CES 209 Hip Hop Around the Globe MWF 10:10-11:00 CUE 418 Spring 2016

Instructor: Nicholas D. Krebs Office: Wilson-Short 115 Office Hours: TR 11:00-12:00, or by appointment E-mail: [email protected]

Course Description and Objectives “It is what the paint signifies in the public imagination that defines whether it conveys high status or lowly character virtue.’‘ – Leonard Harris (2013), “Against Minstrelsy,” Black Diaspora Review. Vol 3, No. 2: p. 3.

“Babylon, Babylon, out my window all I see is Babylon. On the news all I see is Babylon, and all niggas do is just babble on….ain’t got no gavel, I ain't tryna fight nobody battle, I-I just wanna be free, I ain't tryna be nobodies chattel.” – Ab-Soul (2012), “Terrorist Threats (feat. Danny Brown & Jhene Aiko),” Control System.

“Now, I’ma need you to kill the hypocrisy, this is an aristocracy. I’m Socrates, but my skin more chocolatey.” – Kanye West (2010), “See Me Now (feat. Beyoncé, Charlie Wilson & Big Sean),” My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

This course introduces students to the critical investigation of hip hop around the globe, and begins by recognizing hip hop as a social cultural movement that exerts significant resistance against oppressive societal forces while simultaneously producing material and mental empowerment for marginalized peoples around the world. We will establish this claim by thoroughly examining both the aesthetics and elements of the art form, and its resultant sociocultural movement. Focusing on the roots of hip hop in the inner-cities of the United States during the late twentieth century, and its continued prominence in urban environments across the globe in the twenty-first century, we will highlight the relationships between art, capitalism, politics, and social movements in order to provide students with a working critique of the structural context in which hip hop arose, matured, and continues to evolve. Ultimately, this class is organized to provide students with an analytic framework for understanding the following: (1) the historical development of hip hop in the United States and around the world, (2) the relationship between capital, culture, and various forms of social resistance in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, and (3) the significant complexities of performing race, gender, and sexuality in hip hop.

By the end of this course students will be able to: o Describe the aesthetics and elements of hip hop around the globe—from its historical origins inside the United States, to contemporary forms and beyond. o Identify dominant narratives surrounding gender, race, and sexuality in hip hop, and provide concise counter-points regarding systemic inequalities ascribed to gender, race, and sexuality in both hip hop and the societies in which it is produced. CES 209 Syllabus & Schedule Spring 2016

o Situate the challenges facing the domestic population of the Americas, especially those marginalized and oppressed who are given a voice via hip hop, within a wider global context of struggle under capitalism. o Recognize the many methods of socio-cultural organization, including hip hop, that oppressed people have used to ferment both personal empowerment and strategic subversion around the globe and across time.

Course Requirements The required texts for this course are as follows: o That’s The Joint!: The Hip-Hop Studies Reader (Second Edition) – Murray Forman and Mark Anthony Neal, editors. Routledge, 2012. o Shake the Dust – Nasir Jones, Adam Sjöberg, and David Jacobson, 2014. o The following albums: (instructor can provide a copy on request) People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths Of Rhythm – A Tribe Called Quest (1990) The Low End Theory – A Tribe Called Quest (1991) Midnight Marauders – A Tribe Called Quest (1993) Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik – OutKast (1994) ATLiens – OutKast (1996) Aquemeni – OutKast (1998) The Chronic – Dr. Dre (1992) The Chronic 2001 – Dr. Dre (1999) Compton: A Soundtrack by Dr. Dre – Dr. Dre (2015) My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – Kanye West (2010) Black Star – Mos Def and Talib Kweli (1998) Let’s Get Free – Dead Prez (2000) Power In Numbers – Jurassic 5 (2002) $O$ – Die Antwoord (2010) Ten$ion – Die Antwoord (2012) Donker Mag – Die Antwoord (2014) Pink Friday – Nicki Minaj (2010) Pink Friday … Roman Reloaded – Nicki Minaj (2012) The Pinkprint – Nicki Minaj (2014) o All other readings provided by the instructor.

-Required course activities include preparing for class appropriately by completing assigned readings before the date listed on the course schedule, faithfully attending lecture, actively participating in honest and frank discussion, and accurate fulfillment of all assessments.

