I'll be Pres-o-dent.
So Dr. Michael Eric “I Use 100 Words When 1 Will Do” Dyson is teaching a class at Georgetown University on Jay-Z this semester. The class entitled “Sociology of Hip-Hop: Jay-Z” focuses on the literary works and genius of our dear Mr. Carter. You know school is fun when Fade To Black is required viewing. (Not for nothing I think State Property could have an entire class in film school devoted to it.) Dyson is no stranger to the wonderful world of hip-hop having written popular yet terrible works on Tupac and Nas and even taught a class at UPenn onTupac. Seriously, Holler If You Hear Me might have been the biggest waste of words on Tupac ever.
Obviously, I’m no fan of Dyson and frankly think his books suck more a** than Jessica Grabbit. I’m also generally against the intellectualization of hip hop. Not because it doesn’t deserve it, but I tend to think that most of the books written about hip-hop by academics tend to be books written by fairly dissociated ninjas trying to sell hip-hop to a bunch of older white fogeys who would never give hip hop a real shot in hell anyway. No matter how much you focus on the poetry and inherent struggle present in SOME of the music, there’s no way to make “Laffy Taffy” an exercise in academia anyway.
But I would take any class on hip hop. Word.Booty. And I do think that people like Tupac and Jay are deserving of some sort of analysis given their accomplishments as people and the medium they chose to use. So despite the teacher, I’m glad these classes exist. And you know what? There are lots of other classes that I think would serve any student population well. Like what? Glad you asked.
Criminal Justice 104: Gucci Mane, DMX, and TI – Rapper Recidvism and the Prison Industrial Complex
This class would study the mentality of rappers who’ve made more money than they know what to do with but somehow cannot stay out of jail for sh*t. Specific blocks of the class would be based on probablity of Gucci Mane returning to jail every year (trick question: 100%) and why DMX seems to LIKE jail. Also, the stupidity of people with the world at their fingertips. See Harris, Clifford “Tip” Required Viewing: Tiny and Toya.
History 376 – The South Rose Again…But Not Like You Thought
This class would look at the South’s meteoric ascent to the top of the mainstream rap landscape with a specific focus on the loss of regionality in hip-hop with every song sounding like a Southern Anthem. New York’s yielding of power to the South would be examined to include an analysis of ASAP Rocky, a rapper from Harlem who seems like a Compton gangbanger who raps likes from Houston. Further discussion into the Southern backlash by northern rappers while making southern rap songs and going to Southern producers for their biggest hits. Required Viewing: MTV Jamz
Psychology 341 – Cam’Ron and DipSet: The Birth of A Nation
This class would look at the influence of The Diplomats on the psyche of America. Cam’ron’s ability to influence an entire nation of masculine dudes to wear pink and purple on purpose. It would also discuss influence of Harlem on hip-hop’s landscape and the DipSet influence in America specificaly from 2001-2006.Required Viewing: All DipSet videos and home video footage of American urban youth during those years
Business 402 – Independent Rap Labels and Trunk Muzik
Focus on No Limit, Rap-A-Lot, Suave House, and the rise of the indy rap labels that spawned a new business model for record companies. Required Viewing: Baller Blockin’, I’m Bout It, Foolish, Choices, Hot Boys
Sociology 119 – The Wire and You
An analysis of the reality versus the fantasy of The Wire and how the representation was a perfect mechanism for illustrating needs for certain social reforms in America’s urban centers. Required Viewing: The Wire…duh
Fashion and Design 224 – From Jansport To The Louis Vuitton Duffel Bag
The rise of the backpack as a fashion accessory of hip-hop artists. The travel bags omnipresent role in hip-hop. The origins of backpack rap and the profession to the to the Kanye West Louis Vuitton backpack accessories and dope boy LV duffel. Required Viewing: MTV Jamz/Sex And The City
Philosophy 843 – WTF is A Wacka Flocka Flame? The Genius and The Prophet
WWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACKAAAAA! ABCDEFGHIJK!!! FLOCKA FLOCKA!!!! WAAAAAAAACKA!!! The life and depth of the worst rapper ever to have 3 straight number one songs? Wacka Flocka – idiot or are we the dumb ones? Is Wacka really a genius? All these questions and more answered. Required Viewing: WorldStarHipHop
Those are some of my suggestions. Good people of VSB, show me what you got. What classes based on hip-hop do you think would be dope in academia??
Talk to me.
-VSB P aka THE ARSONIST aka TANGLE JIG P aka YUNG P DA FLY THIEF aka GIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRL HE A 3
Psych 411: The reality of Hip Hop Music Videos
This course would discuss all the elements of Hip Hop music videos and what’s really going on to make these guys look like real thugs and ballers…Lesson 1 would start with appearance of excessive popping of bottles…video girls and the extensive procedures they went through to look the way they do i.e(air brush, surgery lots of make up), Rappers like Rick Ross are indeed not thugs, explanations about how Lil Wayne and Drake don’t actually own the 5 Rolls Royce and 6 lambos in there videos and so on and so on
Now that’s the kind of class I would sign up for. There’s a need for a lesson to explain the artist behind the music. Some sort of table to identify who’s really gangster vs. a studio gangster.
I feel like Interscope would put the kibosh on the class and little tiny men in Black suits would come in and whisk the professor away never to be seen again until 20 years later hugging onto a volleyball he named RuPaul.
Ha…good one!
What abt a class on the influence of Scarface/Godfather/Goodfellas on Hip Hop?
Soooo…yeah. Definitely gonna just comment on the comments cuz I got nothing.
Oh, one thing. DMX needs to be medicated. That is all.
I guess self-medication doesn’t count lol
Well, he’s admitted a bipolar diagnosis, so that’s not out of line.
I know and that’s why I said it. Unmedicated bipolar sufferers have a very hard life. With meds, it’s MUCH better.
The interesting thing is that DMX has recently said that he’s off that powder. Now, I can’t say that I believe him, but I cant lie…I’m fairly certain he’s going to go back to jail at least once.
Hell, in a recent interview he said he could go back for 20 years and still come out and be a dope rapper. I ain’t saying it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy…but errrrrum…
The academization of Hip-Hop is nothing new. And sadly, no improvement have apparently been made between Berkeley’s Tupac course in ’97, and this latest development.
