AFRI 251 From the Block to the Booth: A Critical Examination of Hip Hop
This course delves into the many aspects of hip hop culture (rap music, graffiti art, fashion, lyrics, etc). This course will encourage students to critically explore this "American" subculture known as hip hop and how it transcends race, socioeconomic background, culture, and gender. This course examines the lyrical content of many songs and the epochs in which they were written. This course will also explore genres of music (blues, jazz, Afro-Beat, soul, et al) that have contributed to the inception of rap music. Students will be asked to research the periods of time in which specific songs were written and the societal factors which contributed to their creation. This class is much more than just Hip Hop Culture. Students will discuss a myriad of social issues through the lens of Hip Hop Culture. Students will be asked to write reflection papers based on class discussions, assigned readings, and online research.
Cross Listed Courses
AFRI 251 &
MUS 277 &
ANTH 251