Grade Breakdown 100-93 = A 92-90 = A- 89-88 = B+ 87-83 = B 82-80 = B- 79-78 = C+ 77-73 = C 72-70 = C- 69-68 = D+ 67-63 = D 62-0 = F

-All grades are calculated by point not percentage; this means no rounding. -All grades are final pending instructor miscalculations. -You must wait twenty-four hours after receiving a grade to discuss it with the instructor, and grades will only be discussed on a previous assignment up until you turn in another assignment.

Your grade will be based on the following assessments: o Four (4) critical album reviews worth 15 points each—total of 60 points o One (1) critical element review worth 15 points—total of 15 points

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o Five (5) Reading Facilitations worth 3 points each—total of 15 points o Course Engagement: Attendance and Q&Qs—10 points o Total points possible—60+15+15+10=100 points* *There is no extra credit available in this class

Assessment Details -Assessment activities must be typed and turned in on time at the beginning of the class period due. Hand written or late assignments will not be accepted, and missed assignments cannot be made up. -All papers must be single-spaced and stapled, use 12pt font and black ink, have 1” margins, and feature a uniform and consistent citation style. o Critical album review papers must be a minimum of 750 words, but no longer than 1250 words. Two (2) must be pre-1995, two (2) must be post- 1995, two (2) must be international (non-U.S.) artists, and two (2) must feature a female or LGBT emcee. Specific guidelines will be distributed. o Critical element review papers must be a minimum of 1000 words, but no longer than 1500 words. Element reviews will focus on a single element of hip hop, and detail its creation and evolution in both the United States and abroad. Specific guidelines will be distributed. o Reading facilitations will enable students to take-charge of their education and engagement with course materials and fellow classmates. On assigned dates, students must be prepared to carry and lead class discussion, with the assigned responsibility rotating equally throughout the semester. Specific facilitation guidelines will be distributed. o Course engagement includes reading beforehand, attending class regularly, and active participation in all class activities. To stimulate discussion and indicate attendance students must turn in one (1) question and one (1) quote for every assigned reading. Example to be provided.

Standard of Excellence and Academic Integrity Students will be held to a high standard of performance at all times. To receive an "A" in this course, writing must be significantly better than that which passes for acceptable work. An "A" paper is one that shows originality, careful research, tight reasoning, well thought out audience appeals, and skillful delivery. "A" work will deal with non-trivial subject matter, and will constitute a genuine contribution to the knowledge and beliefs of the audience (i.e. your peers). Do not assume that you can simply do what is assigned to receive a high grade in this course. Doing what is assigned gets you a "C." An "A" requires considerably more work, both rigorous and time-consuming, for you to do well.

According to the WSU Student Handbook, plagiarism, or any form of academic dishonesty, will not be tolerated, and will result in immediate failure of the assignment(s) in question, as well as possible further action per University regulations: http://academicintegrity.wsu.edu.

Course Attendance Due to our rigorous curriculum, regular attendance is essential for your success in this class. You are expected to show up for class on time and to stay for the entire period. If you are continuously absent—more than three (3) class sessions—you

3 CES 209 Syllabus & Schedule Spring 2016 will forfeit your points for engagement. Any student that demonstrates additional lack of interest will receive an “F” after missing six (6) class periods. Frequent tardiness or leaving early is not conducive to your learning, or the learning of other students in the course. Tardiness begins once the door is closed. Three (3) late entrances count as one (1) absence. If you arrive after more than twenty (20) minutes have passed, you will be considered absent for the day. You are responsible for obtaining any missed materials and/or class notes that result from any absence. To prevent issues from arising, inform the instructor upon sickness, family emergency, or prior to University related travel (at least one week in advance for the latter).

Classroom Etiquette Laptops, tablet devices, cell phones, music players, newspapers, and any other non-course related materials are not to be seen or used during class time. If distractions are found, you will be asked to leave class, and will receive an absence for the day. This includes sleeping and/or chatting with neighbors.

Netiquette It is imperative that you recognize the importance of proper decorum when communicating online and/or through email in official University relations, as the University mimics what is found in the business world. In addition, emails are a form of communication recognized by law as contractually binding in certain cases. This means you need to be formal in your electronic communication; grammar, syntax, and punctuation cannot be forgotten. At a bare minimum, make sure each email has a subject, a salutation or greeting, and a signature of some sort. Email is not texting, it is formal written communication in the digital age, and must be conducted as such. Furthermore, I will not reply to any email that is not properly formatted or sent from an official WSU address.