Now, while I’m loathe to admit that my adventures in higher education were still worthwhile, I’m a firm believer that where we truly learn is not always in a classroom, but can be in the public library, on-the-job during lunch hour, and even on the bus with some headphones on.
Hip-Hop is distinguished from Rap music because it’s NOT something you can codify, juxtapose, and fit neatly into a syllabus for easy consumption by suburban kids just waiting for their next Dixie cup filled full of Natty-Ice.
True Hip-Hop is far too revolutionary for that.
However, if they ever offer a class discussing the obscure references of Aesop Rock, you can bet I’ll be front row center with my pencil-box.
You’d be in that class alone. Btw, I never really got into Aesop Rock. I know he’s supposed to be dope and all. Just couldn’t really do it.
Also, while I know the academization of hiphop is nothing new, I’ve never been a fan. I remember meeting Tricia Rose some months back and I really just wanted to ask her if she really felt like she added anything to the discourse b/c I thought her book blew chunks. I didn’t know. I respect my elders. And she got a donk.
Psychology 317: Genius vs. Insanity: a study in what the hell happened to lauryn hill and research on how to reverse the process.
That sounds like a good research project for someone like myself who will be entering grad school soon. If I can only secure some grant money, I could introduce some breakthrough research to the world, write a book, have a sit down interview w/ lauryn hill, and parlay that into a professorship. Or I’ll go insane in the process of trying to find the truth.
Postpartum much? He neva let the woman heal, just sayin’
*nods*
YES!!
I was going to make a class surrounding this… but it have to include at least one thesis that she isn’t in fact crazy…. some of the acoustic album has some lyrics that make me think she’s anything _but_ crazy…. so this would make a good class!
I think that martians are going to be studying this 2million years from now. then somebody’s gonna say, “wait, she kirked out on the Pope…AT THE VATICAN??!?!?”
Didn’t we learn that creative geniuses beget insanity….plus drugs, too many d@@@ kids, and a self-righteous baby daddy.
Who denys your kids…yeah, all of that is a recipe for disaster
Women Studies 210: Nicki Minaj (cross listed with Fashion 210: What Not to Wear and How to do It) and Psychology 210: Multiple personality disorders)
Her “persona” is something else. Between the random growly voices and the clothes and the Barbie doll ambitions, I could spend an entire semester trying to figure her out.
anybody but me wonder if Nicki Minaj really sits at home reading Tolstoy?? I kind of think that might be the case.
I had no respect for her until i heard her actually speak and i realized that she could form a complete sentence. She is straight garbage though. I just don’t get it.
She is a less revered version of Gaga. Nicki was your standard (semi)attractive wanna-be singer/rapper getting NO LOVE from labels. She realizes that image > content in this music landscape (and society too, sadly) and does the whole barbie thing. She bit Kim (like Gaga bit Madonna and Grace Jones), added some funny voices, pouts about not being taken seriously because she willingly played the sexpot, and tries to ride off her earlier work as evidence that the persona is more than a crazy colored wig and some childish gibberish over heavily sampled beats. I’m not mad at her hustle, in spite of how much I hate that she’s on my satellite radio waves.
I read an research paper about how young African American women’s views on sexuality are shaped through “scripts” in hip hop culture. Young women take on roles such as the “diva,” “freak,” or “Sista Savior”. Very very interesting.
^^^ Class–> Women’s Studies 4311: P* Poppin’ on a Head Wrap
Focuses of women in hip-hop like Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, Queen Latifah, Moni Love, Nicki Minaj etc and women who have had hip-hop/rap in them (i.e. Kat Stacks, etc)
iDied
Can we have “Erykah Badu’s Vagina” as an extra-credit elective? I mean, I just gotta know how she’s able to pull negroes like Andre 3000, Common AND Jay Electronica. What am I doing wrong?
LMAO!!!!
I think this would be the one class every woman at an HBCU would take…and every man would attempt to NOT date her for that very reason. basically, the species would die out.
Nah, cuz you forget that dudes have to have a crazy chick at least once in their lives. So all the women in that class just need to throw some crazy…deranged on for a few months and they can snag a dude. lol
You need to go to Duke University then. Professor Mark Anthony Neal teaches many classes dealing with hip hop. One class I took was co-taught by Grammy-award winning producer 9th Wonder and dealt with hip hop and sampling (we discussed everyone from Ray Charles and Michael Jackson to Kanye West, Lil Kim and Beyonce). In this same class, we dissected Erykah Badu’s “Window Seat” video and it’s relation to JFK, and we discussed MJB’s performance of Led Zeplin’s “Stairway to Heaven.” He also taught a graduate level course (open to undergrads) where one of the required readings was Jay-Z’s Decoded. Great professor, great class.
Okay, I have a question for you and I’m glad you’re here. Are you a like a hiphop head? Or somebody with an interest that gained something from the class. Because here’s my dilemma with some of this stuff. I’m pretty much as deep a hiphop head as can be. I wonder how much I’d actually gain from a class like that. I can’t imagine much and in some ways because of how deeply my own personal research and interests go, I’d worry about feeling patronized in some of those classes. Like I know 9th, and we’ve had discussions about samples etc, and as somebody who lives in liner notes, I wonder what I could be “taught” so to speak. So what did you get out of the class?
I don’t know if I would consider myself a hiphop head before the classes I took. However, I definitely would consider myself more “hip hop conscious” after taking the class if that makes any sense. Did I gain anything from the class? I think so. It taught me another way of looking at hip hop music, but it definitely wasn’t a class where I was patronized. It was more so a space where the professor would through ideas at you just to see how you’d respond. And then the class would go back and forth. One question I posted for the class when we discussed Black Diaspora as Intellectual Property:
The creation of another sector of music, “Afrobeat,” is illustrated in “Power Music, Electric Revival” when Patel discusses how London served as a musical social conduit for Nigerian artist Fela Kuti. It’s obvious that the practice of borrowing and sampling is not solely confined to black music within the United States. In class discussions, Dr. Neal mentioned James Brown borrowing authentic African music (after his trip to Africa) from Kuti to formulate and perfect his own art form, and African influence was further reiterated in Pierre’s Bennu’s montage of black artists and their additions to the musical diaspora.
