************************************************************* Music of African Americans: Hip Hop-Decoded MUS 307/AFR 317

Spring 2017 MRH 2.608 MWF 12-1pm

Instructor: Dr. Charles Carson MBE 3.604 [email protected] (but please use Canvas) Twitter: @UT_Doc_C 512.232.9448 Office hours: M 1-2pm, or by appointment

Teaching Assistant: X’ene Taylor

I. Course Description: Generally speaking, this course is an introduction to the musical, social, cultural, and political elements of Hip Hop culture in the US, as interpreted through the development of its musical style.

II. Course Aims and Objectives: Aims Beyond increasing familiarity with African American music and culture, a major goal of this course is to provide you with the tools to coexist--and indeed thrive--in a global context.

Specific Learning Objectives: By the end of this course, students will: ● Be able to recognize and describe general elements of African American cultural practices, including instruments/media, performance practice, and aesthetics.

● Discuss the ways in which these elements have influenced (and continue to influence) contemporary American society, especially with respect to hip hop and related genres.

● Critically assess expressions and representations of African American culture in music and media.

● Be able to apply these critical thinking skills in the context of other cultures, both historical and contemporary.

III. Format and Procedures:

III. Format and Procedures: This course will blend lecture and discussions. These content will center around a select body of readings, recordings, videos, and other media. Advance preparation is key to avoiding a “dry lecture” format, so please come to class prepared to discuss that day’s materials.

Other activities include: quizzes & assignments, and a final project to be explained in class.

IV. My Assumptions I believe that diversity is good for the world. It opens up our eyes to other perspectives and possibilities, and can thus help move humankind forward. I also believe that the understanding of how identity works in general is key to understanding ourselves. While this course will focus primarily upon expressions of African American identity, I hope that we will foster greater patience, understanding, and respect for any and all peoples.

By enrolling in this class, I assume that you are interested in taking such a journey. While I don’t expect you to agree with everything you hear, I do expect that you will put the utmost effort towards developing an appreciation for the musics and cultures discussed, as well as an awareness of music’s important role in the enrichment of the human spirit.

This class is NOT intended for just music majors. No previous musical knowledge or experience is required to excel in this course. Keep in mind that listeners make up the largest (and arguably the most powerful) demographic of the music industry, so what you think and feel about the music is important. Music is all around you, and—however unknowingly—you have developed the tools to interpret, discuss, and critique it. This class is intended to hone those skills, augmenting them with information about the music’s technical and cultural contexts.

A Word About Language Many of the recordings that we will encounter will utilize “colorful” language of various types. Whenever practicable, I have substituted edited versions of the examples if the edits do not dramatically affect the intention, meaning, or aesthetic of the song. However, some examples need to be heard in their original format. Consider this your fair warning. The inclusion of such examples is not intended to be offensive, merely to represent the realities of the musical soundscapes we encounter daily.

V. Course Requirements: 1. Class attendance and participation policy: a. Attendance will be taken daily. At the end of the semester, you will receive a percentage based on the number of absences you have accrued. For example, if we take attendance 20 times, and you are absent 10 of those times, you will receive a 50% for that “assignment” at the end of the semester. b. Unexcused absences are any absence for which you do not have a valid, verifiable excuse (university excuse, doctor’s note, funeral program, letter from a judge, etc.). Undocumented illnesses will be considered unexcused. c. Any absences or late arrivals/departures should be discussed with me well beforehand, so we can make the appropriate arrangements. d. YOU are responsible for any content that you miss due to absence, including readings, quizzes, or in-class activities. e. Late assignments will not be accepted, except in the case of EXCUSED absences. f. Please come on time, and be prepared to stay for the duration of class. Students who have issues getting to or from class in a timely manner should speak with me immediately, and will be handled on case-by-case basis. g. A Word about Conduct in the Classroom: This course will deal with some touchy issues, including race/ethnicity, class, and gender/sexuality issues. While I want you to feel comfortable to express your thoughts, feelings, and opinions, I ask that please be sensitive to

those around you--we all come from a variety of backgrounds and belief systems (which is awesome). Students who refuse to be respectful will be asked to leave. h. At the same time, however, I encourage you to challenge yourself and your assumptions about the world by embracing ideas that may be new or unfamiliar to you. This classroom is a safe environment with learning as our primary goal--let’s take advantage of that. i. If, at any time, you are made to feel uncomfortable, please do not hesitate to bring this to my attention after class. I am sure we can work through it.