To Note This course will be dealing with topics that may make some uncomfortable. To engage this material adequately and appropriately, the classroom will function as a safe space for all voices to participate within reason. Aggressive or derogatory behavior and language of any manner will not be tolerated. Explicit lyrics and images may accompany some of the readings and media assignments; please be aware if you are sensitive to such forms of expression.

Student Access Students with University documented disabilities are allowed reasonable accommodations. However, all accommodations must be approved by the Access Center (http://accesscenter.wsu.edu).

Campus Safety Classroom and campus safety are of paramount importance at Washington State University, and are the shared responsibility of the entire campus population. WSU urges students to follow the “Alert, Assess, Act,” protocol for all types of emergencies and the “Run, Hide, Fight” response for an active shooter incident. Remain ALERT (through direct observation or emergency notification), ASSESS your specific situation, and ACT in the most appropriate way to assure your own safety (and the safety of others

4 CES 209 Syllabus & Schedule Spring 2016 if you are able). For more information on this subject, campus safety, and related topics, please visit the WSU safety portal at https://faculty.wsu.edu/classroom-safety/.

Be Advised The course schedule and syllabus are subject to change at the discretion of the instructor. Your continued enrollment in this course signifies acceptance of all policies and procedures. In case of a campus emergency, accommodations to course requirements, deadlines, and grading percentages may be made. Be sure to check your campus-affiliated e-mail regularly for periodic updates and reminders.

Thematic Schedule (all readings* to be completed before date listed) *readings provided by instructor.

What is Hip Hop? Introducing the Aesthetics and Elements of the Part 1 Genre >Listen to: People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths Of Rhythm, The Low End Theory, and Midnight Marauders – A Tribe Called Quest Course Introduction and Overview M 01/11 -Syllabus distribution, instructor and student introductions, etc. Hip Hop History and Context part I W 01/13 -“Hip-Hop & the Global Imprint of a Black Cultural Form” – Marcyliena Morgan and Dionne Bennett (2011), Dædalus. Vol. 140, No. 2: p. 176-196.* Hip Hop History and Context part II F 01/15 -“C.R.E.A.M.” – Wu-Tang Clan (1993), Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).* -“At The Helm” – Hieroglyphics (1998), 3rd Eye Vision.* -“Hip-Hop Saved My Life (feat. Nikki Jean)” – Lupe Fiasco (2007), The Cool.* -“Young, Black, Rich and Famous: ‘Ball, Hip Hop, and the Redefinition of the American Dream” – Todd Boyd (2003), Young, Black, Rich & Famous: The Rise of the NBA, the Hip Hop Invasion, and the Transformation of American Culture. Bison Books (University of Nebraska Press), p. 1-18.* M 01/18 No Class - MLK Day Hip Hop History and Context part III W 01/20 -“General Introduction,” and “’Hip-Hop Ya Don’t Stop’: Hip-Hop History and Historiography” – Murray Forman, JOINT: p. 1-12. -“Hip-Hop’s Founding Fathers Speak the Truth” – Nelson George, JOINT: p. 43-55. -“’Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City’: Hip-Hop, Space, and Place” – Murray Forman, JOINT: p. 225-227.