With that said, international music tends to have prestige globally, yet the United States is, for the most part, not versed on the success of outside music—especially popular African artists. (Evinced when superstars like Lauryn Hill did not understand the significance of Kuti’s music whose content has its foundations in rebellion, politics, social/class issues, and human rights). What is causing this possible block of entry (or popularity) of international soul music into the United States when artists like 50 Cent, Beyoncé and Jay-Z are pervasive in these countries? Why does the transfer of music seem only one-sided? Are Americans just unresponsive to forms of international music, pursuing a sort of musical Manifest Destiny, or is there a disconnect between black artists in America and black artists in Africa?
We can discuss this more if you’d like, Panama.
Now, 9th wasn’t really heavy on his opinions. He just interjected mostly with the intellectual property dilemmas rappers and producers ran into when they sampled music. For example, he talked about how Kanye made no money off “Golddigger.”
My hate for 9th Wonder has appeared and intensified after reading his Twitter and hearing his opinions.
really? why is that exactly?
Just little things on top of little things. He was recently whining about people not liking Mac Miller because he’s an extremely positive guy. He once said on Twitter that Drake was a great rapper because he enunciated well. ENUNCIATION! He was very glib about his comments concerning the Watch the Throne production talking about it didn’t ‘move him’ to create music. He takes the professor role too seriously for a guy with less than 5 classic beats.
The Hip-Hop Word Count Project is a real-life endeavor that’s pretty compelling. Its goal is to “lock in a time and geographic location for every metaphor, simile, cultural reference, phrase, rhyme style, meme and socio-political idea used in the corpus of Hip-Hop.”
Here’s the link: http://staplecrops.com/index.php/hip-hop-word-count-intro-video/
As for fake-life coursework, I’m going to abstain…for now.
Well that seems like something that is absolutely interesting and THAT is something you could base an entire course upon. Hip-hop and it’s social and demographic changes, etc.
how does hip-hop really move? that’s dope. thanks for that.
@ Wave Cap Willis
Good looking out for adding my project to the discussion.
@ Panama Jackson
If you want to join us and research some of these topics I can send you a log in and create some datavis to go along with your writing.
I’m premiering the US rapper mentions of Champagne brands datavis on Wednesday at MoMA: http://bit.ly/p6jNYA
T
Actual course here:
Religious Studies 311: Religion and Hip-Hop Culture (co-taught by Bernard Freeman better known as Bun B)
I heard! And I kinda love it, good for him
I will say that was one class when I heard about it, i was intrigued by the idea because it has no choice but to actually dig into the connection between the two.
What is this trend of analyzing hip hop albums and artists as part of the school curriculum? What happened to headphones and a long walk home? This “new America” annoys me. I blame this all on Drake.
I dont know, I think Jim Jones is still the reason why the world might end in 2012…or actually…ain’t it all supposed to end in a few days now since it didn’t happen in like April or May or something???
It’s quite possible. I could go on about the dipset for hours based on “no homo” alone, but I’ll refrain. I guess it all goes back to looking for deeper meaning in song lyrics, something that’s been done in every other genre. After some reflection, I don’t really think hip hop should be much different I guess.
I confuse Waka Flocka with Wiz Khalifa. As a young person I’m pretty sure that I’m supposed to keep up with alla’ that. But.. -Sigh- Everytime I hear “No Hands” I feel my brain cells begging me for mercy. -_-
I can’t help but dance when I hear “No Hands.” Why do you hate dancing?
Wiz Khalifa is a foot taller and 75 pounds lighter than Waka Flocka, LOL.
I don’t know. Waka aint’ exactly short. Wiz is 6’4″ but I think Waka might be like 6 feet though. You’re def right about the weight class though.
And I’m with you, “No Hands” is dopeness to the nth degree.
Nah, Waka took a pic with my brother. He’s at least 6’3″. Didn’t know Wiz was that tall tho. I’d be shocked if he weighed more than 140 tho…
Well it can be kinda hard to do it with no hands but if you keep trying you will get the hang of it.
Wouldn’t ” no hands” lead to someone falling and a snapped erection accident ?
???
no
BCHS 6315: The Influence of Hip-Hop on Health Behaviors
Oh mah gawd! I would take this class in a heartbeat!
This is a good one. I had a thought related to this when I heard that Drake song saying “I’m on one.” I wonder how many people rolled for the first time based off that song?
such as?
like do you think hiphop has a negative impact on diabetes? lol
or are we just talking about drugs and alcohol and safe (or lack thereof) sex
Risky behaviors such as alcohol, drugs, sex and anything else exhibited in diff forms of mass media
the increase in consumption of dessert wines and other liqeurs
Videography 300: Hype Williams and the excessive use of the same music video treatment/script
A look into the non growth of director Hype Williams and why all his music videos look like the flashing light scene from Belly. Required viewing: Kanye West-Gold Digger, Big Sean-Marvin & Chardonnay, Lloyd-Girls Around the World, Jamie Foxx-Blame It, etc., etc.
Lol at non growth!
LMBO! Don’t they tho?! All them joints look like that scene.
So true…it’s not quite a trademark. I really don’t understand
I would definitely include Little X and Chris Robinson in this.
I actually think a class on the Evolution of the Hip-Hop video would be interesting. B’c for a long time…there were very few women in the videos. It was just dudes and their boys kicking at the camera. One day it was nothing but scantily clad women. now it’s thugs and scantily clad women.
By the way, I’d TOTALLY take a class on BET UnCut.
I miss UnCut!!
*sings* “White Giiiirrrrrllll… Going thru my mind”
For you:
http://youtu.be/vP4SVv9cJ7k
I blame Qtip for the modern day video vixen trend. Before that, most video girls looked like chicks you could see walking down the street. That video? Unless you lived in Cali or South Florida or Guyana you were out of luck. Ever since, the video chicks have gotten, as a whole, lighter/whiter {except round the hind parts}
I took a hip hop cinema class during undergrand & loved it. Like you, I’ll take ALMOST any class on hip hop because I feel I can not only relate, but offer my expertise. But on the flip, it was a little odd being one of 4 black folk in a class of 300 Wu Wear rocking mofos. #Awkward
But there needs to be a class about women in hip hop. A serious one.
Maybe…
From B-girls to B*tches: the Evolution of Women in Hip Hop.
Worth a look, no?
that would be worth a look. you should make that happen.
