Spring 2018 - Unit IV/Blog IV

I see Hip-Hop as a rose.  To me, it 'grew out of concrete,' but it dies & re-emerges again. So, if I were to ask you to look into a crystal ball, where would you see Hip-Hop's origins, and what direction do you see it progressing?  How "will it keep its dreams" and "learn to breathe FRESH air?"

Please include ideologies which you learned from the class, and perhaps others which you now can 'see' that we did not discuss in class (maybe some you'll identify in a peer's final presentation)?

Due: Fri., 5/4/18 by the beginning of class (9am).

Spring 2018 - Blog III/Unit III: Living, Mad Money & Dying

We began this unit with Luther Campbell's wild antics in Hip-Hop to discussing racial melancholia and collective grief.  Yet, Campbell's is more complicated than his escapades; after all, he's provided so much for the youth of Liberty City who wouldn't otherwise have a chance to excel. 

And, Brad Jordan, aka Scarface, seems to also exemplify complexity with his admitted battles with bi-polar.  We can imagine perhaps some of his anger stems from a hard life as well as his mental illness.

Today, some of you indicated that you had learned to endure with the racial macro and micro-aggressions.  Yet, I still believe 'dealing' with them somehow normalizes them.  Therefore, I have a question that remains, so I'll pose it here. Despite Luther Campbell's contributions to Hip-Hop, Brad Jordan's success as a Hip-Hop lyrical genius leaving us with hits like "Smile" and "Mind's Playing Tricks," do you foresee a time where racial melancholia doesn't exist; accordingly, will Hip-Hop ever fully heal from our collective grief? 


Due: Fri., 4/20/18 by the beginning of class.

Unit II - Blog II/Street Lit, Pimps, ...

Misogyny, homophobia, toxic masculinity and queer theory were all tenets we discussed in Unit II. We queered Hip-Hop; we criticized, and we interrogated it too.  We were left with probably more unanswered than answered questions.  So, I'd like to ask you two questions which still remain with me today.

1. What do you think the impact of toxic masculinity within Hip-Hop will have on its audience?
2. Will Hip-Hop ever be a space of acceptance for anything non-heteronormative and non-patriarchal?

Please explain your answers thoroughly, and don't forget to include a media component.

Due: Fri., 3/23/18 by the beginning of class.

Spring 2018 - Unit I/Origins of HH Discourse

 



Stories have always been compelling to me.  I believe it's why I'm more attracted to some rappers rather than others.  TuPac Shakur has always been my favorite HH artist because I saw him as a master storyteller - a griot if you will.  In this unit, we've learned the importance of the story as well elements of that story from braggadocio to call and response.  Furthermore, we examined the components of "genius" within the HH artistic aesthetic.  It's more than the lyrical story, it's the graffiti, the dancing, fashion, performances, technology, and the sound - the amalgamation of it all.  Out of those we've discussed, which component resonated the most with you, and why?

Due: Fri., 2/16/18 by the beginning of class.

Fall '17 - Unit IV: Hip-Hop's Bad Rap: Can it be reclaimed?

We finalized this unit by critically interrogating the current state of Hip-Hop.  Our authors all seemed to agree that Hip-Hop isn't dead, but needs redirection.  Many argue that while independent Hip-Hop exists, it isn't accessible to the masses.  So, let's finish this unit by reflecting on this, and sharing what resonated the most from all of the units.

Due: Fri., 12/1/17 by 9:00pm EST.

Fall '17 - Unit III Love, Sickness, Death & Real Life 'Sh*t'

 
As we conclude Unit III we must reflect on the various topics discussed such as, "keepin it real," bids, parenting, mental health, madness, and other 'stuff.'  I believe we have truly learned from each other.  Your presentations were very informative. This was obvious as questions were asked, and answered by you. I believe the question which stood out to me the most was: Do rappers evolve as Hip-Hop artists?  While I'm still contemplating this, I'd like you to identify which topic, either discussed during a lecture or presented by your peers resonated the most with you and why?  Further, think of a question which you could then pose about this topic and share it with us here on the blog. 

Due: Fri., 11/10/17 by the beginning of class.

Fall '17: Street Lit, Pimps, Hoes, Bitches and 'other' queer identities in Hip-Hop

 Rapsody interview with the Breakfast Club



 
We've been discussing queerness in HH for the last few weeks.  And, I'm enjoying learning from you.  Today, I suggested you take a look at the Rapsody Breakfast Club interview.  I'm including it here for your perusal (the link can be found above).  However, I'd like you to consider this.  Is Rapsody an indication that women can be "real" without being sexualized or queered in HH?  Will they ever be seen without the sexual or gender normative behavior?  Can they just be an emcee instead of a femmecee?

Due: by 10/11/17 by the beginning of class.