Module overview
Hip-hop is one of the most ubiquitous, lucrative and popular musics in the world. Although it emerged in the South Bronx (New York City) in the 1970s, the history of hip-hop goes far beyond the USA and includes myriad transnational exchanges. Hip-hop has always been global, and its production and consumption during the last four decades has been closely linked to recent stages of globalisation, to emergent technologies, and to powerful multinational corporations. Hip-hop thus provides a fascinating case study for considering shifting global flows, and intersections between the global and the local. The module aims to develop your critical awareness of hip-hop as a social phenomenon and the ways that scholars have approached hip hop. The main focus of this course will be rap music, and we will also touch on other elements of hip-hop including DJing (turntablism), breakdancing (b-boys, b-girls), graffiti and knowledge. Various case studies from around the globe will be presented over the course of the semester from contexts with may include the African subcontinent, Cuba, Japan, the UK and the USA. The types of issues that may be explored include: transnational flows, black power movements, language, sampling, authenticities, racialization processes, gender, class, social critique, and consumerism. The module will be based on the study of books and articles, and close listening and viewing of audio-visual materials.