Physical Education: B-Girl Stance to Booty Shakin’
Dancers in hip-hop videos– from the cardboard to the pole. A head stand while break dancing & a head stand while p-poppin… is it dancing? Required viewing: Yo MTV Rap, Rap City and UnCut. Guest speakers: Big Lez and “Miss Freak-A-Leek” Esther Baxter.
LOL yesssss.
mmmhmm and a pole dance class for extra credit!
good one. nothing like a class dedicated to watchin that azz. oh…wait…that’s not the point is it?
sir.
Psychology 009* – Marriage Dynamics and Procreation, taught by Fantasia, Alicia Keys, Lauryn Hill and guest appearances by Angelina Jolie.
How to fail at being a homewrecker
Economics 010* – Hustling Backwards with Tim Montgomery. Did any of you all watch Sweetie Pie’s? Tim decides to propose to his pregnant girlfriend. He drives his brand new super fly Mercedes sports car to the pawn shop to pawn his Rolex to get the money to buy her a ring. I cried while typing that
*in other words, a remedial level class
How Fantasia gonna teach a class tho? I’m over hear rolling at the thought of her teaching them I saw you listed it as a remedial course. Smh, thou hast slain me.
Why do I feel like everyone but Lauryn is winning tho
I saw some of Sweetie Pies. Perhaps your boy was actually being frugal?…
Economics 010* – Hustling Backwards with Tim Montgomery. Did any of you all watch Sweetie Pie’s? Tim decides to propose to his pregnant girlfriend. He drives his brand new super fly Mercedes sports car to the pawn shop to pawn his Rolex to get the money to buy her a ring. I cried while typing that
wait wait…JIGGA WHAT???
I cannot for the life of me believe that this is on the OWN network. Jeez!
Business 330- Music to Diversifying your Business, Racks on Racks on Racks, RACKS!
Watching the importance of moderately talented rappers and linking up with other companies for ad money. Because with the advent of iTunes most rappers would be penniless without such advertisement money, except for Lil Wayne. Endorsements keep a rapper’s profile rank high on Forbes’ List!
50 Cent- SmartWater
Diddy- Ciroc
Pharrell-Qream
Dre- Beatz headphones
List continues…
I dont know if Dre fully counts on that list….Dre helped create them joints. He ain’t just adding his name to the ads. His name is IN the product. but i do see your point.
I wonder how much money Ciroc hits Puffy off with. Because it has to be real in order for him to be kirkin out on somebody at a club for drankin’ that blue top.
it wasn’t just money- he was paid with a bunch of shares in the company before he helped it blow up- so he made/is making a ton
Emo @zz puffy would kirk out on somebody for far, far less than serious dough.
Music 808: One man, One sound
Swizz Beatz– Why can we sing/rap just about all the songs he’s produce to any one of his beats?
Required listening: All songs he’s produced
Swizz Beats needs to teach Evading Child Support 335: Fathering children in other countries
I died a million deaths because of this comment.
Been reading for a while, but this is my first time commenting.
*dead*
That’s just not fair. He only has ONE kid in a foreign country. But I do think that makes him a pioneer in hip-hop circles.
ahahahahahaha holy crap I Am Your People! I’m literally LOL-ing looool
Doesn’t Jay-Z have a son in Trinidad?
There’s already been classes taugh on Lady Gaga and the sociology of the fame at USC (South Collardgreens) so why not? I’d definitely add Pimps Up, Hos Down by T.D. Sharpley-Whiting to a “course materials required” list to the courses above!
My course: Philosophy 202: The Ethics, Education and “Crossing Over” in Hip Hop, beginning with Will Smith
i’d totally take that class.
I think Will definitely deserves his own class because his career arc is insane.
Agreed. How the heck he got from where he started to where he is now is nuts.
real talk. i do think that at some point, a class on Will Smith’s on-screen (flim and tv) would go well in a filim school marketing class.
B/c he never tried to be hard nor become an a$$ just to make money. Producers recognized that and wanted him b/c he had cross over hits in the late 80s. The movies he chose to do were also good. I can’t think of one bad Will Smith film. He took charge of his career from early on. When you think about it, he just stayed himself.
I know of one bad Will Smith movie….Wild Wild West anyone? He still owes me $7.50 and 2 hours of my life for that one. And let’s not forget the Legend of Bagger Vance. Snooze. Other than those two Will’s good with me.
why would they teach a class on Lady Gaga? that’s like teaching students how to plagiarize.
Screenwriting 407 Honors – writing Blackbuster Films
How to get rich making skraight (not straight) to DVD movies. Vivica A Fox will do a guest session on how to cast (her) in all these films
Sociology 112 – Failing at Gold Digging – what I would have done: the Basketball almost-wives review what went wrong as to why they didn’t get married. A #winning class taught by Evelyn Lozada, who broke up with the now bankrupt Antoine Walker and is engaged (on TV at least) to Ocho Cinco
I lowkey wanna write a Blackbuster film right after I break in with a credible one.
Vivica Fox is the posterchild for bad black movies. Which is interesting cuz she was in totally respectable movies too, like Independence Day. Do y’all realize that sh*t came out like 15 years ago??!?! Viv is like 70! She was old as hell then!
She’s wearing 70 well though
She has a lovely figure but her new face is kinda of… um… off-putting.
Might Don’t Make It: Keeping Up With the Cobains and the Integration of White Boy Wasted
The Oakland Crack Epidemic and its Direct Correlation with ADHD and the Hyphy Movement ——————————-> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GZbaXdK8Js&ob=av2e
Knowing Every Too $hort Song By Heart’s Effects on Modern Feminism
As an Oakland native, this is good stuff Christina! All of this!
That first class seems like quite the entertaining one! I wonder if you’d have to see just how white boy wasted you could get in the class as the final.
” The Oakland Crack Epidemic and its Direct Correlation with ADHD and the Hyphy Movement ”
hahahaha! Now THAT ish cracked me up<——(see what I did there).
I knew it had to be crack that started the Hyphy Movement lmao! Good call
ROTFLMAO (and I haven’t said that in AGES) @ “it’s direct correlation w/ ADHD and the Hyphy Movement”… bwhahahahahahahaha!!