Religious Holy Days By UT Austin policy, you must notify me of your pending absence at least fourteen days prior to the date of observance of a religious holy day. If you must miss a class, an examination, a work assignment, or a project in order to observe a religious holy day, I will give you an opportunity to complete the missed work within a reasonable time after the absence.

2. Discussion Sections: Attendance at discussion sections is mandatory. These sections are designed to allow students to engage with the material in a more individualized fashion. You will receive a grade for attendance/participation at these meetings, as well as any assignments that may be needed.

3. Course Readings/Materials: ○ Assorted readings, provided by the instructor and available online. ○ Recordings, provided by the instructor and available online. ○ CANVAS course site access (see technology policy)

4. Assignments, Assessment, and Evaluation a. Throughout this course, you will be expected to read and listen regularly. This is not only part of your preparation for this course, but also a part of your musical and intellectual development in general. Dates for readings/listenings on the syllabus are to be completed BY that date. Please come to class prepared to discuss the material assigned for that day, and submit all assignments online in a timely manner. b. The bulk of the coursework will consist of (online) quizzes, reading guides, assignments, and a one-time “DECODING” final project, which will be explained in class. c. No late assignments will be accepted. d. There will be NO Midterm Exam. e. NO FINAL EXAM for this class. Instead, you will complete a final project, which is due by the university scheduled final exam time. This will be submitted online, per the instructions I will give in class. f. Make-up quizzes will not be given. Should you fall too far behind, see me. Each quiz will be available online for AT LEAST two days, so you should plan to be able to complete them before the due date.

5. Technology Policies a. This class uses CANVAS (https://canvas.utexas.edu). If you are not familiar with it, please take some time NOW to get used to navigating the interface. 99% of course materials, announcements, etc. will be circulated via this courseware. b. This class has a twitter feed (@UT_Doc_C), which I will use to inform you about concerts, events, or updates in real time. While following me is not a requirement, you will want to check the twitter feed periodically. For those of you who do not use Twitter, I have embedded

a Twitter feed widget on the main page of Canvas. Since this account is purely for informational purposes, I will not follow you back—nothing personal. c. In this “always connected” world we are used to being accessible anywhere, anytime. Consider this classroom a “sacred space” for us—a place where we can unplug for an hour and just listen and talk. Don’t ruin that space by bringing in the outside world! Please silence or turn off cell phones before class, and refrain from using them for the duration. If something is pressing, please excuse yourself (quietly) and use the phone somewhere else. However, it will be your responsibility to catch up on any material missed, so ask a friend to take notes for you. d. Please remove your earbuds before coming to class. Duh. e. OMG! Please don’t text in class! Besides being incredibly rude and disrespectful to the rest of us (and so stereotypical as to be passé), it can also negatively affect your grade, as you will miss important information. The same goes for email, Facebooking, and surfing the web, obviously. Any individual who refuses to refrain from such activity will be asked to leave. f. While I strongly encourage students to utilize technology in the classroom, I do have a “front row” laptop policy. Any person who wishes to use his/her computer for note-taking, must sit in the front two rows--no exceptions. Since front row seating is limited, you are encouraged to arrive early! PLEASE…save Facebook for elsewhere. Are you really paying good money to Facebook?!? g. It is the responsibility of the student to make sure he/she completes and submits all online assignments correctly. I STRONGLY suggest that you utilize on-campus labs if you are not 100% confident in the hardware, software, or internet connection you are using. Bad connections, power outages, frozen computers, etc. are NOT grounds for a make-up. h. Last thing: the STUDENT is responsible for their own technology. You wouldn’t ask your dentist to fix your toilet, so don’t ask your music professor to fix your computer. IT Helpdesk offers substantial support for Canvas, email, connectivity, software, and hardware. They can be reached at 475-9400.

