Black Voices in Hip Hop

Black Voices in Hip-Hop (a four credit course) will examine the first ten years (1968-1978) of the movement which has become known as Hip-Hop culture. While rap music has become the dominant aspect of Hip-Hop culture, it was graffiti and breakdancing which provided the foundation.

Both of these areas will be examined, not only for their entertainment value, but for their contribution to the struggle for equality and recognition for the underprivileged minorities (despite the title of the course, contributions from other groups, especially Hispanic Americans will also be covered) whose collective voice had otherwise been muted and buried in the impoverished neighborhoods of urban America.

Specifically, the grassroots movement which took place in the South Bronx as a direct response to the lack of political power and overt alienation of the working/underclass of the Bronx will be scrutinized. Issues such as urban education, urban housing, political activism (as well as the governments response), media coverage, Black film, Black literature, and television will be covered. By the end of this course, students will be able to view the early years of Hip-Hop not only for its entertainment value, rather in context with the political, social, and even global events which affected its maturation.