Business 401: From Hooker to Housewife — Hoe Your Way to a Thriving Business
Taught by Prof. Karrine Steffans. Guest lectures throughout the year from Kim Kardashian, Sasha DinDayal and Amber Rose.
*likes*
Tee hee! Yes.
This class would be full every single time it’s offered. Sigh.
You forgot Dreya (BBW LA)
yes yes. a thouasand times yes.
now, i’d wonder who’d sign up for the class. if you taught that at an hbcu, every chick in there would be labeled.
Probably would be an online class for anonymity’s sake for the suburban chicks and good girls with bad girl tendencies.
I’m curious, not because I want to put it to use though. Draya says she’s paying LA bills and her moms bills. I wanna know where this money is coming from?
rapmetrics.wordpress.com already studies lyrics. I’ll have my own suggestions later.
Thoroughly enjoyed this post. Entertaining and thought-provoking.
thank you kindly.
A lot of those classes I’d straight up take. Especially one centered around The Wire.
Oh, and I would think that that 1-credit lab for the Waka class would be Geometry. Since that’s his desired major. -_-
Cheekie, you didn’t have to. You didn’t. Let him have his goals.
LOL, I ain’t stoppin’ him! The college’s curriculum might, doe.
See. I was trying. Dayum you cheekie I was trying, I really was!
did he really say that?!
yes. he did. in his defense, he also said he did want to go back to school right before he said that.
so its like a positive AND a *scratches head* WTF moment. but his WTF moment illustrated why he needed to go back to school.
That Wacka gives the people everything.
Here’s a class suggestion: English 201: Lyrical Fundamentals for Southern Emcees. Emcees will learn how to construct fundamental lyrical structures in hip-hop, such as internal rhyme, iambic pentameter and hexameter in order to create complex lyrical scenes within standard and freestyle hip-hop forms. A key foundational text will be Eric B and Rakim’s Paid in Full. Other texts include Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s Adventures on the Wheel of Steel, LL Cool J’s Radio, Run DMC’s Tougher than Leather, Raekwon and Ghostface Killah’s Only Built for Cuban Linx, Eminem’s Marshall Mathers LP and 50 Cent’s Get Rich or Die Tryin’. A thesis in the form of an EP will be submitted at the end of this course for grading. House Producers will include DJ Premier and Dr. Dre.
…for southern emcees…
sounds like shots fired…. lol
Indeed shots were fired. Wait until the planes will smart bombs cruise over various cities in the South.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hXQMjjuNe0
that’s fresh to death
+1
I’m protesting this class. #OccupyEnglish201. Why can’t we speak our way?
You can speak however you want…just so long as it’s above a 4th grade level.
Isn’t marketing text is supposed to be at about a 3rd grade reading level? (Any marketing majors in the house? Maybe I heard wrong.) If assume that marketing concept is accurate, wouldn’t it be reasonable for music artists to use simpler lyrics?
Maybe it’s the New Yorker in me. But living in a world where Papoose has trouble selling wood while the Southern flavor of the Month can go platinum out of a sense of regional loyalty is sad. It makes me wonder why Kool Herc, Afrika Bambataa and Grandmaster Flash even took to a pair of turntables. In a just world, 50% of Southern hip-hop revenue would be donated to the Cold Crush Brothers, the Treacherous Three and other old school hip-hop groups. After all, they actually innovated, while Southerners are just screaming their city’s name in the midst of grade-school lyrics…thus guaranteeing album sales.
“…screaming their city’s name in the midst of grade-school lyrics…thus guaranteeing album sales.”
Meaning people like screaming their city’s name and grade school lyrics, right? People who want literature go to skewl.
I’m just bothering you though, I understand and I agree. I get annoyed with the lyrics coming from hip hop singers too. If I hear “baby, it’s driving me crazy…” one more damn time I might have to light something on fire.
you know that Papoose sucks right?
Hasn’t Papoose been in the “game” for like 10+ years and still hasn’t blown up yet? 0_o
yeah. he sucks. lol
Thank you Panama! I hate how ppl decide to dis a whole region just because they like wack artists. I didn’t even feel like it was worth responding to that comment, but I’m glad you’re with me on that one. He’s trash…
i always love you uppity NY ninjas hating on Southern rappers. lol
don’t be mad, UPS is hiring.
First of all, apologize for that Papoose remark. I’m not saying I’ll ride with every NY rapper, but let’s get real. I recognize quality when I see it.
Also, I don’t get how NY gets this uppity rep in hip-hop. If anything, we’re just hard on anyone. Just because we want to hear something interesting, creative and innovative in the production makes us uppity? If I wanted to hear the same mess over and over, why buy more than a few albums? I’m not saying that Southern rappers can’t be creative. Heck, if you told me in 2003 what Li’l Wayne would have turned out to be, I would be shocked. That said, it just seems like Southern rappers stick to a script and rarely deviate from it. All things being equal, I’d rather someone fail trying to do something different than succeed doing the same music from 15-20 years ago.
I think preference like this are acquired. B/c I feel the same way about “New York rappers”, w/ the exception of a few. But if anyone who owns a Dipset CD has ANYTHING to say about southern rap…I think they need a head examination. But again… I think it’s acquired. Could be that I’m from New Orleans, or maybe b/c I went to college in country ass Tuskegee, but I can tolerate screaming over raspy attempts at sexy voices saying “yo B- son- word- my muthfa”….ALL. DAY! *shrug*
CHURCH! Seriously though, how does someone go from “someone tell me when did New York start bouncin’”…to making Bounce music with a New York accent? See? This is how people start seeing eye-to-eye.
See the burgeoning career of : ASAP Rocky
dude is a cat from Harlem who has stated he doens’t f*ck with NY rappers and has pretty much jacked his entire steez from Houston. and somehow…NY is embracing him. wtf???
I shall not apologize for that comment. Papoose sucks. You could replace him with Saigon, Torae, Skyzoo, or any number of randomly pseudo interesting rappers and get the same thing…extremely boring guys who have a way with words. Yahoo.
Now, you can make the same broken record argument about NY rappers, too. The ONLY difference is that southern sounding rap dominates the airwaves and videos. There’s very little southern regionality because it goes national. As somebody who spends as much time digging into “underground” NY hiphop, all that sh*t sounds the exact same too. Except the beats aren’t that dope so it blows. It just doesnt get radio spins. That’s the ONLY difference. NY rappers don’t really deviate either…No idea’s original anymore.
