justice and empower student voices in choir and general music classrooms.
It Takes Two! – Teaching Choral Musicianship through Hip-Hop: In this session, music educators will learn how to use
culturally-responsive teaching strategies to build a bridge between the prior knowledge of hip-hop enthusiasts and their newfound content knowledge within choral music. This high-energy, interactive session will engage teachers and explore rhythms through hip-hop body warm-ups. Educators will also explore activities and exercises that promote healthy vocal technique, music literacy, efficient rehearsal structure, and culture building through the implementation of hip-hop in choral classrooms. Finally, this session will dissect implicit and explicit biases surrounding the use of hip-hop in the choral classroom and empower teachers to dismantle systemic racism and create safe spaces for students who love and value genres outside of the Western European art canon.
Are You the Problem? – Dismantling Racism in You and the Music Classroom: You’ve tried everything- diversifying your repertoire, changing the pictures on your classroom wall, even bringing in guest speakers of different cultural backgrounds. Yet, no matter your efforts, you find it hard to retain Black, Brown, Indigenous, and Asian students in your program. Have you ever considered you, the music teacher, may be the problem? Join Jasmine Fripp, The Passionate Black Educator, as we do the necessary work to dismantle racism within us to create a safe and welcoming music-making space for ALL students.