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Break Dancing and Physical Graffiti; Bombing and Style Wars F 01/22 -“The Politics of Graffiti” – Craig Castleman, JOINT: p. 13-22. -“Physical Graffiti: The History of Hip-Hop Dance” – Jorge “Popmaster Fabel” Pabon, JOINT: p. 56-62. -Film screening: Style Wars – Henry Chalfant/Tony Silver (1983). The Four (Five) Elements of Hip Hop M 01/25 -Film screening: Style Wars – Henry Chalfant/Tony Silver (1983). The Art of Rocking a Microphone: Rapping and the Emcee Part 2 >Listen to: Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, ATLiens, and Aquemeni – OutKast How to Rock a Microphone W 01/27 -“’No Time For Fake Niggas’: Hip-Hop Culture and the Authenticity Debates” – Mark Anthony Neal, JOINT: p. 69-72. -“Lookin’ for the ‘Real’ Nigga: Social Scientists Construct the Ghetto” – Robin D.G. Kelley, JOINT: p. 134-152. Writing Day F 01/29 First Album Review Paper Due By 5pm The Art of Rap M 02/01 -“Preface,” and “Introduction” – Tricia Rose (2008), The Hip Hop Wars: What We Talk About When We Talk About Hip Hop—And Why It Matters. Basic Civitas Books, p. ix-xii, 1-30.* How to Rock a Microphone W 02/03 -“’No Time For Fake Niggas’: Hip-Hop Culture and the Authenticity Debates” – Mark Anthony Neal, JOINT: p. 69-72. -“Lookin’ for the ‘Real’ Nigga: Social Scientists Construct the Ghetto” – Robin D.G. Kelley, JOINT: p. 134-152. Spittin’ Bars F 02/05 -“My Mic Sound Nice: Art, Community, and Consciousness” – Imani Perry, JOINT: p. 503-517. Enter the Cypher M 02/08 -“’Bring It to the Cypher’: Hip-Hop Nation Language” – H. Samy Alim, JOINT: p. 530-563. Hip Hop: Making Something from Nothing W 02/10 -Film screening: Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap – Andy Baybutt/Ice-T (2012). Hip Hop and the Culture Industries Part 3 >Listen to: The Chronic, The Chronic 2001, and Compton: A Soundtrack by Dr. Dre – Dr. Dre Navigating the Culture Industries of Hip Hop F 02/12 -“The Culture Industry: Mainstream Success and Black Cultural Representation” – Gil Cook (2011), Jay-Z: Essays Hip-Hop’s Philosopher King, ed. Julius Bailey. McFarland & Company, Inc., p. 180-190.* M 02/15 No Class - President’s Day

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The Great Interruptions of the 21st Century Schizoid Man W 02/17 -“Confidently (Non)cognizant of Neoliberalism: Kanye West and the Interruption of Taylor Swift” – Nicholas D. Krebs (2014), The Cultural Impact of Kanye West, ed. Julius Bailey. Palgrave Macmillan, p. 195-208.* -My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – Kanye West (2010).* Writing Day F 02/19 Second Album Review Paper Due By 5pm Dr. Dre, N.W.A., and Cultural Commodification M 02/22 -“Black Marketing Whiteness: From Hustler to HNIC” – Stephany Rose (2011), Jay-Z Essays on Hip Hop’s Philosopher King, ed. Julius Bailey. McFarland & Company, Inc., p. 117-131.* -Film screening: CB4: The Movie – Tamra Davis (1993). Capital, Race, and the Commodification of Hip Hop part I W 02/24 -Film screening: CB4: The Movie – Tamra Davis (1993). Capital, Race, and the Commodification of Hip Hop part II F 02/26 -Film screening: CB4: The Movie – Tamra Davis (1993). The Social Movement and Subversive Responses of Hip Hop Part 4 >Listen to: Black Star – Mos Def and Talib Kweli, Let’s Get Free – Dead Prez, and Power In Numbers – Jurassic 5 Meritocratic Minstrelsy in Hip Hop under Neoliberalism M 02/29 -“The Minstrel Reprise: Hip-Hop and the Evolution of the Black Image in American Popular Culture” – Jeffrey O.G. Ogbar (2007), Hip- Hop Revolution: The Culture and Politics of Rap. University Press of Kansas, p. 9-36.* Intergenerational Struggles, Intergenerational Sounds W 03/02 -“’The Message’: Rap, Politics, and Resistance” – Mark Anthony Neal, JOINT: p. 435-437. -“Intergenerational Culture Wars: Civil Rights vs. Hip Hop” – Todd Boyd and Yusuf Nuruddin, JOINT: p. 438-450. Active Resistance -> “Uhuru!” F 03/04 -“Rise Up Hip Hop Nation: From Deconstructing Racial Politics to Building Positive Solutions” – Kristine Wright, JOINT: p. 518- 526. Contextualizing Contemporary Critical Consciousness part I M 03/07 -“’I Used to Love H.E.R.’: Hip-Hop in/and the Culture Industries” – Mark Anthony Neal, JOINT: p. 631-633. -“Black Youth and the Ironies of Capitalism” – S. Craig Watkins, JOINT: p. 690-707. -Film screening: Letter to the President – Thomas Gibson (2005). Contextualizing Contemporary Critical Consciousness part II W 03/09 -Film screening: Letter to the President – Thomas Gibson (2005). Writing Day F 03/11 Third Album Review Due By 5pm

