Course Description:
For many decades, the hip-hop culture has resonated with young men and women across America and has played a crucial role in history as the voice of the voiceless and oppressed. This course seeks to address, analyze and explore the historical, political and social aspects of the hip-hop movement and culture through a close examination of race, gender and feminism. The course serves as a space for debate, critical thinking and discussion about the relationship between hip-hop and the feminist understandings of Americans. We will ultimately explore hip-hop’s ability to empower and inspire young black women, while sharing and recognizing their often-misunderstood narrative.
Course Readings:
- Week One- Hip Hop Beginnings:
Yes Yes Y’all: The Experience Music Project Oral History Of Hip-hop’s First Decade by Jim Fricke
First, we’ll be exploring of the rise and evolution of the hip-hop movement in a narrative and storytelling format. We’ll view the history of this movement and culture through 50 of hip-hop’s founders and stars, old school and new and even DJ Kool Herc, who was credited for originating hip hop music. As we go over the expansive culture, which includes gangs to b-boys, DJs, MCs and commercialization and more, we’ll visually trace the formation of hip-hop culture through interviews with those who were around for the first ten years, photos, original party flyers and more.
Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of Hip Hop by Jeff Chang
Here we’ll also analyze the history of the hip-hop movement and culture, but with a different perspective rather than that of the founders. We’ll discuss the emergence of the hip-hop generation, through the cultural and the political changes. This is set during post-civil rights era and a time that was defined by deindustrialization and globalization. Hip-hop became a generation-defining movement and about youth rebellion and the narrative of the oppressed during this time.
- Week Two- Debunking the Negative Narrative:
The Hip-Hop Wars: What We Talk About When We Talk About Rap – and Why it Matters by Tricia Rose.
This work continues to highlight the history of hip-hop, but also analyzes and debunks the myths of hip-hop, for example, how hip hop is violent. The author also analyzes the criticism of how hip hop demeans woman and the belief that “the vulgar disrespect of women in hip hop is part of a larger decline in American society.” She compares these myths to the time in history when woman couldn’t even vote. Ultimately, the author illuminates the idea that hip-hop is merely reflecting the realities of black urban life.
- Week Three- The Invisible Woman: Civil Rights & Women’s Rights & Feminism:
Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment by Patricica Hill-Collins
Black women are uniquely positioned to understand how oppression works because of their experiences at the intersections of race, gender and class based oppressions through American history. Even the idea of feminism has once excluded black woman as a group. That is where hip-hop feminism comes in. The first wave of feminism was not representative of black women (since they are considered the lowest of the low in terms of oppression). At this time in history, they were fighting for both their civil and women rights.
Why it matters to have ‘Black Girls Rock’ with Meliisa Harris Perry: http://www.msnbc.com/melissa-harris-perry/watch/why-it-matters-to-have–black-girls-rock–423156291533
This clip expresses the importance of affirmation and representation. Considering the history of black women in the United States, struggling to achieve both women’s rights and civil rights, it shows the importance of recognizing the black women narrative and the role hip hop feminism can have as a form of representation and affirmation as well. In essence of Black Girls Rock is actually DJing, which is the original form of hip-hop. This opens up the conversation for how hip-hop can actually empower and inspire young women.
- Week Four- Hip Hop as a Feminism Tool:
Catching a Wave: Reclaiming Feminism for the 21st Century by Rory Dicker (p. 232-244)
This book speaks to the evolution of feminism. Here we’re studying and analyzing the third wave of feminism that differs from the pervious versions that seemed to suit a particular group of women over another. The third wave of feminism takes into account the idea of diversity.
When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost by Joan Morgan (p. 27-83)
Here we will be examining why black women reject feminism, which only considers gender at the center of an experience, and instead embrace an idea like hip hop feminism that places gender, race, class and more at the center of that experience instead.