VI. Grading Procedures: Grades will be based on:

20% = Attendance & Participation 20% = Reading Guides 30% = Assignments (Quizzes, Discussion Forums, etc.) 30% = Final DECODED Project

Letter grades are computed as follows: 90%=A, 80%=B, 70%=C, 60%=D, and so forth. All pluses and minuses are computed at x3% and x7% (for example, 80%=B-, 83%=B, 87%=B+. The university does not give A+ grades.

VII. Academic Integrity

University of Texas Honor Code The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of the university is expected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community.

Each student in this course is expected to abide by the University of Texas Honor Code. [See the UT Honor Code above.] Any work submitted by a student in this course for academic credit will be the student's own work.

VIII. Other University Notices and Policies

Course Flags This course carries the flag for Cultural Diversity in the United States. Cultural Diversity courses are designed to increase your familiarity with the variety and richness of the American cultural experience. You should therefore expect a substantial portion of your grade to come from assignments covering the practices, beliefs, and histories of at least one U.S. cultural group that has experienced persistent marginalization.

Email and Communication Policy Email is the primary mode of communication for this course. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure that his/her email settings are such that they can receive official email from the university, and more specifically, through BlackBoard. Please allow a 24 hour turnaround for all emails to the professor. After 48 hours, however, feel free to send it again—it has gotten buried. Of course, I will attempt to answer messages as soon as possible, but last-minute or odd-hour emails will have to wait. In case of an emergency: email me immediately to apprise me of the situation, and then relax—we will work something out. You are always welcome during my posted office hours (please knock), or you can make an appointment.

Documented Disability Statement Any student with a documented disability who requires academic accommodations should contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) at (512) 471-6259 (voice) or 1-866-329-3986 (video phone). Faculty are not required to provide accommodations without an official accommodation letter from SSD.

Please notify me as quickly as possible if the material being presented in class is not accessible (e.g., instructional videos need captioning, course packets are not readable for proper alternative text conversion, etc.).

Contact Services for Students with Disabilities at 471-6259 (voice) or 1-866-329-3986 (video phone) or reference SSD’s website for more disability-related information: http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/ssd/for_cstudents.php

Behavior Concerns Advice Line (BCAL) If you are worried about someone who is acting differently, you may use the Behavior Concerns Advice Line to discuss by phone your concerns about another individual’s behavior. This service is provided through a partnership among the Office of the Dean of Students, the Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC), the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and The University of Texas Police Department (UTPD). Call 512-232-5050 or visit http://www.utexas.edu/safety/bcal.

Q drop Policy The State of Texas has enacted a law that limits the number of course drops for academic reasons to six (6). As stated in Senate Bill 1231:

“Beginning with the fall 2007 academic term, an institution of higher education may not permit an undergraduate student a total of more than six dropped courses, including any course a transfer student has dropped at another institution of higher education, unless the student shows good cause for dropping more than that number.”

Topic Reading Listening DUE Week 1 W 1/18 START LISTENING NOW! Introduction: Why Study see the Canvas site for the listening for each unit, as well as a Spotify African American Music? playlist F 1/20 Jay-Z: Decoded (excerpt), NO READING GUIDE 2004: Jay-Z -- "99 Problems" Syllabus Quiz (online), due by 8pm Sunday DECODING Hip Hop 2004: Kanye West -- "Crack Music"

Week 2 UNIT 1 M 1/23 Keeping It Real: Hip Hop and Authenticity

W 1.25 Music Fundamentals

F 1/27 Rose: "Flow, Layering, and Rupture in Postindustrial New Hip Hop: Where and Why? York"

