Smart Songs
Founded2008
FoundersShoeless Jeff, Scott Free
Country of originUnited States
Headquarters locationLos Angeles, CA
DistributionSocial Studies School Service
Nonfiction topicsUS History, Social Studies, Economics
Official websitewww.smartsongs.org

Smart Songs is an educational music group founded in 2008 by Shoeless Jeff (Jeff DuJardin) and Scott Free (Scott Geer).[1] According to the group’s website www.SmartSongs.org, the mission of Smart Songs is to “provide kids and teachers with fun and educational hip hop that makes learning fun.”[2] Media sources ABC News Los Angeles (KABC-TV) and BostonInno.com have described the group as the current version of Schoolhouse Rock.[3][4] Album DVDs Trip to DC and Trip to Wall Street are currently distributed through Social Studies School Service.

Origins

Shoeless Jeff and Scott Free met each other while playing baseball for the Babe Ruth League in Providence, Rhode Island at age 13, while Jeff was playing shortstop and Scott was on second base.[4] In high school, Jeff began writing educational raps for extra credit in his classes while he and Scott worked on non-educational hip hop songs. In college together at Providence College, Jeff and Scott helped form a live hip hop band called Capitol Hill that toured the East Coast.[5][6] While on tour, the group visited an inner-city school in Dorchester, MA and realized their style of music fit well with students and decided to launch Smart Songs.[4][5]

Albums

In 2011, Smart Songs released a remixed and remastered version of its album Trip to DC (originally released in 2008), which explains several topics in United States Social Studies and History.[1][4] Smart Songs released its second album Trip to Wall Street in 2013, which explains the economy and money management.[7]

Distribution

Album DVDs Trip to DC and Trip to Wall Street are currently distributed through Social Studies School Service. In 2008, Smart Songs’ music was distributed through Highlights for Children,[1] which is the largest children's magazine in the world with over 2 million subscribers.[8] In 2010, Teachers Discovery began distributing Smart Songs’ new version of Trip to DC through its website and catalog.[9]

Publicity

In January 2011, Smart Songs was interviewed by Harvard University’s School of Education for a university podcast.[5] This podcast also appeared on The Huffington Post.[7] In October 2011, Smart Songs appeared on ABC News Los Angeles.[3] Other interviews include: March 2012 - The Boston Globe (Boston.com)[6] January 2012 – Boston Inno[4] March 2009 – Bay State Banner[10] October 2008 – The Providence Journal[1] October 2008 – Fox Channel 12 Providence[11]


Pop Culture

On September 27, 2023, a contestant on Celebrity Jeopardy, Emily Hampshire, sang the lyrics to the Smart Song track Presidents while being interviewed by Ken Jennings during the game.[12]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Massimo, Rick (6 October 2008). "Rapping Through History". The Providence Journal.
  2. ↑ Smart Songs, Website. "About". Smart Songs Website. Smart Songs. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  3. 1 2 Pennacchio, George (18 November 2011). "'Smart Songs' use rap to make learning fun". ABC. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Landry, Lauren. "Smart Songs: Putting a Fresh Spin on Education with Hip Hop That Teaches". Boston Inno. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 Weber, Matthew. "Harvard EdCast: History Hip Hop". Harvard Graduate School of Education. Harvard University. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  6. 1 2 Soto, Kenny. "You may have 99 problems, but with Smart Songs, learning won't be one". Boston.com. Boston.com. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  7. 1 2 Weber, Matthew (4 January 2012). "History Hip Hop Visits Harvard". Huffington Post. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  8. ↑ ALC, DataCard. "Data Insert". ALC Data Insert. ALC Data. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  9. ↑ Teacher's Discovery. ""Trip to DC" CD: Hip Hop Songs for U.S. Government". Social Studies Products. Teacher's Discovery. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  10. ↑ Leenders-Cheng, Victoria (5 March 2009). "New School". Bay State Banner. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  11. ↑ Buteau, Walt (17 October 2008). "Hip Hop Poetry". Fox News. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  12. ↑ Smart Songs on Jeopardy - 2023, retrieved 2023-11-12
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