At least a lot of the beats that come out of southern producers bang. That used to be the case with NY producers but it isn’t so much anymore. And this aint a East vs South thing. It’s a new technology thing…very few new producers are learning MPC’s, they just copped Phantom’s or use the patches in ProTools, FL or Logic. Why sample when you have to clear samples so folks make the same type of sh*t beatwise which all sounds like southern influenced synth music. Blame capitalism.
PJ, I see we’re going to have to agree to disagree. I don’t care how interesting you look on stage if you can’t rap worth a taste. Also, I don’t care how danceable your beats are UNLESS you’re trying to make a club banger. A producer’s job is to set a stage for the guy to spit. Of course, a producer can make a mediocre rapper look good, and that’s OK. However, the rapper has to do their job on the beat and use their skills to the best of their ability.
I’d rather listen to a brilliant troll-looking dude with a nice sounding beat than some flashy dude backed by some producer who doesn’t know that a Triton is to be used, not abused. Heck, if you can’t clear the sample, replay it for goodness sake. Dr. Dre has been doing that for years, and all it requires is mechanical royalties. Failing that, LEARN TO FVCKING WRITE MUSIC! The Rza had to learn to do that too.
Not sure which part we’re agreeing to disagree on. I’m not saying that southern producers and rappers don’t need to step it up…my point is that goes for NY rappers too. Radio is just dominated by Southern stuff.
But I will say that you lose me with the learn to write music sh*t. I’d say that a vast majority of producers probably can’t and I don’t feel like music is suffering because of it, though there are moments when I’m surprised by the actual musical backgrounds of some producers. Everybody ain’t about to take a music theory class like Dre or RZA. Hell, Coltrane couldn’t even read music.
Maybe Premier took a music class but I don’t think that would have made a difference in his music…and if he has, it definitely HASN’T affected sh*t since every beat he makes now sounds the same. Same with Pete Rock or even Dre and that pains me to no end. One of the most musical producers out there, DJ Quik, is also making crap nowadays (and he’s hands down one of my favorites). My point is, learning to write music doesn’t give you much more credibilty if the sh*t sucks anyway.
What makes NY music folks uppity is that you all complain about everybody else but it aint like the sh*t coming out of NY is doing any of the things you’re talking about? Who coming out of NY is being so creative or innovative with production or anything?
The part where we disagree is where you referred to a number of MCs as “extremely boring guys who have a way with words. Yahoo.” Personally, I want MCs who have a way with words. That’s the point. You care more about personality than I do.
Also, I don’t get this rep that we’re these judgmental people that won’t accept what anyone else is doing. For one, you just contradicted yourself by mentioning ASAP Rocky. We can’t be judgmental AND accept people completely different from the norm. On the flip side, too many Southern hip-hop fans will reject a NY rapper out of hand for being too complex or abstract or not being danceable. In other words, the Southern heads want us to sound like them while we’re doing our own thing…including accepting Southern music. You can’t have it both ways.
Actually, personality doesn’t solely drive me. But just having a way with words isn’t enough to get me over the top either. But we could go back and forth on that all day.
Youre right. I did contradict myself with ASAP Rocky, but I aso agree with the folks at The Smooking Section when they said his cosigns are coming from folks who only like him cuz he doesnt sound like a NY rapper…he’s NY’s answer to the south or some such. But I cant imagine that most folks yourself would rock with him (I personally dont either). See, I dont think most southern rappers complain about NY. We all know that’s where hiphop comes from. We’re just trying to do our thing. Any and all of our complaints come from NY ninjas complainig and beefing with Southerners taking over the airwaves etc. Granted, you do have some folks who won’t listen to a NY rapper off GP, but that exists everywhere. There are NY dudes who do the same thing and wEst coast rappers who do the same thing. That’s just people.
I dont think southern artists give two sh*ts what y’all are doing. Do y’all. I think NY rappers on the other hand do most of the b*tching and moaning b/c they feel like they’re losing money they were never really making in the first place. And I aint saying that there’s any defense for completely stupid sh*t like “laffy taffy” etc. But what makes that different than Cam’s “cookis and apple juice”.
i don’t think you’re allowing for the fact that we’re discussing music, and people have different needs for their music.
do you know there are a lot of people who don’t read books? like, at all. they don’t even own books. i bet there is a large overlap between those people, and the people who are not going to be into a song where the rhymes are so complex that they have to listen more than 2x to catch them.
just like other people don’t dance…they’re probably not gonna have the greatest appreciation for the club banger .i’m not from the south but when i hear the word “music”, i think of sounds that you dance to…that’s what music is supposed to be to 2 me…yes, i still have an appreciation for thought-provoking and inspiring lyrics but if the most “dancing” i can do is to bob my head really hard, that’s fulfilling a different need than my need for “music”.
Nicki Minaj is from Queens. Take that as you will. New York music folks are uppity because we built it. I think someone would be insane to not admit that it’s been a LONG time since someone interesting came from here as far as hip hop is concerned. Which is odd because we used to have the Wu, A Tribe Called Quest, De la Soul, Rawkus Records, etc.
There shouldn’t ever be a signature NY sound. That the antithesis to what New York represents.
Agreed. 50 was interesting to me because I knew (or had mutual acquaintances with) a lot of the people in his back story. However, I think it became a self-reinforcing cycle. Once there was a fall-off, people became afraid to try stuff, and it spiraled down to where we have it now.
And she wasnt as ‘interesting’ before. Maybe the key is to have NY MC’s learn how to be interesting from the south.
I am old as f*ck yet peruse these halls because I have a son deep into music/beats/writing etc. Coltrane could read music.
PJ. You dont care for Dyson because he is a self appointed expert, tenured professor, proprietary, lightskinned, getting fat..???
I think New York has a right to be uppity about hip hop. It was born here, after all. Holla to NYC, especially the BX for making this possible.
Rotflmao
I have to agree. I don’t care how bangin a beat is if you can’t string two intelligent words together, let alone a whole verse, then I’m not interested. To me hip-hop is about the lyrics. Some of these southern emcees sound like they have marbles in their mouth and when they do speak clearly I’m confused as to what it is they are trying to say.