Week 3 M 1/30 The Industry

W 2/1 The Industry

F 2/3 Basic Recording Concepts

Week 4 M 2/6 Jenkins: "Graffiti" The Four Elements: Graffiti

W 2/8 The Four Elements: Break Dancing

F 2/10 George "Hip Hop's Founding Fathers" The Four Elements: DJ-ing

Week 5 M 2/13 1969: The Wiinstons: "Amen, Brother" 1970: James Brown -- "Funky Drummer" The Four Elements: 1973: The Incredible Bongo Band --"Apache" DJ-ing 1973: The Incredible Bongo Band -- "Bongo Rock"

W 2/15 Edwards, "How Flow Works" The Four Elements: MC-ing

F 2/17 Unit I Quiz (online), due by 8pm Sunday The Four Elements: MC-ing

Week 6 Unit 2 M 2/20 Szwed: "The Real Old School" 1968: James Brown – “Say It Loud—I’m Black and I’m Proud” Precursors & 1971: Gil Scott Heron – “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” 1974: Keith Hudson – “Pick A Dub” "Old Skool" vs. "New 1976: Parliament – “Give Up the Funk” School"

W 2/22 Frick & Ahearn: "Rapper's Delight" 1979: Sugar Hill Gang – “Rapper’s Delight” Precursors & 1980: Curtis Blow – “The Breaks” "Old Skool" vs. "New 1980: Blondie – “Rapture” School" 1981: GMF & FF – “Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel” F 2/24 1982: Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force – “Planet Rock” Precursors & 1982: GMF & FF – “The Message” "Old Skool" vs. "New 1984: UTFO – “Roxanne, Roxanne” School" 1984: Roxanne Shanté – “Roxanne’s Revenge”

Week 7 M 2/27 Michel: "L.L. Cool J" 1984: Run DMC – “It’s Like That” Unit II Quiz (online), due by 8pm Wednesday Precursors & 1985: Schoolly D – “P.S.K.” "Old Skool" vs. "New 1985: Doug E. Fresh & MC Ricky D (Slick Rick) – “La Di Da Di” School" 1985: LL Cool J – “Just Can’t Live Without My Radio”

W 3/1 Jones: "Run-D.M.C." 1986: Run DMC (feat. Aerosmith) – “Walk This Way” 1986: The Beastie Boys – “The New Style” The Golden Age 1986: Ice-T – “6 In The Morning”

F 3/3 1987: Eric B and Rakim – “Eric B is President” 1987: Kool Moe Dee – “How Ya Like Me Now” 1987: Salt-N-Pepa – “Push It” 1988: Big Daddy Kane – “Raw” The Golden Age 1988: MC Lyte – “Paper Thin” 1988: Boogie Down Productions – “My Philosophy” 1988: EPMD – “Strictly Business”

Week 8 Unit 3 M 3/6 The Golden Age

W 3/8 Rose: "Fear of a Black Planet" 1988: N.W.A. – “Straight Outta Compton” 1989: Public Enemy – “Fight The Power” The Golden Age 1989: De La Soul – “My Myself and I”

F 3/10 Diehl: "Pop Rap" 1989: DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – “Parents Just Don’t Unit III Quiz (online), due by 8pm Sunday Understand” DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – “DJ on the Wheels” The Golden Age 1990: MC Hammer – “U Can’t Touch This” 1990: Vanilla Ice – “Ice, Ice, Baby” 1991: 3rd Bass – “Pop Goes the Weasel”

Week 9 M 3/13

W 3/15 F 3/17 SPRING BREAK Week 10 Unit 4 M 3/20

TA GUEST LECTURE

W 3/22 TA GUEST LECTURE

F 3/24 Decoded Song Choice Assignment (online), due by 8pm NO CLASS Sunday

Week 11 M 3/27 Hess: "Death Row Records and G-Funk" 1992: Dr. Dre (feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg) – “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” The Modern Era: 1996: 2Pac (feat. Snoop Dogg) – “2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted” West Coast Dominance 1998: 2Pac – “Changes” (recorded in 1992)

