Bronx School of Hip-Hop to Open This Fall

The Bronx School of Hip-Hop is set to open this fall. The high school is one of five new institutions opening in New York City in 2026, and the school is set to welcome its first set of incoming freshmen in September. 

“Hip-hop is like our number one export out of the Bronx, right?” Jason Reyes, the incoming principal of the Bronx School of Hip-Hop, told NY1. “Not only did they see themselves, they had an understanding, like, that this belongs to us as our lineage. Which led them to, like, just really be way more engaged. And you just see the difference in attendance. You see the difference in achievement, right? So why not build a school that is rooted in so much genius and excellence?” 

Students will be able to learn about breaking, deejaying, and graffiti, but the hip-hop theme will be embedded into more traditional academia.

“Students don’t go to, like, rap class — it’s embedded in [English language arts] right? So you take English language arts and you are studying English through, let’s say, you know, novels that exist, such as ‘Native Son,’ that could be a novel, by Richard Wright. But then, we also comparing that to Nas’ ‘I Can,’” he said. “Having students see the genius that lies in both, how they weave together, but also how their creativity can heighten by using rhetorical devices that live in novels that we’ve all read growing up. But most of the time, like, kids don’t really engage with that because they don’t see themselves in some of these texts.”

On Tuesday, May 5, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Public Schools Chancellor Kamar H. Samuels announced the opening of the five new schools for the 2026-27 academic year. They will be across the Bronx and Queens, marking a first step toward expanding access to high-quality education. They are: Academy of Cultural Excellence, Bronx School of Arts & Exploration, The Bronx School of Hip-Hop, Queens Academy for Innovative Learning, and West Q Elementary.

“Innovation, excellence and art are woven into the fabric of this city — they define what it means to be a New Yorker,” said Mayor Mamdani. “It’s time our schools reflect that reality. Our students deserve the best. This fall, we’ll deliver it with five new public schools that serve students of all ages, expand access for students with disabilities and put the arts at the center of education.”

Subscribe to Okayplayer newsletters to get more music and culture news delivered directly to your inbox. Join here.

newsletters.okayplayer.com

Okayplayer Newsletter Sign Up

All the best Okayplayer stories, straight to your inbox. Stay in the loop with a curated selection of Okayplayer updates — free of charge.