IODLCS0121 - It's Bigger then Hip Hop: Exploring the Evolution of Race and Identity through Hip-Hop

Course Description

Hip-hop is no longer a subculture where members of marginalized groups are rapping and DJing, break dancing, and participating in the activity of graffiti. No, Hip-hop has evolved into a worldwide phenomenon. Not only do Hip-hop artists such as Jay-Z perform to sold out crowds at Madison Square Garden, but they also headline such mega-events as the Global Citizen Festival in South Africa. Hip-hop is now a global force, ubiquitous with mainstream culture. In this class, we will explore, analyze, and critique the beliefs, practices and behaviors associated with Hip-hop in the context of the conditions of systemic racial oppression and marginalization. Further, the course content will reflect a historical, sociological, and psychological perspective of U.S. culture. Students will follow Hip-hop from its early days in New York City, to the dark and gritty environments that produced the sounds of Hip-hop in the 1990s, to the "bling-bling" era of the early 2000s, and now to contemporary Hip-hop that influences fashion, urbanization, and the mainstream lexicon. Models of racial identity development and race-related psychological impact will be used to explore the development of the group and personal identities for those who are part of Hip-hop culture. At the end of the course, students will be able to critically examine the extent to which Hip-hop has helped form a new cultural identity in the 21st century.