Women’s Studies 069: Self-Sexual Exploitation in Rap: An in-depth analysis of the works and images of Lil Kim, Foxy Brown, and Nicki Minaj.
I would take this class!
me too Kema!
I see your point, but I don’t know where to draw the line. It seems like the vast majority of female emcees are either super-wh0res or tomboys with nothing in the middle. There are very few rappers who are just women, full stop. Sigh…
Well… there are very few female rappers we get to see, period…
I thought Salt-N-Pepa were the in between–chill women who could kick it with guys but still be sexy. Something happened after them though, and it hasn’t been good.
Agreed on Salt-N-Pepa. I would say Da Brat but she actually totally changed her image when she went through the sexy phase (and then changed back… and then again…). But, Salt-N-Pepa seemed to do the mix of sexy/down with the guys pretty seamlessly.
“Producing: Great producer + mediocre artist = Success” This class will focus on the history of the producer and the horrible artists that need them.
“One Download Wonders: How iTunes has helped the rap game” This class will focus on those artist that have been successful through one downloaded song on iTunes (ie Souljah Boy). *This class could actually be taught for all music but hip-hop would definitely have a month case study*
“Video Vixens: From the around the way girl to the racially ambiguous video model” This class will focus on the evolution of having the girl that looked like she came from your neighborhood to the girls who looked like they are now manufactured and what this has done to the black woman’s psyche.
“BET, what happened? No seriously, what happened?” This class will focus on where in the h3ll did BET lose it’s way. Also, a part of this class will focus on why was Ciara’s video blocked for gyrating and booty popping when…well…all other videos on BET are nothing but gyrating and booty popping.
You know the Production class would STAY full seeing as how it would have to be mandatory for virtually every producer north of the Mason Dixon right?
LOL…North of the mason dixon? Nah. The south needs this class too…A LOT.
you’re entire first suggestion could be an analysis of Group Home’s seminal Livin’ Proof album.
What classes based on hip-hop do you think would be dope in academia??
1. The Culture of Female Empowerment- Part of this class would explore dominance through $exuality as displayed by female popular female hip hop artists
2. Cross Promotional-Marketing Case Studies: How you start off as a rapper and end up with energy drinks, cologne, and clothing lines to include Diddy, Jay, and Bey.
3. Freestyling 101- I’d bet this exists already. It’s essentially drama- improvisation- but to a beat.
4. Social Networking for Dramatic Effect: How to effectively create Twitter beefs and make sound-bite worthy offensive comments in interviews.
5. The Kinesiology of Hip Hop: How do certain drum beats elicit automatic physical movements. (Like why does the “6-foot, 7-foot” beat make me swing my head up and down?)
lol. the last class could be a hilarious one.
“Hip Hop History 101: Sample This!” – The examination of at some of the most popular samples in all of hip hop, as well as not-so-popular. Students will be able to understand the influence of jazz and classical music, even some Broadway songs, in hip hop music. You’d be surprised to know that some of your favorite producers had influences themselves.
Should also add “Independent Marketing 101″ – a look at how some of today’s hottest rappers became big off little to no promotion from major record labels. Find out how putting your music out there for free became a marketing risk and a major success. Possible class visits from Big K.R.I.T., Childish Gambino, and The Weeknd.
And Mike Jones!
Who?
MIKE JONES!
*DEAD* LOL
American & Asian influence on culture 101: Wutang Clan and Japan- A case study in kung fu influence on hip hop and hip hop influencing Japanese culture.
That’d be dope!
awww, give my comment free, i didn’t even say a bad word!
REeady to Die: The Life and Words of The Notorious B.I.G.
In this cousre, we will examine the compeliing stories of one Christopher Wallace, how the relate to the times, and the deeper meaning behind provacative works such as Me and My B!tch, Playa Hater Hater, Nasty Boy, Dreams, ect.
for the “Psychology 341 – Cam’Ron and DipSet: The Birth of A Nation” i think additional but not required viewing material should be “killa season”…. i’m sad to say that i own this dvd.
I also own that DVD. i love that DVD.
lol now i don’t feel so bad. tell the most hilarious part isn’t when cam missed the game winning shot at the beginning and the look on ma$e’s face.
that movie is an exercise in entertainment at its worst.
This was really cool to read. I am currently the Hip Hop Archive at Harvard University. Although I am a hip hop intellectual I am first and foremost a member/participant/producer/activist of the hip-hop generation. I feel you on some of your ideas. Please feel free to contact me.
I absolutely will.
Long time no see VSB crowd. I took Dyson’s course on Tupac at Penn. I also took Marc Lamont Hill’s Hip Hop course at Penn.
Both classes were thoroughly enjoyable. The benefits of both classes were that they put the lyrics into context. As a dude who grew up listening to rap and hip-hop, I knew the lyrics and the beats. I knew what was hot and what was trash. But sometime, we forget the context around the creation of the song.
Furthermore, the Tupac class spent a lot of time discussing the apparent hypocrisy of Tupac’s lyrics and in Hip Hop in general.
I’d recommend it to any and everyone with remotely an interest in the genre.
Lastly, Dyson is much more personable in person. He bought all of my books for the course b/c I told him I was hood niglet and couldnt afford the 50-11 books on the required reading list. Plus, he took me to lunch so that I could explain to him who shot Tupac the first time and how 50 knows it all.
I’ll ask you the same question I asked upthread, b/c I often wonder if I’d get anything out of these types of classes b/c of how much of a head (and active participant head) I am. Like did you really get much out of it? You say you got context about songs, but somebody like me devours that type of info anyway…so what would there be to get out of it.
Also, interesting you said they were enjoyable classes. I also know somebody who took Dyson’s class on Pac at Penn and she said it sucked.
Part of the thing you get out of the class is actively discussing songs and lyrics with people that are not always immersed in the culture. Gaining an understanding of how songs look to those who are not hip hop heads can really change your perspective on a few songs. I know it has for me.
Then also, it was intriguing to study themes and patterns throughout their music, much in the way that one would take a course on Dickens or DuBois, or any other literary figure. There are somethings that even as a hip hop head, that we miss and sometimes the classes, either through the professor or through other students, point things out.
Maybe you wont get much, much in the same way that a person who reads Descartes for fun may not get much out of a Intro to Philosophy. However, I think there is something to come out of structured dialogue on a topic and from close readings of lyrics
you’re right about that. having debates about hip-hop in an academic setting might actually make for some interesting times. that part i might like.
