| relevant research · login |
|
|
 About UsThis weblog offers a variety of song lyrics that instructors of economics may find useful in teaching economics. Each post includes a selection from the song's lyrics and a brief assignment for students. This site has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Economic Education.Recent Entries
Relevant Research and ResourcesSuggestions?
Credits |
"Rap" ArchivesFat Cats, Bigga Fish - The CoupJEL: a d hMr. Coke said to Mr. Mayor, "You know we got a process like Ice T's hair. Full Lyrics · Click to ListenAssignment:The song "Fat Cats, Bigga Fish" is about hustling. The rapper Boots thinks he is a hustler, but quickly realizes that he is the one being hustled in the game of life. From a public choice perspective, does the story Boots tells about Mr. Coke and Mr. Mayor's conversation sound compelling? Why does Mr. Mayor care about Mr. Coke's plans since the campaign donations do not directly go into his pocket? Do you think campaign finance reform will solve this type of problem? Why or why not? "Rap" ArchivesHole In The Bucket - SpearheadJEL: a iThe day is pickin' up cause I'm hummin' his song Full Lyrics · Click to ListenAssignment:In the basic theory of consumer demand, an individual tries to maximize their utility subject to their budget constraint. Increases in income or wealth thus allow individuals to move to a higher indifference curve and a higher level of utility. In the song, Spearhead wants to help the panhandler by increasing his budget constraint, but is concerned about what is in the man's utility function. How could Spearhead structure his giving so as to alleviate his concerns? Is an alternative form of giving likely to increase the panhandler's utility as much as cash? "Rap" ArchivesMy Summer Vacation - Ice CubeJEL: k l Damn G, the spot's gettin hot Full Lyrics · Click to ListenAssignment:In “My Summer Vacation,” Ice Cube describes selling drugs in St. Louis. Why were financial profits so much higher in St. Louis in the short-run than in Los Angeles? What happened to the profitability (loosely defined) of this activity in the long-run? Does the illegality of the market change anything about the incentives to enter and the required profit rates needed to stay in business? "Rap" ArchivesThe Wacky World of Mass Transit - Del tha Funkee HomosapienJEL: a d When oh when is the bus gonna reach its destination Full Lyrics · Click to ListenAssignment:A good economist, to paraphrase Bastiat, observes both the seen and the unseen. On its face, a bus ride costs only 80 cents. What costs are unseen? Illustrate with examples from the song. "Rap" ArchivesThe Way It Is / Changes - Bruce Hornsby / Tupac ShakurJEL: a d lThe Way It Is (1986) – Bruce Hornsby Full Lyrics · Click to ListenAssignment:Bruce Hornsby’s original lyrics point to discrimination as a fact of life. Tupac added his own take on the issue of discrimination when he made the claim that “the way it is” forces black society to make poor choices just to survive. How do markets combat discrimination? Do markets reward businesses that discriminate or are they penalized? What happens to the profits of a business if it decides not to hire a qualified worker based on their race? |