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M 03/12 No Class – Spring Break W 03/14 No Class – Spring Break F 03/16 No Class – Spring Break Hip Hop Around the Globe Part 5 >Listen to: $O$, Ten$ion, and Donker Mag – Die Antwoord Hip Hop Around the Globe M 03/21 -“Preface,” “Introduction. The Making of a Hip Hop Globe,” and “Epilogue. Global Rage: Over the Edge” – Sujatha Fernandes (2011), Close to the Edge: In Search of the Global Hip Hop Generation. Verso Books, p. ix-xi, 1-23, 183-192.* W 03/23 Breaking Around the World part I -Film Screening: Shake the Dust. (2014). Available at: www.shakethedust.org F 03/25 Breaking Around the World part II -Film Screening: Shake the Dust. (2014). Available at: www.shakethedust.org M 03/28 Black Diasporas and Bastions of Global Hip Hop part I -“Native Tongues: A Roundtable on Hip-Hop’s Global Indigenous Movement” – Christina Verán, JOINT: p. 336-344. Black Diasporas and Bastions of Global Hip Hop part II W 03/30 -“Global Black Self-Fashionings: Hip Hop as Diasporic Space” – Marc D. Perry, JOINT: p. 294-314. Black Diasporas and Bastions of Global Hip Hop part III F 04/01 -“Hooligans and Heroes: Youth Identity and Hip-Hop in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania” – Alex Perullo, JOINT: p. 315-335. Hip Hop in the Middle East part I M 04/04 -“Arabic Hip-Hop: Claims of Authenticity and Identity of a New Genre” – Usama Kahf, JOINT: p. 116-133. -Film Screening: Slingshot Hip Hop – Jackie Salloum (2008). W 04/06 Hip Hop in the Middle East part II -Film Screening: Slingshot Hip Hop – Jackie Salloum (2008). F 04/08 Writing Day Fourth Album Review Due By 5pm M 04/11 CCGRS Speaker Series presents Jay Smooth: “Hip-Hop, Race, and T 04/12 Politics: The Way We Talk About Things” 530-730pm, CUE 203 Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Hip Hop Part 6 >Listen to: Pink Friday, Pink Friday … Roman Reloaded, and The Pinkprint – Nicki Minaj W 04/13 The Age of the Booty part I: from Hottentot Venus to Video Vixen -“Get Your Freak On: Sex, Babies, and Images of Black Femininity,” – Patricia Hill-Collins (2004), Black Sexual Politics. Routledge, p. 119-148.* F 04/15 The Age of the Booty part II: from Hottentot Venus to Video Vixen -“Booty Call: Sex, Violence, and Images of Black Masculinity” –

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Patricia Hill-Collins (2004), Black Sexual Politics. Routledge, p. 149-180.* M 04/18 The Age of the Booty part III: the Booty as a Standard of Beauty -Garcia, Patricia. “We’re Officially in the Era of the Big Booty,” Vogue online: 9 September 2014.* -Meltzer, Marisa. “For Posteriors’ Sake,” The New York Times online: 17 September 2014.* -Brodesser-Anker, Taffy. “Nicki Minaj: Cheeky Genius,” GQ online: November 2014.* W 04/20 New Feminism in the Age of the Booty? -“’I’ll be Nina Simone Defecating on Your Microphone’: Hip-Hop and Gender” – Mark Anthony Neal, JOINT: p. 345-347. -“Hip-Hop Feminist” – Joan Morgan, JOINT: p. 413-418. F 04/22 Moving into the Future part I: Countering Sexism and Homophobia -“I Used to Be Scared of the Dick: Queer Women of Color and Hip-Hop Masculinity” – Andreana Clay, JOINT: p. 348-357. M 04/25 Moving into the Future part II: Countering Sexism and Homophobia -“’Cover Your Eyes as I Describe a Scene so Violent’: Violence, Machismo, Sexism, and Homophobia” – Michael Eric Dyson and Byron Hurt, JOINT: p. 358-369. -Film screening: Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes – Byron Hurt (2006). W 04/27 Moving into the Future part III: Countering Sexism and Homophobia -Film screening: Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes – Byron Hurt (2006). F 04/29 Writing Day Critical Element Review Papers Due By 5pm

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