W 3/29 The Modern Era: West Coast Dominance

F 3/31 The Modern Era: Bry: "Resurgence of NY" 1993: Wu-Tang Clan – “Protect Ya Neck” 1994: The Notorious B.I.G. – “Hypnotize” The Empire (State) Strikes 1994: Nas – “The World Is Yours” Back Week 12 M 4/3 1995: Mobb Deep – “Shook Ones, Pt. II” The Modern Era: 1996: Jay-Z – “Can I Live?” The Empire (State) Strikes 1997: Busta Rhymes – “Woo Hah!! Got You All In Check” Back

W 4/5

Sampling

F 4/7 Sampling

Week 13 M 4/10 Music Videos

W 4/12 1996: The Roots – “What They Do” 1999: Mos Def – “Hip Hop” The Modern Era: 2000: Dead Prez – “Hip Hop” Alternative/Underground TBA

F 4/14 Unit IV Quiz (online), due by 8pm Sunday The Modern Era: Alternative/Underground

Week 14 Unit 5 M 4/17 Green: "Dirty South" 1995: Geto Boys - “Damn It Feels Good To Be A Gangster” [recorded 1992] 2002: Geto Boys/Michael “5000 Watts” – “Damn It Feels Good To Be A Regional Trends: Gangster [chopped and screwed]” Durty South & The 1996: UGK – “One Day” Midwest 1996: Outkast – “ATLiens” 2000: Mystikal – “Shake It Fast” [“Shake Ya Ass” clean version] 2000: Ludacris – “Southern Hospitality” (produced by The Neptunes) ------W 4/19 1997: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - "The Crossroads" Regional Trends: 1999: Eminem - "My Name Is" Durty South & The 2000: Nelly – “Country Grammar” 2000: Common - "The Light" Midwest 2007: Brother Ali - "Uncle Sam Goddamn" 2007: Tech N9ne - "Midwest Choppers" F 4/21 2007: Lupe Fiasco - "Superstar"

Regional Trends: Durty South & The Midwest

Week 15 M 4/24 Good: "Ill Na Nas, Goddesses, and Drama Mamas" 1993: Queen Latifah – “U.N.I.T.Y.” 1994: Da Brat – “Funkdafied” 1994: Lady of Rage – “Afro Puffs” 1996: Foxy Brown – “Ill Na Na” Women in Hip Hop 1998: Lauryn Hill – “Lost Ones” 1999: Ruff Ryders (feat. Eve and Nokio) – “What Ya Want” 2000: Lil Kim – “No Matter What They Say” 2001: Missy Elliott – “Get Ur Freak On”

W 4/26 Most Influential Assignment NOMINATIONS, TBA due (online) by 8pm Wednesday

F 4/28 Kajikawa: "Eminem’s 'My Name Is': Signifying Whiteness, 2004: Kanye West – “Jesus Walks” Most Influential Assignment VOTING #1, Rearticulating Race" 2007: T-Pain – “Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’)” due (online) by 8pm Sunday 2008: Lil Wayne – “Lollipop” 2008: Young Jeezy – “My President” Contemporary Hip Hop: 2010: Wiz Khalifa – “Black & Yellow” Mainstream & Beyond 2010: Nicki Minaj – “Your Love” 2000: Eminem – “The Real Slim Shady” 2002: Eminem – “Lose Yourself”

Week 16 M 5/1 cont. Contemporary Hip Hop: Mainstream & Beyond

W 5/3 cont. Most Influential Assignment VOTING #2, Contemporary Hip Hop: due (online) by 8pm Wednesday Mainstream & Beyond

F 5/5 TBA Unit V Quiz (online), due by 8pm Friday Conclusions FINAL PROJECT DUE TBA