Hip Hop and the Intellectual Tradition

Catalog description

Examines the world of hip-hop, by framing it within the fields of intellectual theory and examining the scholarly and artistic contributions of rap artists, writers, and scholars who intellectualize the global and cultural phenomenon of Hip Hop. This course will attempt to complicate the largely historical and non-theoretical treatment of hip hop in mass-mediated portrayals by engaging in a cultural studies critique of youth cultural formations and the rapid global industrialization of hip-hop. The course will also highlight how contemporary issues concerning racial and gender politics, sexual orientation, globalization, and neocolonialism are tackled by the music and culture.