Domonique Brown, an American teacher known as “Drippin Honey,” faced adversity after being fired from her job as a history teacher in Detroit due to complaints about her rap videos.
However, she didn’t let this setback stop her. In an act of defiance, Brown teamed up with her former students to create ‘DRIPPIN 101’, showcasing her resilience and determination to overcome obstacles.
Taking to Instagram, Brown shared her thoughts: “Recently, I was forced to leave my position due to me being a Rapper. A single parent’s disapproval led to my dismissal.”
“The parent wished to stay Anonymous after contacting my job for months, I’ve been dealing with this since I dropped “Drippin 101” .. 5 months later Meetings after meetings defending my involvement in the music industry I was asked to erase all my content that’s when I knew I HAVE TO BET ON MYSELF CUZ NOBODY WILL IF I DON’T,” she said.
Expressing her discontent, she responded to the decision and its effects on her students, writing, “What troubles me most about this situation is the lack of consideration for the impact and influence I have had on my students’ lives.”
“My outside life should not be grounds for termination when it does not interfere with my ability to fulfill my responsibilities as a teacher,” she continued. “My dedication, professionalism, and passion for education have always been unwavering, regardless of any personal pursuits I may have.”
In her post on social media, along with a clip of her new rap video, Brown expressed frustration over her dismissal and highlighted how her career as a rapper was not an issue when she was hired as a teacher. She emphasized that my involvement in the music industry should not have affected her ability to teach.
“It is worth noting that when I was hired as a teacher, my involvement in the music industry as a rapper did not hinder my candidacy. I was judged based on my qualifications, experience, and potential to positively impact the lives of my students. Yet, now, my commitment and contributions seem to be overshadowed by arbitrary judgments about my personal life.”
The music video has garnered 34k views and 619 comments on YouTube. It includes explicit language and lyrics like ‘I ain’t no h*e – I’m ’bout the dough’ and ‘Motown baby going crazy like the 80s.’ In the video, Brown is seen with a group of young adults dancing in a parking lot. Despite the explicit content in her music, she argues that her music career shouldn’t affect her professionalism as a teacher.
“I was like hey well can we tell that parent to come in and see professionalism, see me in a classroom, see me after school, see me at all the games, see me dropping kids off everyday, buying food?” she said in an interview with Fox 2. As she navigated her way through the ups and downs of teaching, she felt a weight on her shoulders when a teen discovers best friend’s secret. It added an unexpected layer of complexity to her already challenging role. Balancing her career and personal life became even more crucial as she sought not just to educate but also to support her students through their trials.
“Can they come see me in my element before they try to say I’m unprofessional in it?” she asked.
Brown feels she faced discrimination when she lost her job due to her side hustle. Despite her request, she didn’t receive a written complaint from the parent who raised concerns.
“Music is part of the culture. We’re from Motown, this is what we do. So it’s not like it’s unheard of, it’s the culture. When you look like me, you just understand it a little bit … better,” she added.
The history teacher has been teaching for seven years and is also working towards a master’s degree with aspirations for a doctorate. Brown intends to hire a lawyer and pursue legal action against the school.
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