Listening to Hip Hop

Scholarly publications on hip hop have emerged over the past few decades from fields within the arts, humanities and social sciences. This course will focus on sound and listening, which we will consider in conjunction with other issues in hip hop studies. Music terminology and knowledge of notation are not assumed, but will be covered during the early weeks of the course in order to equip you with a vocabulary and common language for class discussions and written work.

 Throughout the course, we will track key words in hip hop studies such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, politics, society, class, representation, and diaspora, focusing on recordings and performances as well as videos and films.  While our roots will remain firmly in music, the seminar will consider hip hop through multiple lenses, drawing from readings situated in music studies, African American studies, Asian American Studies, Latinx studies, English, women’s/gender/sexuality studies, sociology, communications, anthropology, history, and cultural studies. Readings will help to locate music, artists, and genres within cultural, political, and social contexts, which in turn will assist us in our analysis of particular works. Critical reflection upon hip hop performances is an integral part of the course. Options for creative work will be provided in the final assignment. 

 The course aims to assist you in absorbing many of the diverse strands that comprise the world of hip hop; to develop skills in hearing and writing compellingly about it; and to reflect critically upon hip hop music and the discourse about it. 

A note to those already well familiar with music terminology, notation, and concepts

Students come to this class with different musical background/experience.  Bi-level assignments (i.e., ones that ask you to talk in more music detail) will provide you the opportunity to use your musical chops.