ENGLISH 209: The History, Literary Connections and Social Revelance of Hip Hop

This course investigates the social, cultural, and political history of hip hop. It focuses on the study of hip hop as an artistic literary phenomenon which reflects the Black experience and voices the concerns of African-Americans and Latinos in contemporary society. It is designed to give students an understanding as to the development of hip hop from the oral tradition to the commercial industry that dominates contemporary American popular culture. The course examines how contemporary themes within hip hop parallel past expressions of African-American creativity. The following themes are covered: the origins of hip hop, the literary elements of hip hop as well as hip hop’s connections to literary movements, such as, the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Arts Movement; the ability of hip hop to articulate social ills as well as the concerns of urban and poor Black and Latino communities, and significant hip hop artists, their performances and impact. In short, hip hop is an extension of the Black Experience. Texts, literature, videos and other media will be used to gain a more comprehensive understanding of these dynamics as well as ex/intensive class discussions.The course is available to students from all degree programs and is worth 3 Credit Hours towards graduation.