I gotta say sumthin, cuz know a lil sumthin about the following oxymoron:
“…I was hood niglet and couldnt afford the 50-11 books on the required reading list ———> I took Dyson’s course on Tupac at PENN. I also took Marc Lamont Hill’s Hip Hop course at PENN.”
Yo. I’m proud of you. For real.
#ThatIsAll
Thanks! I’m proud of me too. #NoWayne
Sociology 119 – The Wire and You: Too funny! But, I could fill a lecture hall with folks, black and white, who’d take that class and still have people on the waiting list.
Somehow, this course seemed familiar. I checked it out and found: “Professors at Harvard, U.C.—Berkeley, Duke, and Middlebury are now offering courses on the show.” Top notch schools no less.
It’s not hard to imagine a parent saying, “I’ve been saving since the day you were born to go to a good school and now I’m shelling out $50k/year for you to watch a TV show I’ve got on my DVR. Hell no!”
has anybody referenced http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/08/18/107-self-aware-hip-hop-references/ yet?
>> Fashion and Design 224 – From Jansport To The Louis Vuitton Duffel Bag
Haha, I would definitely want to see this and know why it happened. Men are now allowed to carry purses and call it a duffle bag/satchel/everyday luggage. Chill out people.
Don’t know if this matters but I took a Music & Hip Hop class at my university (UAlbany) and it was as interesting as I thought it would be. It’s the only hip hop class I know of and it’s a damn shame. We definitely need more.
Funny post. Lol oh and that Cam’ron one? I would leave my class early to stop in
The Intersection of Hip-Hop and Black Literature 101: Bigger Thomas and Biggie Smalls
The Intersection of Hip-Hop and Black Literature 201: Go Tell It On An Illmatic Mountain
The Intersection of Hip-Hop and Black Literature 301: An Invisible Man’s Reasonable Doubt
I’ve always said that the characters Biggie, Nas and J present in their debut albums are mirror images of the characters Wright, Baldwin and Ellison present in Native Son, Go Tell It On the Mountain and Invisible Man.
Ready to Die and Native son are really like the exact same story down to the suicide at the end. Biggie and Wright both present the urban black male victim of his environment who’s frustrated with his inability to escape his environment but not fully aware enough process the external societal factors that influence it, and him. Ultimately, that frustration proves to be too much and they do what they have to do to escape.
Nas in Illmatic is John in Go Tell it On the Mountain, a young man who’s looking out into the world, seeing that sh*t aint the way it’s supposed to be and trying to find a voice to tell the world. Nas discovers rap, John accepts the holy ghost and great commission.
And in Reasonable Doubt and Invisible Man we get the evolution of the urban black man we met in Wright and Biggie’s Bigger Thomas/Biggie Smalls. In Hov and Ellison’s work we get a man who sees that he is a victim of his environment, sees all of the external, sociopolitical factors that have made his environment what it is, and can make an informed decision about how they will reconcile it all. In Invisible Man, Ellison’s character decides to disappear for awhile and then reemerge to tell the world his story because he speaks for you. In Reasonable Doubt, Hov decides that he’s going to tell you everything he’s done, everything he was forced to do and let you decide whether or not he has a “Reasonable Doubt” – whether or not his actions can be understood and to some extent excused because he was without other choice.
So yeah, I’m actually working on a long form piece for publication on this so – nobody steal the idea nah mean. Great post homey.
Wow! Please hurry up and finish this.
Damn, didn’t realize how long this comment was till it posted.
I am a Spanish teacher and this was soooo good that I had to tell one of our English teachers who teaches all of those books. I’m on the phone with her now and she was sooo excited. Don’t worry, I will make sure that if she brings it up she’ll credit it to “themostinterestingmanintheworld”
I am a Spanish teacher and this was soooo good that I had to tell one of our English teachers who teaches all of those books. I’m on the phone with her now and she was sooo excited. Don’t worry, I will make sure that if she brings it up she’ll credit it to “themostinterestingmanintheworld”
Most interesting post I have read in some time. Bigge smalls/bigger Thomas? Sheeeeeeeet that’s the type of juxtoposition people need to analyze. Killa season is a classic!!!!
Homophobia in hip hop….why so many feel the need to add ‘pause’ or ‘no homo’ after every statement…..*pause*
Good write-up Panama!
I wonder what kind of in-depth discussions this course could offer. I mean if it were at Morehouse and not Georgetown, then I’d assume that students actually got some of the deep lyrics, some of the problems he mentions in his songs, and some of the ish he says that’s just disrespectful. I don’t know, I just feel like Dyson is just trying to pimp hip hop a little more.
Exactly….Dyson’s getting a paycheck like usual. Never met the man, but can’t shake that feeling…
I think I despise him more than Vince Carter….if you from Toronto you know why
Would offering a course titled, “Profiting off of someone else’s death: the story of Sean Combs” be too much? We can use Jay-Z as an example too, I guess.
Haven’t finished ready this but I had to say “me too” to your distaste for Mista Dyson…um…er…rather, the literary works of Mista Dyson…specifically Tupac related…
Any book that he wrote on my fav poet, every interview he had during Tupac centered exposees, every word uttered through his lips about almost anything hip hop related, g-rated and intellectualized for his white constituents…made me want to rake fine followed by course sandpaper against my eyeballs……
I will continue reading your post now….merci
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There is a class at Harvard on The Wire already!
African and African American Studies 115: HBO’s The Wire and its Contribution to Understanding Urban Inequality
Taught by: William Julius Wilson
“Although journalists and media critics around the world have heaped deserved acclaim on The Wire, many people do not recognize its contribution to social science. Students in this seminar will watch, critique, and discuss selected episodes of The Wire along with assigned readings on urban inequality that relate to these episodes. The assigned readings will feature academic books and research articles that describe and analyze life and experiences in inner city neighborhoods, as well as the social, economic, political, and cultural factors that shape or influence these experiences.”
I Launched The Datavis At MoMA Today: http://staplecrops.com/champagne
*DEAD* @ Wacka Flocka! ROFLMAOOOOOOOOOOO…..vsb keep up the good work! I come here for the laughs!
I’m not a fan of Dyson. I think he pimps the black culture….