(CNN) -- Stepping into a Chicago, Illinois, classroom, Enoch Muhammad cranks up the stereo and Tupac's "Brenda's Got a Baby" blares into the students' ears. He asks the grade-schoolers to listen hard and break down the meaning of each line. The rapper is about to teach them a skill they can use over and over again.

Muhammad harnesses popular music to teach kids to be critical thinkers and break down the problems they're dealing with in their lives. His program, Hip-Hop Detoxx, helps youngsters take responsibility and in many cases, steers them away from violence.When kids come to school, their minds are elsewhere and they can't focus, Muhammad says. From committing crimes to dealing with a bad home life, thinking about history or biology just doesn't rank.

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